Bus Riders To Rally Against AC Transit Cuts

East Bay bus riders plan to hold a protest outside an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District board meeting in Oakland Wednesday evening because they say they are fed up with service cuts.

AC Transit has reduced service by 15 percent this year, first in March and then in October.

In October, the transit agency started running morning buses later, and evening service ended earlier on 18 lines. Two lines were completely cut and two others started running reduced weekend service.

The board had planned to slash service by an additional 6 percent on Sunday, but a labor agreement reached in November between the board and the service's 1,750 bus drivers and mechanics temporarily staved off the cuts.

The agreement was reached through binding arbitration. AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnson said the ruling by the three-person arbitration panel called for workers to contribute to their health and benefit plans, changed work rules, and eliminated one paid holiday.

Johnson said tonight's meeting won't include any decisions to cut service, and that AC Transit welcomes the public's comments.

"We encourage the public to come out and voice their concerns," he said.

But Claire Haas, who works for the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, a group that will be protesting at tonight's meeting, said AC Transit has not been listening to the public.

"The board members have not been very responsive," she said.

Haas said that although the cuts that were scheduled to be implemented this month have been halted, they could still take effect in March. The AC Transit board is scheduled to discuss the issue again in January.

"Our experience is that when they've called a hearing to talk about the cuts, it's already too late," she said.

At least three community groups will march outside tonight's 6 p.m. meeting at 1600 Franklin St. Among other demands, protesters want a moratorium on service cuts for at least three years and four-hour, unlimited-use transfer passes.

Groups including Urban Habitat, Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, and Genesis will begin their protest at 5:30 p.m. at Broadway and 14th streets and march to the AC Transit meeting at 6 p.m.