AC Transit will offer free shuttles to Oakland Coliseum vaccine site
On March 23, 2020, AC Transit began offering fare free rides "until further notice" amid coronavirus outbreak.
OAKLAND, Calif. - AC Transit announced on Friday they will offer free-fare shuttles to the Oakland Coliseum for riders who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
State officials have said the mass vaccination site will have the capacity to administer up to 6,000 doses of the vaccine a day. The site is expected to open Tuesday. The site will be managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
"East Oakland has been described as ‘left behind in prioritization,’" said Elsa Ortiz, AC Transit Board President. "However, service here has always been AC Transit’s priority. Even in the face of shelter-in-place orders, we never stopped rolling. The board is hopeful the fare-free vaccine shuttles will give our communities the fighting chance to put the brakes on COVID-19."
The transit agency has authorized two fare free shuttles to temporarily operate, starting Monday. The vaccine site will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
BART announced similar plans to offer free rides home to those who are vaccinated at the Coliseum mass vaccination site.
AC Transit said they have been at the forefront of fighting the pandemic and have offered free masks and hand sanitizer for its riders since the beginning.
Vaccines at the Coliseum are by appointment only. If eligible, you can make your appointment through the state dashboard website and find more information at myturn.ca.gov.
The agency said riders will need to show proof of appointment to the bus operator via email confirmation before boarding.
The two shuttles will run every 15 or 20 minutes. You can find out more here on the specific route details. Social distancing and safety protocol, including wearing masks, will be in place on the shuttles with no more than 10 passengers allowed at a time.