Late night BART bus in the works

Many a stranded concertgoer and bar hopper has cursed BART after missing a final train back to the East Bay. But this last call-last train conundrum may be halfway solved by September.

Because of important maintenance performed on BART in the overnight hours, the public will likely never see BART trains running 24 hours a day.

But plans are in the works to run buses out of San Francisco to areas served by BART lines until 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Paul Oversier, BART’s assistant general manager told the Ex:

“It’s not really BART that people want, it’s the service characteristics. And we can duplicate those with late-night buses.”

The plan being worked out between BART, AC Transit and County Connection should streamline late-night bus operations by eliminating transfers for groggy late night travelers and weekend warriors.

The specialized bus service is expected to cost around $800,000, with about $500,000 coming from Alameda and Contra Costa counties, $200,000 from BART and the rest covered by fares.

Bob Franklin, a BART board member said the bus program would “provide workers and the late-night crowd with an easy-to-understand expandable transit option after BART closes.”

Other members of the board like Tom Radulvich are praising the program but would prefer it if the new bus lines went all the way to San Francisco International Airport and traveled both ways across The Bay.

Apparently San Franciscans don’t work or party in the East Bay, an assumption that will leave many shrugging their shoulders and agreeing with Radulvich that the $800,000 plan is merely a good start.