WestCAT

WestCAT is a public transportation service in western Contra Costa County (north of Oakland, CA). It is a service of the Western Contra Costa Transit Authority.

WestCAT
WestCAT branded Gillig Low-Floor traveling along the JPX route
ParentWestern Contra Costa Transit Authority
Founded1977
Headquarters601 Walter Ave, Pinole
Service areaContra Costa County, California
Service typetransit bus, express bus, paratransit
Routes14
Stops300
Fleet57
Daily ridership4,944
Fuel typeDiesel, Gasoline, & Hybrid Electric
OperatorMV Transportation
Websitewestcat.org

The Western Contra Costa County Transit (WestCAT) was established in August 1977 as a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement between Contra Costa County and the cities of Hercules and Pinole. It was created with the purpose of owning, operating and administering a public transportation system serving the area between the Richmond/El Sobrante border to the west and the Al Zampa Memorial Bridge to the east. WestCAT is governed by a 7-member Board of Directors and supported by professional staff of seven. The two cities of Pinole and Hercules are each represented by two board members, while the unincorporated communities of Crockett, Rodeo, and Montalvin Manor each have one representative, appointed by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors.

WestCAT's fleet started out with shuttle vans, and then using buses made by El Dorado National and Thomas Built Buses. Now, WestCAT runs an almost all Gillig fleet, ranging from 19 Gillig Phantoms, to 18 Gillig Low Floors. WestCAT also has five Motor Coach Industries (MCI) over-the-road coaches and three Alexander Dennis Enviro500 double-decker buses for use on the LYNX. In addition, WestCAT has 10 Ford E-450 Paratransit vans, and 2 Toyota Camry hybrid electric sedans used for Dial-A-Ride.

Fixed-route service

As of September 2013, WestCAT provides a network of local and express bus routes throughout western Contra Costa County.[1] In addition, WestCAT operates regional service between Martinez (Route 30Z) and the Hercules Transit Center and between the Hercules Transit Center and Contra Costa College (Route C3). The (Local) routes are 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19. Also (Express) JX, JL/JR (referred to as the "J" by most riders, the "L" designates via Lakeside Drive, and the "R" designates via Richmond Parkway), JPX (serves Pinole Valley residents wanting to go to the Hercules Transit Center or BART). Also, WestCAT operates transbay service between the Hercules Transit Center and the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco called the LYNX with stops in the Rodeo Park and Ride located on Willow Avenue, North Shore Business Park near Bio-Rad, the Victoria by the Bay neighborhood in Hercules and the Hercules Transit Center. From the Hercules Transit Center the line then goes nonstop to San Francisco via the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-80. WestCAT currently offers free Wi-Fi service on the LYNX line.[2]

Major transfer points for the majority of WestCAT and other agency's routes include:

Routes
Route Number Direction Terminals Days of Operation Notes
North/East Terminal South/West Terminal
10LoopHercules Transit Center - TurquoiseWeekdays
11LoopHercules Transit Center - CrockettWeekdays and Saturdays
12LoopHercules Transit Center - Mandalay/BonaireWeekdays
15LoopHercules Transit Center - Viewpointe BlvdWeekdays
16LoopRichmond Parkway Transit Center - Wright Ave/Doidge AveWeekdays
17LoopRichmond Parkway Transit Center - Cypress/BroadmoreWeekdays (except midday)
18LoopRichmond Parkway Transit Center - Tara HillsWeekdays (except midday)
19LoopHercules Transit Center - Hilltop Mall Shopping CenterSaturdays Only[19]
C3
Regional Route		East-WestHercules Transit Center
Contra Costa CollegeWeekdays
30Z
Regional Route		East-WestMartinez AmtrakHercules Transit CenterWeekdays[30Z]
J
(JR/JL)
Express Route		North-SouthHercules Transit Center
Weekdays
Willow/Viewpointe
Weekdays after 8pm & Weekends		El Cerrito del Norte BARTDaily[J]
JX
Express Route		North-SouthHercules Transit CenterEl Cerrito del Norte BARTWeekdays (except midday)
JPX
Express Route		North-SouthHercules Transit CenterEl Cerrito del Norte BARTWeekdays[JPX]
Lynx
Transbay Route		North-SouthWillow Avenue
Commute trips
Hercules Transit Center
Non-commute trips		Transbay Transit Center

(San Francisco)

 Weekdays (limited holiday service)[Lynx]
705North-SouthMacArthur BARTTemporary Transbay TerminalWeekdays[Early Bird]
708North-SouthEl Cerrito del Norte BART19th Street Oakland BARTWeekdays[Early Bird]

  • [JPX] Richmond Parkway Transit Center service only during midday from 9:40am to 2:30pm, route also serves Hercules Transit Center.
  • [J] JR Via Richmond Parkway and Blume Drive and JL Via Lakeside Drive.
  • [Lynx] Route serves Hercules Transit Center, and most peak period services also serve Bio-Rad, all terminating at Victoria By The Bay. Also operates midday (non-commute) trips between San Francisco and Hercules Transit Center, and it does not serve Bio-Rad or Victoria By The Bay.
  • [Early Bird] These routes, which replace early-morning BART service, have a limited number of weekday trips.[3]

Service Area
AC Transit and WestCAT LYNX buses at Transbay Transit Center
A WestCAT Lynx fixed route bus, alongside an AC Transit bus, at the Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco.

WestCAT provides service to the communities of:

The local transportation demand management organization 511 Contra Costa also provides information for intermodal transfers throughout Contra Costa County, and works closely with WestCAT to help transit users make regional connections beyond their immediate service area.

References
  1. WestCAT - Schedules and Routes
  2. WestCAT - Lynx Wifi Information
  3. "Early Bird Express" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. 2019.
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