Insights from Executive Director Christy Wegener
With decades of experience and a passion for transit, Christy shares her outlook on the future of Wheels, public transit, and life behind the Wheel at one of California’s most successful transit agencies.
Wheels In Motion Launches New Network
It’s an exciting time to be a Wheels rider! On March 23, 2024, Wheels unveiled a new bus network that offers expanded routes throughout the Tri-Valley, adds more frequent service on weekends, and seamlessly connects with the BART rail system. It was designed in response to rider’s feedback that they preferred Wheels matched the new BART 20-minute train service and add routes in more places. Our new network includes two new routes and the reinstatement of two routes that were suspended in the pandemic. Our new network doubles the amount of service provided by the Rapid bus lines on Saturdays, expanding Tri-Valley mobility seven-days a week.
Try out Wheels with free rides being offered March 23 through April 6. We invite you to take a tour of the Tri-Valley and welcome our new routes to the Wheels Family. Route 4 connects the downtown retail district in central Dublin and both the East and West Dublin/Pleasanton BART stations with residential neighborhoods in north Dublin. Route 4 also travels on Village Parkway and is another option for students going to Dublin High School. Route 18 also made its debut, providing weekday connections to both Granada High School, Mendenhall Middle School and downtown Livermore from residential neighborhoods in southern Livermore. We’re also reintroducing routes that have been suspended since 2020, including Route 11 which operates from the Livermore Transit Center to the Vasco Road ACE Station; Route 580X which connects to BART from central Livermore, with stops at the Airway Park and Ride and at the Wheels administrative office and bus yard.
Zero Emission Bus Transition
Wheels is proud to support California’s climate goals and is doing so by gearing up for our transition to a zero-emissions bus future. As mandated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), all public transit bus operators are required to be fully zero-emissions by 2040. In 2021, LAVTA’s Board of Directors adopted a visionary zero-emissions bus (ZEB) transition plan which recommended hydrogen fuel-cell technology buses for the future fleet of ZEB vehicles. LAVTA is thrilled to be ahead of the curve and on track to make our first zero-emissions bus purchase later this year. We are working to ensure that we have the appropriate infrastructure in place in order to support the safe operation and maintenance of fuel cell buses.
