MTC and 511 Release 2012 Edition of Getting There on Transit Guide

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and its 511 Traveler Information Service have released the 2012 edition of the Getting There on Transit guide. The free publication features detailed maps of three dozen transit systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and highlights more than 250 popular destinations with directions to reach them on public transit.

"Bay Area residents and visitors can find everything they need to get around by bus, train, ferry and trolley in one handy guide," said Melanie Crotty, MTC's operations director. "Getting There on Transit is one of our most popular publications and provides the most comprehensive information on the nine-county transit system."

Free transit information is also available by calling 511, going to 511.org, or using the 511 SF Bay-Transit app on a smart phone. "The maps contained in the Getting There on Transit guide are a great companion to these other sources of transit information," Crotty noted.

The guide offers both frequent and occasional transit users an easy-to-understand overview of the region's diverse transit modes, routes and agencies. Features include a detailed diagram of Bay Area rail systems and their interconnections, and downtown maps of Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and other key cities. Also included is a directory of paratransit van and taxi services for disabled and elderly passengers, a guide to airport ground transportation, and information on 511 transit planning resources.

Newly added in this seventh edition are the region's 150 free Park & Ride lots, shown on county maps and on an overview map. Conveniently placed throughout the Bay Area, Park & Ride lots are locations where drivers can meet carpool and vanpool partners or park and make transit connections.

Information on new 511 features and tools—such as the 511 SF Bay-Transit app for iPhone 4 and Android, and the new 511 Enhanced Trip Planner—is also included. The app provides door-to-door transit trip planning for more than 30 transit agencies, as well as scheduled departure times for transit routes throughout the region. The online 511 Enhanced Trip Planner at http://enhancedtripplanner.transit.511.org/TransitMMTP/tripplanner/index.aspx provides a unique side-by-side comparison of using transit, driving or a combination of both.

Additionally, transit information in the Getting There guide has been updated to include information about Clipper^®, the Bay Area's all-in-one reloadable transit card. Currently, Clipper is accepted on Muni, BART, AC Transit, Caltrain, SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, the Dumbarton Express, and San Francisco Bay Ferry on the East Bay to South San Francisco route. The new publication also features updated transit route maps, including a new ferry routes map, redesigned and reorganized interior pages that are more user-friendly, and a new cover design.

To receive a free copy of the 511 Getting There on Transit guide, email your name and address to [email protected], fax 510.817.5848, or call 510.817.5836.  Copies of the guide also are available through Bay Area transit operators, at Bay Area airports, and in San Francisco at the Embarcadero BART/Muni station (visit the Clipper kiosk on the main concourse) and the Bay Crossings store located in the Ferry Building. A PDF file of the Getting There guide is available at: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/library/getting_there/Getting_There_On_Transit_2012.pdf.

About 511

511 is a one-stop phone and web source for up-to-the-minute Bay Area traffic, transit, rideshare, bicycling, and parking information. It's free of charge and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the nine-county Bay Area. Call 511 or visit 511.org. 511 is managed by a partnership of public agencies led by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Transportation.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission