SF Transit Agencies Team Up During BART Outage
PG&E outage halts BART service between West Oakland and Embarcadero stations
BART Outage Prompts AC Transit Mutual Aid
A PG&E electrical outage disrupted BART service between West Oakland and Embarcadero stations Sunday, stranding thousands of commuters who rely on the transbay connection. AC Transit responded by deploying its NL, O, and F transbay bus routes to transport passengers across the bay, transit officials said. The affected segment typically carries approximately 150,000 riders daily through the Transbay Tube, one of BART's busiest corridors.
Power Failure Affects Critical Transit Link
The electrical outage knocked out service on a segment connecting the East Bay to San Francisco's financial district, according to AC Transit's social media. BART and AC Transit maintain a long-standing mutual aid agreement for service disruptions, allowing coordinated response during emergencies. Officials didn't provide details about the cause of the PG&E outage or how many substations were affected. Transit agencies depend on utility providers for electrical power, making them vulnerable to infrastructure failures beyond their control.
Three Transbay Routes Provide Alternative
AC Transit's NL, O, and F lines are operating to help stranded passengers reach their destinations, though officials didn't say whether additional buses were deployed or service frequency increased. The three routes are among AC Transit's 12 transbay lines that connect the East Bay to San Francisco. Specific details about passenger loads or wait times weren't available by publication time. Michael Hursh, AC Transit's general manager, oversees the agency's response, while Robert Powers serves as BART's general manager.
Restoration Timeline Remains Uncertain
BART hasn't announced an expected restoration time for service between the two stations, as repairs depend on PG&E's work to restore electrical power. The exact start time of the outage wasn't publicly released. Transit officials said they'll provide updates as information becomes available, but a specific timeline for when service will resume wasn't provided.
Riders Face Extended Commute Times
Passengers should expect longer travel times using AC Transit's transbay buses compared to BART's rail service. The disruption affects commuters traveling to San Francisco's downtown core during the holiday travel period. Moovit provides real-time updates for both BART and AC Transit routes to help riders navigate service changes and plan alternative routes during the outage.
