PANIL General Meeting Summary June 12, 2025
9 People in attendance Bill Manley chaired.
There were a few announcements before the main topic of the evening.
The meeting was rescheduled from its usual second Wednesday slot to accommodate a guest speaker, as AC Transit holds its board meetings on the second Wednesday also. William noted that attendance was lower than usual. An audience member said this was possibly due to a competing retail stroll event on the avenue from 6-8 PM.
Bill asked if anyone had attended Carnival at Mosswood. No one had, but Bill the event appeared to be a success, and the park was coming back after years of being a large homeless site.
PANIL is holding a photo contest. Joe Johnston said he had submitted a photo to the contest. Bill could not provide any update on how many submissions were received and the state of the judging.
Earlier in the week several police officers asked about this meeting, and we hoped to hear from them to provide an update on crime in the area, but they did not appear. Bill said that the Oakland Neighborhood Services Department was eliminated this year, and they provided a liaison between community groups and the police. For a few years the police participation in our meetings has diminished.
Miguel Hernandez mentioned it was Echo Creek cleanup on the coming weekend. He planned to participate and urged others to do so.
The main topic was “the state of AC Transit” with Board member Jean Walsh,
Ms. Walsh is the Director representing Ward Two, which is Emeryville and all of Berkeley and cities up to Richmond. Before district ward realignment last year. She represented our area. We are now officially in Ward Three, and the director there is Sarah Syed.
Ms. Walsh noted that there are only three elected transit districts in the country. AC Transit and BART are two of the three. There are seven directors, each representing a geographical service area or “ward.” Some ridership demographics: 75% are people of color, and 65% are low-income. Ms. Walsh hoped that wider demographics could utilize the bus system.
The pandemic really collapsed passenger volume. Even today ridership is at only 75% of pre-pandemic level. Service has been reduced to 85%. Ridership drops have exacerbated the financial challenges. But BART had even bigger drops and it is more dependent on the farebox for revenue than AC Transit.
The biggest cuts since the pandemic have been to transbay service, as that has been largely ceded to BART. We know that well as we lost the C line that serviced Piedmont Avenue.
While AC Transit may balance its budget this year, next year it is expecting a $70 million deficit. Insurance costs up, and fuel is rising. Ms. Walsh also noted that fares are set to increase to $2.75 (from $2.50) in July. A/C Transit is considering a regional ballot measure in 2026 to fund transit agencies, but expressed concerns about the measure’s passage. All transit districts are competing for shares of that revenue. She also discussed the “Realign” project, which will redistribute service in August, potentially improving service in some areas while reducing it in others.
Miguel Hernandez asked about the welcome proliferation of “guerilla benches” being built by volunteers and set up at bus stops throughout the city. Ms. Walsh is a fan of those, but noted that benches are a city responsibility, as they own the sidewalks. There is some concern that benches are safe and properly placed, but the guerillas have thus far adhered to those standards.
Ms. Walsh described how Richmond recently developed a cost-free permitting process for these benches and city assumption of their maintenance. She hoped other cities will adopt that approach.
William raised concerns about a shelter at 41st and Piedmont, which became an encampment. He wondered if AC Transit or the City could move that to an bus stop. Jean Walsh clarified that the shelter was installed by Clear Channel’s for advertising but they no longer maintain the shelters. For now there are no immediate plans or funding to relocate shelters, though Oakland recently allocated $450,000 for new shelters. Jean revealed that would pay for only five shelters. Audience members expressed surprise that such simple structures would be so expensive.
Joe Johnston expressed his appreciation of the Clipper card for ease of payment. Jean said a “Clipper II” is being explored to enable a single payment for a trip across multiple systems, such as AC Transit and BART. Joe also asked about a good mobile app for bus use. Jean mentioned Google, the AC Transit App, and one called TRANSIT which she liked because it covered multiple systems.
Bill asked about the idea that has surfaced to put all Bay Area transits under a single administration as a possible way to save money. Jean said this is not popular with any of the agencies – as expected, as it would reduce redundant jobs. They are exploring ways to better align schedules.
Someone questioned whether AC Transit has explored driverless technologies that have become so advanced. Jean admitted that labor is 70% of the operating costs, but that the unions are very strong and no one is comfortable advocating that, as many driver jobs could be eliminated. Nevertheless, AC has a dire need for more drivers and it’s been difficult to fill the positions. Valerie Winemiller and William discussed transportation issues in Oakland, focusing on bus ridership and the potential for driverless technology in transit systems. They compared the benefits of rail and bus systems, noting that buses are more flexible and cost-effective for route
changes. The conversation also touched on the challenges of implementing new transit services and the high costs associated with rail extensions.
Jean Walsh encouraged more people to use buses and highlighted the benefits of free bus passes for low-income housing residents. William Manley thanked Jean Walsh for her time and insights. The meeting concluded at 7:30.