Marin County Transit Distict (Marin Transit) was formed by a vote of the people of Marin County in 1964 and was given the responsibility for providing local transit service within Marin County. Although Marin Transit has responsibility for local services, it does not own any buses or facilities and does not employ its own drivers. Instead, Marin Transit contracts with other providers, including Golden Gate Transit and Whistlestop Wheels for local bus and paratransit services.
Based in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District operates the Golden Gate Bridge, and two public transit systems: Golden Gate Transit buses and Golden Gate Ferry. Last year 40 million vehicles crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and 11 million customers rode the transit systems.
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
"The purpose of the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition (BABC) is to promote safe and enjoyable bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation...The Bay Area Bicycle Coalition's goal is to make the San Francisco Bay Area a national model for progressive bicycling policies, and to provide a safe and comprehensive network to facilitate bicycling throughout the region. BABC believes that bicycling can and should be a viable transportation and recreation option for all of the wonderfully diverse residents of the Bay Area."
The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Project is a passenger rail project located in San Francisco's North Bay. . . SMART provides an alternative to Highway 101 traffic by upgrading the existing rail line and building a new bicycle/pedestrian pathway linking the 14 rail stations. SMART's environmental studies project that 5,300 passengers per day will ride the train and 7,000 to 10,000 people a day will utilize the bicycle/pedestrian pathway.
Whistlestop Wheels provides paratransit services for elderly and disabled persons of Marin County who are deemed eligible under criteria set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Eligible persons may schedule rides for any purpose with no restriction or priority, on a first-come/first-served basis. Rides are typically scheduled for medical appointments, shopping, therapy, or visits with family and friends.
WETA was established by SB976, and replaces the WTA (Water Transit Authority). The intention of SB 976 is to improve the ability of ferries to respond in an emergency. Immediately after a disaster strikes, ferries will be critical to helping the Bay Area get back on its feet and keep the economy moving. When roads, bridges, or BART fail, waterways may be the only safe transportation option. If the Bay Area's bridges and BART are inaccessible, the Ferry Building in San Francisco could see over 300,000 passengers looking for ferry service. Current ferry infrastructure and equipment capabilities are not sufficient to adequately respond in an emergency.
Caltrans manages more than 45,000 miles of California's highway and freeway lanes, provides inter-city rail services, permits more than 400 public-use airports and special-use hospital heliports, and works with local agencies. Caltrans carries out its mission of improving mobility across California with six primary programs: Aeronautics, Highway Transportation, Mass Transportation, Transportation Planning, Administration and the Equipment Service Center.
Charged with improving the availability of transportation-related information needed by Federal, state, and local decision-makers, the National Transportation Library's (NTL) mission is to increase timely access to the information that supports transportation policy, research, operations, and technology transfer activities.
Note: The statistics available through this site will give students a benchmark against which they can measure Bay Area transportation issues.
Managed by a partnership of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), "511 is a free phone and Web service that consolidates Bay Area transportation information into a one-stop resource. 511 provides up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions, incidents and driving times, schedule, route and fare information for the Bay Area's public transportation services, instant carpool and vanpool referrals, bicycling information and more. It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
Note: This site has active links to all transportation websites for Bay Area, including bus (i.e. AC Transit and MUNI), ferry (i.e. Golden Gate Ferry), subway (i.e. BART), automobile, and bicycle.
"The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area."
Note: The website includes numerous statistical reports and maps. Their office in Oakland houses a library staffed with librarians who are available for assistance with transportation questions.
"TALC is a partnership of over 90 groups working for a sustainable and socially just Bay Area. We envision a region with healthy, vibrant, walkable communities that provide all residents with transportation choices and affordable housing. TALC analyzes county and regional policies, works with community groups to develop alternatives, and coordinates grassroots campaigns."
Note: The site provides statistics and resources which integrate and connect transportation issues with other issues such as housing and health care.