BART announced tonight that it has received “no indication” that striking workers from two unions will return to work by Thursday morning, leaving a service suspension to continue for a fourth day through the Fourth of July holiday.
The transit agency announced earlier today that if the strike continues, it would run limited charter buses for East Bay commuters into San Francisco.
The transit agency will provide direct service to San Francisco from the West Oakland, El Cerrito del Norte, Walnut Creek, Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont stations Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday BART will provide three buses to each East Bay station starting at 6 a.m. and depart for San Francisco.
Each bus has a 50-person capacity and may depart early if buses are filled before 8 a.m.
The buses will then pick up commuters from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Beale Street between Folsom and Howard streets in San Francisco directly to their respective stations.
On Friday seven charter buses will be provided to the five designated East Bay stations with direct service to San Francisco from 5 a.m. until 7 a.m. or until buses are filled.
They will then pick up passengers between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in San Francisco.
Passengers who are accommodated will receive a round-trip ticket that will guarantee round-trip service if they arrive on time to the San Francisco pick up location near the Transbay Terminal on time.
From Monday through today, charter buses had transported commuters from the West Oakland-San Francisco bus bridge and dropped off passengers at the West Oakland BART station parking lot. Signs were posted directing passengers to buses destined for the other four East Bay stations.
BART officials said if labor negotiations reach a settlement it will take 18 hours to resume train service. After going into the early morning today, negotiations resumed this afternoon and are continuing into tonight.
Jamey Padojino, Bay City News
