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BART remains the most reliable, efficient way to travel throughout the Bay Area. If you haven’t taken BART regularly post-Covid, now is a good time to take a ride and experience their many recent improvements.
- New Train Cars – BART says goodbye to all remaining legacy fleet trains this month. The new Fleet of the Future trains are quieter, with better cooling systems and padded seats. The last run of the legacy trains is Saturday, April 20. Join the final ride at 1pm at MacArthur BART Station.
- Cleaner and Safer – BART has doubled the rate of deep cleanings and hired more cleaning crews. BART has also doubled the presence of BART Police officers systemwide. Police, Crisis Intervention Specialists, and Ambassadors are all riding more trains – increasing their visibility and keeping riders safe. Improved customer satisfaction ratings show these changes are working.
- Fares and Fare Gates – Contra Costa’s Antioch and Richmond BART Stations are two of the first to receive new fare gates. The gates deter fare evasion and can reduce incidents aboard trains. Also, to ensure that low-income riders can take advantage of transit, BART increased its Clipper START fare discount from 20% to 50%.
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Earth Day comes around each April as a time to celebrate the planet and champion a greener, more sustainable future for us all. Get involved at free local events:
- Walnut Creek Celebration Day – Saturday, April 20, 11am-4pm, Civic Park. Enjoy live music, games, electric vehicle demonstrations, and activities for all ages.
- Keep Antioch Beautiful – Saturday, April 20, 9am-1pm, Antioch Water Park and Waldie Plaza. Volunteer cleanup and lunch.
- Lafayette Earth Day Festival – Sunday, April 21, 11am-2pm, Lafayette Plaza Park, Lafayette. Family activities, petting zoo, and free bike tune-ups.
- North Richmond Earth Day Cleanup – Saturday, April 20, 9am-12pm, Wildcat Creek cleanup starts at the North Richmond Ballpark at 9am followed by a post-cleanup celebration at Shields-Reid Park.
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Prep Your Ride for Bike Month
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Bike Month starts May 1 and the Bay Area’s annual Bike to Work Day is Thursday, May 16. It’s not too early to get yourself and your bike ready! Here’s how:
- Do a Safety Check
- Inspect your helmet – If you see any cracks, worn or stretched straps, or missing pads or parts, it’s time for a new helmet.
- Inspect your bike – Go through your ABC’s: Air, Brakes, and Chain. Our guide details what to look for.
- Plan Your Ride – Meet up with a co-worker and take a test ride to work ahead of Bike to Work Day. Locate bike racks or lockers at your destination. You can plan a customized route based on your riding preferences with our Bike Mapper.
- Cash in! If you’ve purchased an e-bike within the last six months, you may be eligible for a $150 to $500 cash rebate. Also, if you commit to biking one day a week you can apply for a $20 BikeLink locker card.
There are more events in store for May than just Bike to Work Day. Discover additional Bike Month events on the Regional Events Calendar.
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Winter Walk Challenge Wrap-up
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Congratulations to Daphna from Walnut Creek, the winner of the 2024 Winter Walk Challenge iPad Grand Prize drawing. Daphna was just one of the 3,382 walkers who explored their neighborhoods on foot for 511 Contra Costa’s annual winter challenge. Participants set out to find fungi and diamonds in nature, discover neighborhood shortcuts, and more. Together, they sent 2,597 weekly challenge photos. See some of our favorite photos here.
If you enjoyed the Winter Walk Challenge, be sure to join us for the Summer Bike Challenge, returning in June.
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If you currently drive alone to get to work, take advantage of incentives for trying a new commute. Pledge to Try Transit and we’ll send you a $25 Clipper card. Or, switch from a solo drive to biking, walking, carpooling, vanpooling, working from home, or taking transit to work, and receive the $25 Drive Less Incentive.
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