The Dumbarton Express bus service connects areas of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties via the Dumbarton Bridge. AC Transit administers the service and the Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium provides oversight. Funding was previously split between consortium members but is now provided by $2.2 million in regional funds. The service operates on two routes with frequencies of every 30-45 minutes. Ridership has increased to nearly 1,200 daily passengers following service enhancements including increased frequency, extended hours and routes, and marketing initiatives.

1. Update on Dumbarton Express Service
Presented before the Union City City Council
Item 3.b June 11, 2013
Howard Der Interim Contract Service Administrator
AC Transit Service Development
Phone: (510) 891-7208 E-mail: hder@actransit.org

2. History
• Dumbarton Express (DBX) is a regional
public transit service connecting areas of
Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara
Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• First implemented and operated in 1984 by
AC Transit.
• Service has been operated by either AC
Transit or by private operators under contract.
• As of December 2011, the current operator is
MV Transportation.

3. Governance &
Administration
• AC Transit administers and governs the
Dumbarton Express.
• Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations
Consortium (DBROC) provides operational
oversight.
• DBROC membership includes AC Transit, Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA),
BART, SamTrans, and Union City Transit.

4. Funding
• Previously, service was funded proportionately
by members of DBROC.
• AC Transit funded operating fund shortfall.
• The Dumbarton Rail Policy Action Committee
(PAC) and staff investigated transferring its RM-2
operating funds to an interim bus service.
• Staff from DBROC and Dumbarton Rail
developed an interim bus service plan to build
ridership and compliment the transition to rail
service.

5. Funding
(continued)
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
approved transfer of Dumbarton Rail RM-2
operating funds to DBX operations.
• MTC allocated $2.2 million in RM-2 funds to
operate the DBX for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.
• RM-2 funding removed need for DBROC
members to fund DBX operations; DBROC
retains operational oversight.
• Dumbarton Rail PAC will petition MTC to
reassign RM-2 funds when rail operations
begins.

6. Operations
• DBX operates as a hybrid local and
express (Transbay) service weekdays
only.
• In the East Bay, local service is offered
along the entire route between the Union
City BART station and the Ardenwood
Park & Ride Lot.
• On the Peninsula, local service is provided
west of the Dumbarton Bridge.

7. Route Structure

8. Route DB
• Continuous service from 5:22 AM to 8:51 PM.
• Operates between Union City BART and the Stanford
Oval via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• Peak frequency is approximately every 30 minutes,
and off-peak frequency is approximately every 45
minutes.
• Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook,
Menlo Park VA Hospital, Downtown Palo Alto, and
Palo Alto Caltrain Station.
• 23 eastbound and 23 westbound trips are operated.

9. Route DB1
• Peak period service from 5:26 AM to 9:45 AM in the
morning and from 1:35 PM to 8:43 PM in the
afternoon.
• Operates between Union City BART and the Palo
Alto Industrial Park area via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• Peak frequency is approximately every 20 minutes.
• Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, and
Palo Alto VA Hospital.
• 23 eastbound and 22 westbound trips are operated.

10. Bus Fleet
• 16 Gillig Phantom high floor transit
buses: 10 ex-AC Transit, 2 ex-
SamTrans, and 4 (leased) ex-LA DOT.
• Suburban commuter layout with high-
back seating and WiFi connectivity.
• Based and maintained at the Union City
Corporation Yard.

11. Bus Fleet
(continued)

12. Statistics
• Fiscal Year 2012-2013 ridership was
259,587.
• Ridership almost evenly split between
Route DB and DB1.
• Combined average daily ridership is
almost 1,200.

13. Statistics
(continued)
Dumbarton Express Monthly Ridership
December 2012-April 2013
18,768 19,842 19,807
21,760
20,489 21,114 20,467
24,013
26,483
22,299
28,646
23,407
19,025
24,771 24,465
26,966 27,360
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
22,000
24,000
26,000
28,000
30,000
32,000
Dec2011
Jan2012
Feb2012
Mar2012
Apr2012
May2012
Jun2012
Jul2012
Aug2012
Sep2012
Oct2012
Nov2012
Dec2012
Jan2013
Feb2013
Mar2013
Apr2013
TotalMonthlyRidership
Monthly Ridership

14. Service
Enhancements
• Route DB1 frequency increased from every 30
minutes to every 20 minutes in July 2012.
• 11 trips added to Route DB and 32 trips added to
Route DB1 in July 2012.
• Route DB extended to operate to Stanford Oval
with stop near the Stanford Hospital in December
2012.
• Ridership increased from a daily average of 975
passengers to almost 1,200 passengers.

15. Marketing
Initiatives
• Re-branded buses with side and rear
decals added.
• Dedicated website launch
(www.dumbartonexpress.com).
• Digital billboards near the Dumbarton
Bridge toll plaza.
• Commute fairs at employment sites.

16. Re-branded Buses

17. New Website

18. Digital Billboards

19. Acknowledgements
• Robert (Bob) Saunders, Operations Manager,
MV Transportation
• David Smith, Vice President Operations, MV
Transportation
• Karen Lynch, Marketing Administrator, AC
Transit
• Tony Divito, former Senior Transportation
Planner, AC Transit