BART To Offer Free Bus Passes To Ease Parking Congestion

May 14 - KGO (KGO) -- Would you like a free bus ride to your local BART station? BART is offering that to commuters in parts of the East Bay in an effort to take the pressure off its crowded parking lots, which are even more packed now that part of the Maze is out of commission.

The parking lot at Walnut Creek Park fills up every morning. BART said since the Maze collapsed two weeks ago, more people are taking the train. Now BART is encouraging more people to bus to BART rather than drive and park here.

Monday morning, flyers are put on the car windshields in the BART parking lot at the Walnut Creek station.

Folks can fill out a coupon and mail it in for a bus pass on the county connection that's good for ten free rides. To get all ten rides punched by the bus driver, you'll also get a free BART ticket. This idea is try it, you might like it.

Linton Johnson, BART Spokesman: "The MacArthur Maze told us we do have overcrowding problems on the BART lots. One of the ways that s easy for the folks to get to a BART lot is by taking a bus. It's not an option for everybody."

James BART rider: "I'm here like at 4:20 in the morning, so there's no parking congestion for me. I don't find it a problem."

Later this morning, board members from BART and the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority will take the buses themselves to drive home the message riding the bus is better than driving.

Bart says even if 10 to 15 people tried the new program that would allow 10 to 15 more spaces in the lot. That help ease congestion and eventually they do hope to expand this to other BART stations and bus lines in the Bay Area.

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