East Contra Costa Transit Cuts Routes and Weekend Service August 9

Tri Delta Transit will remove two fixed bus routes, end weekend service on two others, and reduce frequency across five more routes beginning Sunday, August 9. The agency says the changes are tied to a regional transit funding crisis, and riders in eastern Contra Costa County should rebuild regular trips before the new schedules take effect.

The largest change affects passengers who now use Routes 361 and 377, which will no longer operate on weekdays or weekends. Tri Delta Transit says its Tri MyRide shuttle will provide service instead, but that on demand system requires a different trip planning process from waiting for a fixed route bus.

Routes 361 and 377 Move to Tri MyRide

The official August 9 service notice places Routes 361 and 377 in the category of service that will no longer run on either weekdays or weekends. Both routes currently connect local destinations with Antioch BART, so the change can affect transfers as well as neighborhood trips.

Tri Delta Transit identifies Tri MyRide as the replacement for those services. That does not mean a shuttle will follow the old route timetable or appear automatically at every former stop, because riders request a trip within an eligible service area and receive an available pickup time.

Anyone who depends on Route 361 or 377 should test the replacement process before August 9. Downloading the app, creating an account, confirming the correct service zone, and learning the pickup point in advance can prevent the first workday under the new network from becoming the first attempt to book.

Riders who cannot use the app can call Tri MyRide scheduling at 925 470 4997. The agency says the service is shared and uses corner to corner pickups, so a requested ride can include other passengers and may not reproduce the same stop or travel time as the old fixed route.

Routes 374 and 376 Lose Weekend Service

Routes 374 and 376 will continue to have weekday service, but their weekend runs will end under the August plan. Tri Delta Transit again points affected weekend passengers to Tri MyRide, creating a split in which the familiar fixed route remains available during the week but requires a different service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

This distinction is especially important for a recurring weekend job, medical visit, shopping trip, or BART connection. A rider who uses the same numbered route throughout the week will need a separate weekend plan, and the return trip must fit within the operating hours of the on demand service.

The Tri MyRide service page lists weekend and holiday hours from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. It also says average waits vary with location, traffic, and demand, with a predicted range of 15 to 30 minutes rather than a fixed published departure.

Five Routes Receive Frequency Reductions

Route 200X will lose middle morning and middle afternoon trips from its current timetable. That express route links Martinez with Pittsburg Bay Point BART, so a removed trip can affect an Amtrak, bus, or BART connection even when the first and last parts of the wider journey still operate.

Route 370 will retain 15 minute peak service only from noon to 7 p.m., while weekend service moves to 60 minute intervals. Passengers traveling outside the newly defined peak period should compare the final timetable with their normal departure rather than assuming the current frequent pattern will continue.

Routes 372 and 373 will move to 60 minute service. Route 373 will keep its school alignment, but an hourly interval leaves less room for a missed bus and makes the timing of transfers more consequential for students, workers, and riders connecting through Antioch BART or Brentwood Park and Ride.

Some Routes Keep Service With New Timetables

Tri Delta Transit says Routes 201X, 360, 362, and 371 will not receive service changes, although new timetables are being produced. The agency also says paratransit and Tri MyRide itself are not being cut as part of this schedule change.

The agency says a full draft schedule will be posted on the August change page. Until that appears, the summary settles which routes are removed or reduced, but it does not provide every new departure time needed to build a reliable transfer.

Tri MyRide Is Not a Fixed Route Substitute

Tri MyRide operates within designated Pittsburg and Bay Point, Antioch and Oakley, and Brentwood service areas. Trips are booked through the app or by phone, and travel between zones can require a second request at a designated transfer point rather than a single continuous ride.

The listed fare is $2 for each ride. Riders can pay with cash, a Clipper card, or a card in the app, and the agency says a Clipper transfer to another Tri Delta Transit vehicle should be free when it occurs within 120 minutes.

The replacement also depends on zone coverage. Before assuming Tri MyRide reaches a former Route 361, 377, 374, or 376 destination, check the current zone map and confirm the proposed pickup and drop off in the booking tool or with a scheduling representative.

The Cuts Arrive During a Regional Funding Crisis

Tri Delta Transit describes the reductions as a response to a fiscal cliff after broader expense cuts did not fully close its budget gap. The agency calls the service impacts difficult and potentially temporary, but the August 9 plan is the concrete operating change riders must use unless a later official notice says otherwise.

The problem is not isolated from the rest of Bay Area transit. Contra Costa News reported in June that a proposed regional sales tax could provide future funding to Tri Delta Transit and other operators, while major agencies are also preparing for structural deficits.

Travelers facing an operating change should also distinguish a planned schedule reduction from a sudden disruption. Deep Arrival’s report on the JTRAN strike in Jackson requires same day service checks, while this Tri Delta Transit change has a published start date that allows riders to prepare before it begins.

What Riders Should Do Before August 9

Start by identifying every numbered route used on a regular round trip, including the route after a BART or Amtrak connection. Compare that list with the removal, weekend, and frequency categories, because a trip can be affected even when only one transfer leg changes.

Next, save the August schedule page and check it again when the complete timetables are posted. Replace old screenshots, printed schedules, and calendar reminders with the new departure times rather than relying on an app that may still display current service before the data change is loaded.

Finally, build extra time around the first days of the change. New passenger habits, greater demand for Tri MyRide, and revised transfer patterns can make actual trips less predictable until riders and operators settle into the August network.