BART Offers Workshop for New Riders

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

On September 2, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) will offer a special "BART 101" workshop at the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station in Hacienda.

The workshop, which lasts approximately one hour, is designed to demystify the process of purchasing tickets and the other intricacies of BART ridership.

"We're trying to introduce the process to people in Hacienda that are not familiar with BART or who may have some hesitation about how you ride BART," says spokesperson Kay Springer. "We're going to have a station agent there to walk through how you purchase a ticket, how you use a ticket, and where to catch trains up on the platform."

WHEELS and RIDES for Bay Area Commuters will also be on hand to provide information on their transit services.

The Human Touch

According to Springer, one element of the BART experience that confuses some people is the fact that no human interaction is required to purchase tickets or ride the trains.

"Some people are intimidated by machines when they haven't used them," she says. "They're unsure as to how to buy a ticket because they're not dealing with humans they're dealing with a piece of equipment. We just want to increase their knowledge so that they're more comfortable with the whole process. It's real easy once they know."

Many Chances to Attend

Hacienda employees will have four workshops to choose from on September 2. BART 101 will be offered at 10:00 and 11:00 am and at 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

WHEELS will be offering special shuttles to the classes that day, free to all who sign up to attend the workshops.

Additional Information

Reservations can be obtained by calling the Hacienda Owners Association at either (925) 734-6500. Space is limited to 30 individuals per class (a total of 120 people).

Information will also be available on Hacienda's free WHEELS pass program for employees and residents. Passes may ordered at the number above or by calling the 24-hour Transportation Hotline at (925) 734-6551 and may also be ordered through the Hacienda web site.

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