Hacienda has a number of resources available for your alternative commute. Try our special New Rider program for a variety of free incentives. All Hacienda employees and residents may ride the local WHEELS system for free while employed or residing within the park. In addition, BART and SMART offer free passes for first time users to try their services. Tri-Delta Transit is currently offering two weeks of free ridership on their new express line from eastern Contra Costa County. Last but not least, there are several programs and agencies dedicated to making your alternative commute simple, affordable and convenient.

New Rider Program

Hacienda sits at the junction of over eight different transit services. If you are interested in trying one of these services, there are a number of incentives to help you get started.

Free WHEELS Pass

All employees and residents on Hacienda may obtain a free WHEELS pass to use anywhere, anytime on the WHEELS system. This service includes all local buses, valuable links between BART and ACE as well as free access to the I-680 Express bus from Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill. To obtain a pass, good for the entire duration of your employment or residency within the park, simply follow this link: www.hacienda.org/materials/materials_commute_pass.html.

You Can't Beat BART

Are you a first-time rider interested in a free ride on the Bay Area's most comprehensive rail system? Simply follow this link to request a BART new rider package: www.hacienda.org/materials/materials_commute_rider.html. We will send you a special invitation from BART to try their system with an $8 BART ticket.

Try a SMART Commute

Commuters from Stockton, Manteca and Tracy can travel to Hacienda in comfort and style on SMART. Free round-trip tickets are available to first-time riders on request. Simply follow this link to request a free SMART ticket: www.hacienda.org/materials/materials_commute_rider.html.

Express Yourself With Tri-Delta Transit

Commuters from Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood and Byron will have the opportunity to get out of their cars and into comfortable, air-conditioned state-of-the-art buses for a relaxing ride to Hacienda, thanks to a two-week trial offered by Tri-Delta Transit. The eastern Contra Costa County transit agency will be running a free commuter service from its local communities to Hacienda from June 4-15. For more information call Tania Judkins or Gwen Black at (925) 754-6622, or email tjudkins@eccta.org or gblack@eccta.org. Visit their web site at www.trideltatransit.com.

Programs Available to Support Commuters

We want your commute to be free and easy. A number of support programs are available to make this happen.

Commuter Check

Commuter Check is an employer program which allows employers to offer employees a pre-tax option to commute to work using a commute alternative such as public transit on buses, trains or ferries and in vanpools. Employees currently can receive up to $65 each month to purchase transit passes or pay for fares on registered vanpools or subscription buses. The monthly amount will increase to $100 on January 1, 2002. Best of all, the program offers these options as pre-tax benefits, which means that both employers and employees can save money. To sign up for this program, contact either Jackie Peay, the Alameda and Contra Costa County representative for the Commuter Choice program, at (510) 273-2064 or via e-mail at jackie@rides.org or Chimane Rhodes of Employee Benefit Specialists, Inc., (925) 460-3910. Additional details are available at www.commutercheck.com.

Guaranteed Ride Home

Guaranteed Ride Home allows people using an alternate form of transportation a way of getting home in an emergency. Using the Alameda County Congestion Management Authority's (CMA) Guaranteed Ride Home program guarantees that you won't get stranded at work after using an alternative commute mode. Whether it's a family illness or crisis, or simply being asked to work unscheduled overtime, you'll have a way to get home. The program is designed to make sure commuters have an emergency option on days they walk, bicycle, carpool, vanpool, or ride the train, bus or ferry. To be eligible for enrollment, you must be a permanent full- or part-time employee and live within 100 miles of your Hacienda work site. Registration materials can be ordered at the Guaranteed Ride Home program hotline number at (510) 433-0320. Learn more at: www.accma.ca.gov/guar.htm.

RIDES

RIDES is an invaluable commute assistance resource for both commuters and employers. RIDES provides expertise on the use of alternate forms of transportation as well as providing innovative programs for commute solutions. Their most popular program matches riders for carpools and vanpools. The RIDES ridematching system utilizes a database of commuters interested in ridesharing. Commuters can request a list matching their own commute needs with other commuters registered in the database. Once someone has their list, they simply contact interested participants to either start or join a carpool or vanpool. You can obtain your matchlist now by following this link: www.hacienda.org/materials/materials_commute_matchlist.html. For employers, RIDES offers on-site events and presentations, free promotional materials, vanpool services, and transportation survey design and analysis. Contact Jackie Peay, the Alameda and Contra Costa County representative for RIDES at (510) 273-2064 or via e-mail at jackie@rides.org. You may visit RIDES web site at: www.rides.org.

Additional Resources

Need additional resources to plan and implement your alternative commute? It's easy. We have assembled a huge network of information on all of the above programs and more. For details, simply go to the Transportation section under Resources at www.hacienda.org.

Contact Information

Hacienda Owners Association
4473 Willow Road, Suite 105, Pleasanton, California  94588-8570
(925) 734-6500 phone     (925) 734-6501 fax
info@hacienda.org e-mail     www.hacienda.org WWW