About 50 employees at the Hacienda Business Park toasted and drank to a fleet of brand new red and white buses during a recent dedication of the Park's new commuter service.

After the fleet was christened with champagne by Park co-developers George Kallis of Callahan-Pentz and Roger Gage of The Prudential Life Insurance Company of America, those in attendance raised champagne glasses and drank to the Park's first express shuttle service.

The group received a tour of Pleasanton via the Hacienda Express regular week-day bus routes. The first stop was the Pleasanton Hotel where the group was treated to brunch provided by merchants located in downtown with arrangements made by the Pleasanton Downtown Association.

The buses then headed to Stoneridge Mall and riders assembled in the center of the mall for rolls and coffee provided by the restaurants at Stoneridge.

As the shiny 32-passenger Hacienda Express buses snaked through Pleasanton on their inaugural run, passengers enjoyed the ride in soft, reclining seats. "At Hacienda Business Park, we are committed to providing really nice alternatives to commuting,” said Karen Fraser-Middleton, transportation manager for the Park.

"These buses are probably more comfortable than your own cars,”  she said.

Until June 30, shuttle service during peak commute hours between the Bay Fair BART Station in San Leandro and Hacienda Business Park is free. Afterwards, a one-way ride costs .90 cents, the same fare as the existing BART express bus.

Each morning, the buses make four round trips from Bay Fair BART and the Park between 6:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m., and five round trips during the evening commute between 4:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

During mid-day hours, the buses run between the Park and Stoneridge Mall or downtown Pleasanton on alternate days. In addition, a shuttle operates within the Park to transport employees between buildings.

Financed by the Hacienda Business Park Owners Association, the shuttle is expected to "augment BART's express service, not replace it,”  said Karen Fraser-Middleton.
 
The Hacienda Express service also represents a milestone in public and private partnerships, with BART and the business park working together to coordinate the scheduling, routing and ticketing of the two systems, she added.

According to BART spokesman Mike Healy, the Hacienda Express is one of the few transportation programs in the country that has integrated a publicly funded system such as BART with a privately-owned system.

"We expect both systems to benefit from this unique spirit of cooperation,”  he said. Beginning June 24, BART will provide additional service to offer a total of six morning commute trips and ten evening trips between Pleasanton and the Bay Fair BART Station.

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: June 10, 1985