WHEELS (California)


WHEELS is a bus service that provides public transportation in the Tri-Valley Region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in the United States. Started in 1986, Wheels offers service to various communities in three cities, and connects to Bay Area Rapid Transit and Altamont Corridor Express trains for connections to and from the greater Bay Area and Central Valley.
Wheels is operated by the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority, and it has carried nearly 2 million passengers annually.

Areas served

WHEELS operates in Alameda County, with limited service in Contra Costa County.
Alameda County:
Contra Costa County:
As of March 2020, Wheels operates seven local routes, two Rapid routes, three express routes, fifteen select school trippers and three shuttle routes. Descriptions for all routes are described below.

Local Routes

Note that routes with an X are express routes. And routes with an R are Rapid routes
On January 24, 2011, Wheels launched its first Bus Rapid Transit service called the "Tri-Valley Rapid",dubbed route "R" for short. Billed as "the next generation transit system", the Tri-Valley Rapid makes travel in the Tri-Valley area cleaner, easier, and faster. Route R was a route that ran parallel to its parent route-route 10 from Stoneridge Mall to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. As of August 2016, Wheels rolled out a second Rapid route numbered "30R" along with new and modified routes throughout the system. Route 10 was then modified and renumbered as route "10R". Wheels Rapid service incorporates similar features already used by local Bay Area transit agencies, like AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit, including:

Express Routes

All express routes operate weekday peak periods only. Holiday service is not currently provided by express routes.

Shuttle Routes

Wheels shuttle routes are numbered between 50 and 59, and usually operate on certain days or at certain times only. These routes serve destinations close to BART, local events, office and industrial parks, and ACE stations.
Wheels operates fifteen dedicated Select School routes that bring students to and from schools in the cities of Dublin and Pleasanton. These routes only operate when schools are in session.
Regular Routes that Provide Select School Day Services: These routes provide additional trips to serve nearby schools along their main routes.
Select School Day-only Services:
These trips are identified as routes numbered:
These operate during school days only, with most morning trips leaving later on Wednesdays in Dublin, and trips leaving later on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Pleasanton.
Route NumberDirectionSchool/s ServedCommunities and Attractions ServedSchedule Information
501 East-WestDublin High SchoolPositano, Fallon Road, Silvera Ranch, Tassajara Road, Central Pwky, Dublin High School
502East-WestDublin High SchoolDublin Ranch Village, Central Pkwy, Wildwood Rd, Dublin High School
503East-WestDublin High School/
Wells Middle School		Dublin & Marshall Canyon WB, Shannon Park, Dublin High School, Wells Middle School
504East-WestDublin High SchoolGleason Dr, Antone Way, Dublin Ranch, Dublin High School

Route NumberDirectionSchool/s ServedCommunities and Attractions ServedSchedule Information
601East-WestPleasanton Middle SchoolRuby Hill, Bernal Avenue
602North-SouthFoothill High SchoolDowntown Pleasanton, Del Prado Park, Parkside, Valley Trails Park
603East-WestHart Middle SchoolStoneridge, Muirwood Park
604East-WestFoothill High SchoolFairlands, Hacienda Business Park, Stoneridge, Muirwood Park
605North-South, with LoopAmador Valley High SchoolFairlands, Amaral Park, Kamp Road
606East-West, with LoopsPleasanton Middle SchoolVintage Hills, Tawny Park, Kottinger Drive
607North-SouthHart Middle SchoolLaguna Oaks
608North-SouthHarvest Park Middle SchoolMission Plaza, Amador Center, Nielsen Park, Amaral Park
609North-SouthHart Middle SchoolDel Prado Park, Parkside Drive, Valley Trails
610East-WestHart Middle SchoolFairlands, Valley Care Medical Center
611North-SouthAmador Valley High SchoolRuby Hill, Vintage Hills, Tawny Park

Transfer hubs

The major transfer points for Wheels routes include:

Fares

Fares are effective 1 January 2019
TypeAdult /Student †Senior /Disabled ‡
LocalUS$2.00US$1.00
Paratransit Service US$3.50US$3.50

Transfers are given out to passengers only at time of boarding if Clipper Card is used, are honored only on the day issued, and are valid on any Wheels or Rapid fixed route bus within two hours after boarding.
Wheels offers for sale several bus passes or punch cards which provide a discount over cash fare:
The local transportation demand management organization 511.org also provides information for intermodal transfers throughout the county and works closely with Wheels to improve regional transit options.

All-Time roster