• The current government shutdown is the longest in US history, as Sunday marks the 44th day of the impasse in Congress, with Democrats demanding safeguards on certain immigration enforcement operations before voting for full DHS funding. [NBC]
• SFO workers rallied in a caravan outside the airport in protest of ICE presence at US airports, including the incident last week in which DHS tipped off ICE about a woman and her daughter who were deported. [KPIX]

• Over 3,500 US troops were sent to the Middle East Saturday as the conflict escalates between the US-Israel and Iran, as more than 11,000 targets have been hit since late February. [CBS News]
• A striking video has been going viral of someone soaring high on a swing at Khajeh Atta Beach near the Strait of Hormuz in Iran, against a sky full of smoke from recent drone strikes.⁠ [The Times/Instagram]

• A Silver Alert has been issued for Jesse Fuller, 66, who was last seen Monday in Vallejo and is believed to be on foot. [KRON4]
• Stockton has the highest rate of super-commuters in US cities with more than 200,000 residents, which was 9.2% in 2024, and Modesto is second highest at 8.6%. [Chronicle]

Leanne Maxwell/SFist

The decades-long tradition of commuting across the Bay Bridge with random strangers is officially back after pausing during COVID. Camille Bermudez, the organizer behind the revival of Casual Carpool, announced the carpool will launch Tuesday at one Oakland location.

As SFist reported, Bermudez and other volunteers began spreading the word at the end of June about the relaunch with the aim of getting it up and running in time for the estimated 332,000 workers mandated to return to the office this fall. Additionally, as the Oaklandside reports, the Clean Air Vehicle Decal program giving solo electric vehicle drivers access to carpool lanes ends October 1st.

“ So all those single drivers that have the EVs will then be back to those long commuting hours again,” Bermudez told the Oaklandside. “Add toll increases, public transportation increases, and I think it’s set up for a great time for casual carpool to come back now. And people want it.”

As KQED reports, Bermudez initially hoped to launch three pick-up locations on Tuesday, but due to constraints, the group is starting with the most popular one for now — the Lake Park parking lot at 533 Lake Park Avenue under the I-580 overpass in Oakland. Based on a survey they conducted in July, 71 passengers and 24 drivers out of 501 respondents chose the Lake Park location.

“That was a good ratio for us to say this is a viable option and a viable location to start, so that it can sustain itself,” she told the Oaklandside. “Unfortunately, right now we don’t have the bandwidth, the volunteers, or the funds to get the other two locations going.”

The Oaklandside notes that the group has upgraded its carpool protocols, including advising riders and drivers to communicate COVID masking preferences and payment expectations ahead of time. Bermudez also told the outlet she’s looking into funding to hire a security guard to monitor the carpool line.

Bermudez spoke to KQED of her fond memories commuting with her dad to high school in San Francisco via Casual Carpool, which has been a big motivation to bring it back. While previous efforts have failed, Bermudez told KQED the time is now “ripe for a revival.”

Image: Casual Carpool, Rockridge Business District, 2012; Sharon Hahn Darlin/Flickr

Previously: Casual Carpool Appears to Be Returning, Could Put the Pedal to the Metal Again Late This Summer

The Bay Area is setting records once again, but not for anything good. On a list of the ten cities in the United States with the most expensive commutes, half of the list is taken up by cities in California, and four of the ten are in the Bay Area.

The #1 most expensive city for workers trying to get to their offices, according to AutoInsurance.org, is Fremont, California. Over the course of a year, a person earning the median income in that city would spend 16% of their earnings on their commute alone.

“The average American spends a lot of time, money, and energy on commuting, affecting personal time," the analysis says. "Although commute costs vary from state to state and city to city, it’s concerning that many Americans lose money on their commute due to their location. You also have to factor in the cost of your car and auto insurance."

AutoInsurance.org got its data from the 2019 census and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — and it therefore may not still be accurate, given all that's changed around remote work.

The agency says the average travel time for people to get from their homes to their jobs in Fremont is about 36 minutes. That commute costs drivers about $60 a day, the analysts found, adding up to $15,005 over the course of a year.

Next on the list is San Francisco. There, it takes employees an average of 35 minutes to get to work – something that costs them about $52 every single day. In total, that amounts to $13,015 a year.

#6 on the list is San Jose, with an average commute cost of $9,813 annually. That breaks down to $39 a day for a 32-minute mean travel time.

The last Bay Area city to make the Top 10 list is Oakland. There, commuters spend 68 minutes in total going to and from work, for an average cost of $37 a day or $9,176 annually.

Outside of the Bay, Irvine’s stats are very close to Oakland, but it’s listed as the eighth most expensive.

“Irvine, California, is the eighth-most expensive city for commuters. Workers spend an annual $9,526, or a daily $38 getting to and from work. Most employees in Irvine work 38 hours a week for a reasonable pay rate of $48 per hour,” the report says.

The top 10 cities with the most expensive commutes are:

• Fremont, CA: $15,005
• San Francisco, CA: $13,015
• Jersey City, NJ: $10,602
• Arlingonton, VA: $10, 385
• New York, NY: $10,275
• San Jose, CA: $9,813
• Seattle, WA: $9,790
• Irvine, CA: $9,526
• Oakland, CA: $9,176
• Chicago, IL: $8,033

Four of the ten least expensive commutes are in Texas. That list for the least amount of money spent on annual commutes is as follows:

• Lubbock, TX: $2,874
• Laredo, TX: $3,200
• Tulsa, OK: $3,241
• Wichita, KS: $3,417
• Corpus Christi, TX: $3,447
• Norfolk, VA: $3,449
• El Paso, TX: $3,635
• Memphis, TN: $3,743
• Tucson, AZ: $3,843
• Cleveland, OH: $3,853

Photo: Saketh Garuda on Unsplash

The San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet has just received the first of seven shiny new ferry boats, called Hydrus, which is getting a Champagne christening Tuesday in advance of its first passenger trips in April. The high-speed catamaran is on display currently at Pier 9, as ABC 7 shows us, and it has a capacity for 445 passengers — or, as The Point blog recently said, 400 passengers and 50 bicycles.

According to the Examiner, the SF Bay Ferry fleet will have 13 boats total as of April, and with older boats being put out of service, and the seven new ones coming online, they will have a total of 16 operating in three years.

The first trips by the Hydrus will be used to add capacity to the over-congested Vallejo route, and Point Richmond residents are looking forward to getting their own route in early 2018.

The Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which runs SF Bay Ferry, is looking to greatly expand ferry service over the next two decades to alleviate traffic on the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, and congestion on BART. The WETA is "investing $465 million in capital expenditures, $175 million of which is toward new vessel construction" according to the Ex, and each of these boats costs around $15 million. A September press release from SF Bay Ferry announced a $62.1 million contract awarded to Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. for three new ferry boats, of which this Hydrus is the first.

As the East Bay Times reports, ridership on SF Bay Ferries has increased 74 percent over the last five years, to over 2.7 million passengers annually. They currently only operate out of seven terminals servicing routes to Mare Island, Vallejo, Alameda, Oakland, and Harbor Bay, but they're expecting to grow that 12 routes and 16 terminals.

Using the new high-speed Hydrus, the commute from SF to Alameda is now expected to be just 19 minutes, and even speedier boats are on the way.

In the next four years, in addition to the new Richmond terminal, new terminals will be added in Alameda and on Treasure Island as well.

Related: Tideline, The Chariot Of Ferries, Launches Commuter Service Between SF, Berkeley, and Richmond

Much the way private shuttle buses like Chariot have been invading San Francisco for several years and providing more comfortable alternatives for the Muni-averse, a new public/private ferry service has just launched called Tideline, offering small-scale water taxis between San Francisco and the Berkeley Marina, and between San Francisco and Richmond. As KRON 4 reports, though, there seems to be a bit of a disagreement between the company and the City of Berkeley, with the latter saying Tideline hasn't yet gotten their permit to operate in the city.

The company, launched in November by some Marin County residents, says they thought they already had the green light from Berkeley, and their website says they're "an official Port of San Francisco water transportation service offering public and private commuter service." Launching this morning at 7:30 a.m. was the public Berkeley ferry line, which they say takes 20 to 30 minutes each way — and is clearly being marketed as an alternative to overcrowded BART trains and Bay Bridge traffic — even though each boat looks to have a pretty limited capacity. Ferries leave Berkeley at 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. only on Fridays (for now), and then depart San Francisco each Friday evening at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., with more days and times to be added according to demand. Each ride costs $8, and leaves from the K gate at Berkeley Marina, arriving at Pier 1.5 in SF. And a 50 percent cancellation fee is charged for any reservation cancelled within 12 hours or less of the departure time. (Reservations can be made here, but it appears walk-ons are allowed too.)

The Richmond service is a private shuttle that began in November and appears to operate Monday through Friday for $11 a ride, via prepaid packages only. That service also uses Pier 1.5, and arrives at Marina Bay in Richmond, with trips taking 35 minutes each way. Tickets are sold in packages of six for $66, or as monthly passes for $240, and no walk-ons are allowed.

"Redefine your commute," says the Tideline site, adding that each boat comes with wifi, beverage service, and flat screen TVs onboard. Also, they appear to be ready to launch a private commuter shuttle between Tiburon and SF as well, though that is still "pending."

At the time the company's Richmond service launch, Tideline Marine Group president Nathan Nayman discussed the venture with Richmond Confidential. “San Francisco Bay historically was all about boats," he said. "It was all about clipper ships, transportation, bringing goods and services into the bay area. With the advent of the car, bridges and BART, we lost our focus on the bay. [At Tideline] We believe [we need] to have a complement of all sorts of waterborne vessels throughout the Bay.”

Yes, commuting sucks. Wouldn't it be great if you knew ahead of time, in real time, which lanes were clear and which were obstructed? Well, starting today, you will. Drivers on a 20-mile East Bay stretch of I-80 were confronted today with over 110 new digital signs flashing X's and arrows of different colors. The Chronicle reports that the signs are part of the I-80 Smart Corridor Project, and aim to ease congestion between the Carquinez Bridge and the Bay Bridge.

Here's how they work: Attached to 11 overhead structures, the signs warn of upcoming lane conditions — theoretically allowing you plenty of time to change lanes and avoid one of the 25 lane-blocking incidents that happen weekly along the heavily trafficked stretch.

In the above embedded video, Caltrans spokesperson Shannon Brinias explains how to interpret the messages that will flash across the digital screens. "Most of the time, they'll remain dark — that means there's nothing blocking the lanes ahead," says Brinias. "If you see the signs light up, that means there's an issue ahead. If your lane has a green arrow, that means the lane is clear. If your lane has a yellow X, that means move over to a green arrow lane. If your lane has a red X, that means the lane is blocked ahead — move over as soon as it's safe."

The overhead signs represent one of four key elements of the I-80 Smart Corridor Project. The project also includes ramp meters, traffic information boards, and local street signs to help you navigate neighborhoods should you be detoured off the interstate to avoid the aftermath of a collision.

According to Caltrans, over 270,000 vehicles per day use the I-80 corridor. Hopefully the new roughly $79 million project will succeed in making that drive just a little less miserable.

Related: Report: San Francisco Has The Third Worst Traffic In The Country

Today's BART strike prompted lots of fuss from the media, anguish on Twitter, and even a petition for a ban on BART strikes altogether. More importantly, many commuters are pissed. Rightfully so. Folks got up before dawn on Friday just to endured traffic on roadways, while workers for the region's largest transit system walked off the job for the second time in four months.

The Chronicle has more:

Among those who rode the bus was Roberto Lu-Flores, 44, of Oakland, a banker who just found a job after being unemployed for seven months. He said he couldn't be late for an 8 a.m. conference call.

"It's still that new mentality - you're still trying to prove yourself, that you're diligent," he said.

He had no sympathy for the striking BART workers. "They're probably making more than I am," he said. "We're all trying to get to our jobs, and they're preventing us. They have jobs." A handful of strikers were walking a picket line at the West Oakland station. One of them, 19-year train operator Will Adams, said, "We don't ever look forward to striking. We would prefer to be at work. We've got children in school like everyone else."

Here are some images of BART Strike Day 1.

Prepare for a sluggish commute this evening. If the strike continues over the weekend, BART will offer limited service to and from San Francisco from the same nine stations via bus. For more details, go to bart.gov.

All BART Strike coverage.

Oakland resident Ron Yorrick Jr. recently decided to "practice his awesome" by making speeches to commuters on crowded morning BART trains, prompting many to wonder what he wanted from them, or if he was about to do something crazy. He begins by saying, "I'm not asking for money, I'm not asking for donations. No, I don't work for BART, and no, I'm not about do anything crazy." His message, as the Bold Italic tells us, is a mixture of motivational talk ("Figure out what you really want out of life. Not somebody else, you.") and generic feel-goodery ("I'm giving away high fives, hugs...").

He's kept it up for a month, and there's no direct purpose to his talks — however at some point he would like to open his own gym.

He says he decided to do this in order to scare himself, and in an overall project of self-improvement, or something.

Above, a cell phone video he made himself of the crowd reaction on Day 26 of his 30-day BART experiment.

[Bold Italic]

A major accident at 6:30 a.m. this morning at the intersection of Octavia and Oak Streets has closed the area to both vehicle and Muni traffic, causing headaches for Haight/Nopa/Sunset residents trying to get to work. KTVU reports that at least one person was killed in the accident, which involved a big-rig vehicle transport carrying a load of cars, and a UCSF passenger van. Multiple pedestrians seem to have been involved as well.

KTVU anchor Kristen Sze later tweeted that one person was ejected from the UCSF van in the collision, and the the earlier report stated that one of three pedestrians involved in the accident was killed when they were trapped under the big-rig. In any event, gruesome.

Haighteration has more pics of the accident scene.

[via Mission Local, Alert SF]

Toll hikes on Bay Area bridges take effect today, with the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond, and San Mateo bridges going up to $5, and the Bay Bridge getting a unique and confusing sliding scale toll which starts at $4 for off-peak hours on weekdays, $5 on Saturdays and Sunday, and $6 during commute hours, 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 on weekdays. Also, carpooling is no longer free, and will cost $2.50 -- Fastrak required.

Though this is certain to elicit moans of, "aww, fuck," from a fair number of drivers approaching the toll plaza in the coming days, SFGate reports that traffic is light so far today despite the change, and SF Appeal reports that this rollout was planned purposely for this light-traffic holiday weekend.

BART officials have been sending outreach personnel to casual carpool pickup spots the East Bay encouraging people to use the trains rather than pay the toll, but this is unlikely to sway the minds of people who live too far from BART stations to walk there, and who lost hope years ago of ever finding a parking spot at a BART station after 7 a.m.

(Photo by Troy Holden.)

Many of BART's 355,000 daily commuters are still unaware that the agency might go on strike next week, which would cause quite a meltdown throughout the Bay Area.

Five unions representing 3,000 BART employees are currently in talks with BART over the management's proposals for solving its projected $250 million budget deficit over the next four years. BART is hoping to cut labor costs by $100 million by asking workers to foot more of the bill on their benefits and pension packages and by possibly implementing a four-year wage freeze.

The unions laid a smaller cost-cutting proposal on the table, but when neither side budged last night after a nine-hour negotiation, the Amalgamated Transit Union or ATU, which represents about 1,000 train operators and station agents, approved and authorized their union to strike. It would be the first BART strike in twelve years.

Commuters are urged to carpool, take a transbay bus, or ride the ferry if the strike does happen. Check the Transit 511 Bart Disruption page for updates and suggested transit alternatives.