East Bay transportation officials send 1,900 people free bus passes

Just last year, TransLink began full-fledged service on AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit.

But various complications and disagreements between agencies — BART in particular — have long delayed making the system capable of taking riders on the area's other major systems.

While MTC officials had expected to add BART to the system this spring, they're now predicting a launch sometime before the end of the year. Caltrain and Muni, which already accepts TransLink for its Metro trains, are expected to begin this summer.

Residents of the transit-oriented developments, who will receive their TransLink cards in the mail in the next several weeks, will only get free rides on AC Transit buses, for both local and transbay service.

The passes "make it possible for people to live without ever using a car," said Chris Peeples in the announcement at the senior housing complex.

One of the biggest sources of delay on AC Transit buses are people fishing for money to pay fares with, Peeples said, and the cards eliminate that for everyone who uses them.