Forty-six AC Transit bus routes returned to service Sunday, Aug. 9, carrying students to and from schools across Alameda and Contra Costa counties as the 2026-27 school year begins.
The 600-series supplemental routes, which pause each summer and resume each fall, are expected to serve roughly 30,000 students this year, according to an AC Transit press release. The agency invests approximately $11.8 million annually to plan and operate the network. AC Transit has filled gaps in school transportation for more than two decades, particularly in communities where traditional yellow bus service is limited or unavailable.
The service matters for families using open enrollment, which allows East Bay students to attend schools outside their home neighborhoods. AC Transit coordinates with participating districts to align bus schedules with school bell times when possible.
Beyond the 600-series lines, regular AC Transit routes called "school trippers" add capacity during peak student travel times. About 4,400 of the agency's riders travel to schools each day.
What Walnut Creek families need to know
The fare picture differs by county. Contra Costa County students, including those in Walnut Creek, are not eligible for the Alameda County Student Transit Pass Program, which provides free rides to eligible sixth- through 12th-graders in that county.
Two options are available locally:
- Youth Clipper card: Students ages 5 to 18 receive a 50% fare discount on all AC Transit routes.
- Pass2Class program: Contra Costa County students in grades one through 12 can apply for up to two months of free rides on AC Transit and other local transit agencies through 511 CCTA at 511.ccta.ca.gov.
Families can plan school routes using AC Transit's trip planner at tp.actransit.org or find full 600-series schedules at actransit.org/schools. Our earlier guide to school transit options covers County Connection routes and other local programs for Walnut Creek students.
The 600-series routes will run through the full academic year, with the next service pause scheduled for summer 2027.
