Transit Month Ride-along and Happy Hour

In celebration of Transit Month 2023, the Bay Area transit agencies and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) are hosting a third “All Aboard with Transit CEOs,” a ride-along and social event giving the public a chance to ride with and meet regional transit leaders. The event is also an opportunity for transit leaders to call for on-going financial support for transit operations and to showcase the coordination happening among agencies to improve the rider experience in the Bay Area.

The event is Friday, September 29, 2023, starting at 5 p.m. at the Palo Alto Caltrain Station/Transit Center. The Palo Alto Transit Center is an intermodal transit center served by Caltrain, SamTrans, VTA, Dumbarton Express, the Stanford University Marguerite Shuttle and several local shuttle services. 

Trip details:

Before 5 p.m.: The public and Transit CEOs will come from different transit systems, connecting with the public along their route to the Palo Alto Transit Center. 

5 p.m.: The public and Transit CEOs meet at the Palo Alto Caltrain Station/Transit Center (Northbound Platform to San Francisco) for photos and mingling.
5:19 p.m.: Everyone boards Caltrain 709 for an onboard Happy Hour (BYOB).
5:44 p.m.: Train arrives at Millbrae Transit Center (100 California Drive, Millbrae).
6:03 p.m.: The Ride-along ends as the train arrives at San Francisco Caltrain Station (700 4th Street, San Francisco).

Members of the public and the media are invited to ride for the full or partial journey. This event is a great opportunity for the public to chat with CEOs about transit service and transit career opportunities. Follow on social media for real time updates of the CEOs' journeys.  

Participating CEOs include:  SamTrans (April Chan), Caltrain (Michelle Bouchard), VTA (Carolyn Gonot), MUNI (Jeff Tumlin), BART (Bob Powers), WETA/SF Bay Ferry (Seamus Murphy), LAVTA/Wheels (Christy Wegener) and County Connection (Bill Churchill), along with MTC's Director of Legislation and Public Affairs (Rebecca Long).

The CEOs will be taking transit to the Palo Alto Caltrain Station and posting on social media using the #TransitMonth hash tag. Several CEOs will announce their routes to get to Palo Alto Transit Center if you want to join them on the journey. 

• SamTrans CEO April Chan will ride ECR leaving San Carlos Ave / El Camino Street at 4 p.m.
• Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard will ride Caltrain #410 leaving San Carlos Station at 4:48 p.m.
• VTA CEO Carolyn Gonot will ride the VTA Blue Line from River Oaks Station leaving at 3:45 p.m., changing trains at Baypointe to the 4 p.m. Orange Line to Mountain View, and then Caltrain #309 departing Mountain View at 4:40 p.m.
• BART CEO Bob Powers and County Connection CEO Bill Churchill will ride together at 19th Street on BART's Red Line to Millbrae at 2:57 p.m. and transfer to Caltrain at 4:02 p.m.