Valley of the Moon Commute Club
Encyclopedia
Valley of the Moon Commute Club is a privately owned and operated transit system based in the San Francisco Bay Area
.
as a non-profit during the 1970s oil crises as a cheaper alternative to driving to financial district job centers
in San Francisco
. There was also no public transit service by Sonoma County Transit
no Golden Gate Transit
or the Santa Rosa City Bus therefore local residents pooled money together and began their own dedicated subscription and pay-as-you-go commuter service to the city.
In its heyday the system had a fleet of five buses later three and multiple daily runs and routes, however since the Dot-Com Bust and Economic Downturn of the 2000s service reductions and fare hikes have nearly crippled the club. The service is actually subsidized by local governments.
In 2011 the service was ready to end but then Pure Luxury a, Petaluma
based wine tour bus company took over the operation of the line at a small loss with the hopes of simply breaking even and giving back to the community. Buses now run from Schellville through Sonoma and along the remainder of the route. The company owned by a married couple hopes to possibly expand as Golden Gate Transit
eliminates more transbay service such as the formerly competing route 90 in 2003.
and Marin
such as San Rafael Transit Center
and Santa Rosa Transit Mall
. This is alongside many stops running the length of city streets of San Francisco including the Golden Gate Bridge
.
For the most part the bus runs along Mission, Battery and Broadway streets in San Francisco. For most of the rest of the line it runs along U.S. Highway 101 and Highway 12 in addition to local streets in several North Bay
communities.
In San Francisco the clubline stops by or at Civic Center / UN Plaza, Montgomery and Powell Street
BART
/Muni
stations, Van Ness Muni Metro station and the San Francisco Transbay Terminal
. The bus also serves El Verano
and Boyes Hot Springs
.
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
.
History
The service began in Sonoma, CaliforniaSonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
as a non-profit during the 1970s oil crises as a cheaper alternative to driving to financial district job centers
Financial District, San Francisco, California
The Financial District is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, that serves as its main central business district. The nickname "FiDi" is occasionally employed, analogous to nearby SoMa.-Location:...
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. There was also no public transit service by Sonoma County Transit
Sonoma County Transit
Sonoma County Transit is a public transportation system based in Sonoma County, California.-Cities and communities served:As the primary bus system in the county, Sonoma County Transit operates to the following communities, listed by zones from south to north:Sonoma Coast and Russian River:*...
no Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit is a public transportation system serving the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It mainly serves Marin and Sonoma Counties, and also provides limited service to San Francisco and Contra Costa County.Golden Gate Transit is one of three...
or the Santa Rosa City Bus therefore local residents pooled money together and began their own dedicated subscription and pay-as-you-go commuter service to the city.
In its heyday the system had a fleet of five buses later three and multiple daily runs and routes, however since the Dot-Com Bust and Economic Downturn of the 2000s service reductions and fare hikes have nearly crippled the club. The service is actually subsidized by local governments.
In 2011 the service was ready to end but then Pure Luxury a, Petaluma
Petaluma, California
Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. In the 2010 Census the population was 57,941.Located in Petaluma is the Rancho Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San...
based wine tour bus company took over the operation of the line at a small loss with the hopes of simply breaking even and giving back to the community. Buses now run from Schellville through Sonoma and along the remainder of the route. The company owned by a married couple hopes to possibly expand as Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit is a public transportation system serving the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It mainly serves Marin and Sonoma Counties, and also provides limited service to San Francisco and Contra Costa County.Golden Gate Transit is one of three...
eliminates more transbay service such as the formerly competing route 90 in 2003.
Service area
The bus runs one trip starting at around 5:30 AM and arriving at its San Francisco terminal around 7 AM. The return trip runs arrives back in the Valley of the Moon at around 6:15 PM leaving around 4:00 PM. The route runs through various locations in SonomaSonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
and Marin
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
such as San Rafael Transit Center
San Rafael Transit Center
The San Rafael Transportation Center , in San Rafael, California, is the main transit center for Marin County. From San Rafael, passengers can travel throughout Marin County, to San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Sonoma Counties...
and Santa Rosa Transit Mall
Santa Rosa Transit Mall
The Santa Rosa Transit Mall is a major transfer point for several bus routes serving the city of Santa Rosa, California, located in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco, in the United States...
. This is alongside many stops running the length of city streets of San Francisco including the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
.
For the most part the bus runs along Mission, Battery and Broadway streets in San Francisco. For most of the rest of the line it runs along U.S. Highway 101 and Highway 12 in addition to local streets in several North Bay
North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The North Bay is a subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States. The largest city is Santa Rosa. It is by far the least populous and least urbanized part of the Bay Area...
communities.
In San Francisco the clubline stops by or at Civic Center / UN Plaza, Montgomery and Powell Street
Powell Street Station
Powell Street Station is a Muni Metro and Bay Area Rapid Transit station near the intersection of Market Street and Powell Street in downtown San Francisco, California. The station is located along the Market Street Subway and extends underground from Fourth Street to Fifth Street. Hallidie Plaza...
BART
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
/Muni
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
stations, Van Ness Muni Metro station and the San Francisco Transbay Terminal
San Francisco Transbay Terminal
San Francisco Transbay Transit Terminal, or simply Transbay Terminal, was a transportation complex in San Francisco, California, USA, located roughly in the center of the rectangle bounded north–south by Mission Street and Howard Street, and east–west by Beale Street and 2nd Street...
. The bus also serves El Verano
El Verano, California
El Verano is a census-designated place in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 4,123 at the 2010 census....
and Boyes Hot Springs
Boyes Hot Springs, California
Boyes Hot Springs is a census-designated place in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 6,656 people at the 2010 census...
.
External links
- Commute Club page Pure. Pure Luxury website.
- Original Valley of the Moon Commute Club website