The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District will reduce the physical distancing requirement aboard its buses to 3 feet starting next week.
The transition from 6 feet to 3 feet will take effect Monday, according to AC Transit, and is a result of falling coronavirus cases and increased vaccination in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
The transit agency has mandated that riders keep 6 feet of distance between each other since March 2020.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
The reduction in minimum distance will enable AC Transit to double its rider capacity on all of its bus types. Previously, the agency's standard buses could only carry 10 riders while its largest buses could only carry 24 riders.
Riders who live in the same household are not subject to the distancing requirement, according to AC Transit. All buses are also equipped with free face coverings, hand sanitizer and air filters to improve air flow and ventilation.
Riders can find up-to-date bus schedules at https://www.actransit.org.
