Commuting to SF with Children

BART commute to SF with 3-year-old

I commute to SF with my almost-3-year-old four days a week and am thinking of ditching the carpool lane for BART. With the new carpool fee coming in, the cost of BART v. driving carpool and paying for parking is no longer a wash.

So... can anyone weigh in on what it's like to BART in with a toddler?! When we lived in SF I took my older kid (then 2) in on Muni, so I'm not new to commute hour + kid. We were usually offered a seat for the 15-30 minute rides we took.

Also, we'd have to drive to BART -- either MacArthur or Rockridge. Is it possible to get BART lot parking around 8:30/9 and if not, is all-day street parking available and safe (i.e. little risk of car break-ins). Thanks! Anon

If you can get a permit, for either lot, there are open spaces until around 9:30/10am. I don't know how much permits cost or if there's a waiting list, but you can find that info on the BART website. alexis

As far as the journey itself, I usually tried to take just one seat and have my child sit on my lap, and we would read books (I would always carry three or four different choices). Since we had been doing this for so long, there were very rarely issues with wiggliness or patience, because it just was what we did. Another tip is to always get in the same car. Eventually, people who don't want to be bothered by a child on their commute will realize that you are going to appear in a particular car each day, and they can then choose to start using another car if they want to. This way you end up with relatively tolerant fellow passengers. Over the years we came to have what we called our ''BART Friends''--people who we recognized and who were watching my child grow up! I believe it was a nice experience for everyone!

Seating: Often someone will offer a mother and child a seat, or we got good at asking people to give up their seat if we needed a seat for our child. Sometimes my son would sit on the floor. We don't usually get 2 seats (one for parent, one for child) but we sometimes share a seat with our child or just stand and let him sit. For my 2.5 yr old, and until about 3 yrs old with the older child, we usually have a stroller with us and the kid just sits in the stroller if there are no free seats.

Parking: We walk to BART so this isn't really an issue for us, but for parking at Rockridge you'd need to get a monthly parking pass or pay $4.50 for a daily parking pass for each day that you need it. You have to reserve ahead of time, but I've always been able to get one for the next day at Rockridge when I've needed it. At MacArthur you can do the same or may be able to find street parking still at 8:30. I recommend parking north of 40th (41st and up) as the neighborhood is better. (I live on 41st) There are many streets with all day parking west of MLK. Spots do fill up but I still see spots at 8:30 if you're willing to walk a few blocks.

Entertainment: We entertain the kids on BART with books, coloring and other activities like that, food, an iphone and patience. Its not bad. Sometimes they take the rest of their breakfast to eat on the train. When my son was 4 we did a lot of activity books. We bought a clipboard that has a storage compartment to hold papers & pencils in and kept it stocked with activity sheets we printed off the internet. Brain Quest was another fun activity for a while. Played lots of thumb war too. Its not bad and it entertains the other passengers too.

Good luck and we'll probably see you on BART. Chris

Commuting from Castro Valley with a 7-mo-old

Hi, I will be commuting to SF from Castro Valley starting September 1, with a 7 mo. old. We're just moving to Castro Valley in a couple weeks, so I'm unfamiliar with the options for commuting, other than BART (but it looks like there's a waiting list for the all-day parking) or the NX4 Transbay bus. So far it's looking like the NX4 might be the easiest way to go, since it's just a couple blocks from our house to the stop. I'm hoping someone might have advice as to other options, as well as if there's a monthly pass or something like that that I could buy? Just to make one step of the commute process easier? And from the Transbay Terminal in SF, I'll have to get on another bus, the 9, which I imagine will be pretty crowded. Does anyone else do this with a baby? If so, I would really love to hear how it can be done!!! I want to bring him with me so I can have a couple extra hours with him everyday, as opposed to leaving him at daycare for 11 hours a day. This commute seems really daunting to me. I'm not sure I can do it.

I suggest trying all of your options out and just figuring out the balance between expense, time and simplicity. For me the bus just did not work at all, even though the Transbay bus stop was half a block from my house--there was one day when there was so much traffic on the bridge it took almost 2 hours to get home, and waiting in the Transbay terminal with a baby is much more unpleasant than waiting in a BART station during a similar delay.

I would suggest getting on the waiting list to get a monthly parking permit at a BART station. I believe you can get on several lists at once, and some of them move pretty quickly. In the meantime, you can just do the single day reserved parking option--it is more expensive than the monthly fee, but this will allow you to figure out if it works for you logistically.

There is not going to be a single way to commute that works perfectly, but I really enjoyed commuting on BART with my child. Transit lover

Commute to South SF from Berkeley with 3-month-old?

Hi, My husband, 3 month old son and I have outgrown our home in SF mission district and are seriously considering purchasing a home in Berkeley. We both work in SSF so our current commute is only 15 minutes. When I return to work, our LO will stay home with a nanny. If we move to Berkeley, we will take BART and then a shuttle to work which would increase our commute to an hour and 15 minutes. We aren't sure if LO will commute in with us and go to a daycare near work or stay home with a nanny or daycare near home. I guess I'm wondering if the commute and time away from our family is worth the lifestyle and community feeling we lack in the mission district but may find in Berkeley. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Katrina

You can rent a larger place in a nicer neighborhood in San Francisco, close to work. When your baby is old enough to want a back yard with a swing set (and after house prices have stopped plunging), you might have changed jobs and would need a house closer to your new job.

A nice thing about renting is that you can try out a new neighborhood for awhile before you buy a place there. Neighborhoods near elementary schools have more of a community feeling, because all of the parents get to know one another through their kids' activities. Walk to work

Commuting to SF with 3 yr old

In June, I may have to start commuting with my 3 yr old daughter to San Francisco and would like to hear from any parents who have found themselves in a similar position. What strategies have worked best to ease the discomfort of long and daily car trip? (Occasional ferry trips from Alameda may be an option, but would require two bus transfers on the other side to reach the Presidio) Deirdre

Bay Bridge commute and school pick-up time

I would be very interested in hearing any tips about the Bay Bridge commute from parents who live in the East Bay, work in San Francisco and have children who attend school in the East Bay. My husband and I currently live and work in SF and have been trying to find a house to buy in Berkeley. We've found a school we like in the Berkeley area for our 4- year-old daughter, but I often need to be in SF until 4:30 or so and am worried I'll be stuck on the bridge and won't make it on time to pick her up from school.

How early does one need to leave SF to be in Berkeley by 6:00? What's it like being on the other side of the bridge from your child during the day? Are there any strategies you've found useful to lessen the stress of commuting? Thanks for any hints you can give.

If not, 4:30 to 6 seems like adequate time for even the worst bridge traffic days, although a lot depends on how far off the Bridge you need to be at either end. For peace of mind, you'll want a ''Plan B,'' someone you can call if you are stuck in traffic, but as long as you have a trusted Plan B, you should be fine. commuter

I go in by N Berkeley BART casual carpool (love it) and come

back by AC Transit or BART. If you commute by car on your way home, you would have to leave more time for getting fromyour parking lot and on to the bridge. Have a cell phone on you, and if you leave work at a time when you will cut the pick up time close, you should call as you leave, and let them know you might be late, so they won't hear last minute. Most care givers appreciate the advanced notice.

Other hints..... Make sure you absolutely leave work on time to get your coworkers used to the idea. Don't cut it close everyday or you'll add too much stress to your daily routine. Work at home at least one day a week if possible. Make sure your child's care giver is able to reach you if your child is ill, as it may take you an hour mid-day to get there to pick your sick child up. Have your partner drop your child off in the a.m. so you can get in early enough to leave on time at the end of the day. Designate East Bay working friends and family on your regular and emergency pick up card. Get cell phone numbers of families you! get close to at your child's school, who pick their kid up around the same time, and help each other to pick up the other's kid on the few times you are running late. In summary - it actually works out fine, and lots of families do it.

Commuting between SF & Berkeley or Oakland

Commuting by car from SF to Berkeley

I may have to commute from San Francisco to Berkeley for the next 3 years. I've heard the reverse commute through the bridge is not as bad, but I'd like to know the average time I should expect either way on an average day. Any input is appreciated. Bay Bridge commuter

Commuting from SF to UC Berkeley

I might be doing my master's at Berkeley starting this fall. We live in the city, currently w/o a car. I am planning to get one, but I am scared of the commute to school. Am I insane to consider this? Will I spend my day in traffic. MCPM

That said, you probably will be commuting against traffic in your car.

Good luck. public transport to the city

It's also obviously going to make a difference how many days you have to go in, but you should seriously consider using BART as your main way of getting in.

I commuted 2-3 times a week for a year from Noe Valley, which in SF meant either one Muni metro car, a bus and metro, or a long walk to BART. And then I had a hike up to the east side of campus. It wasn't that bad -- I got reading done on the commute in and some fresh air on the walk. And when I did occasionally borrow a friend's car to drive over, even the reverse commute in was a pain and coming back was SLOOOOW if I left after 3:30 p.m. -- and then I had to pay parking and bridge toll on top of that.

Nextbus (http://www.nextbus.com or http://nextmuni.com) also makes taking Muni easier.

Good luck deciding! Happpy commuter

I now live in Berkeley and BART to work in SF, and the few times I've had to drive really regretted it. Our transi system may pale in comparison to those of real cities like New York or London, but for getting from SF to Cal, it'll do ya just fine. BART evangelist

On the Berkeley side, the Downtown Berkeley BART is just a block from the west edge of UCB Campus. Now I work on campus where the parking is expensive and I hear a lot of complaints about availability. I have several coworkers who commute from San Francisco via mass transit... and have done so for years.

So you are NOT insane to commute, use BART, catch up on reading, take a snooze, and you won't have to worry about bridge traffic. Former Berkeley -SF commuter

Commuting from Oakland to the Civic Center

I am soon to change jobs and one of the downsides is I will no longer be able to easily commute by bus. I live in Crocker Highlands and will be commuting to Civic Center are in SF at the height of commute times (need to get there at 8:30-9, leave at 5). BART is over a 2-mile walk so the realistic options seem limited to driving and picking up carpoolers or driving to West Oakland BART, parking there, and Barting to/from office. The latter sounds more appealing but I am wondering how late I can get to West Oakland BART and still find a spot to park in one of the adjacent paid lots - anyone have any idea if I can get there at 8:15 and still park anywhere near the station? Anyone have any other ideas (shifting my work hours is not an option)? Thanks very much for your recommendations and advice.

Often times, there are some street parking spots available but you have to be careful with the street signs for time limits and sweeping schedules. This is not the best of neighborhoods so be careful if you think you'll be getting out of work late. The streets are also not well lit if it gets dark, this is especially true for the latter part of fall and throughout winter. You also get the impression that if you screamed for help doors and windows would get shut. My husband does not like it when I run late and requests that I call him to come drive me the 3-4 blocks to my car if it's already dark. As for driving into the city: the parking lot at Civic Center can get expensive for the day. There are monthly plans available, but there is usually a LONG wait list for those spots. Another option, if you don't want to deal with the hassel of finding parking at either location, is to share a casual carpool ride or set up a regular carpool with people having a similar commute. Here are a few websites that might help:

http://rideshare.511.org/carpool/vanpool_seats.asp
http://www.erideshare.com/carpool.php?city=San+Francisco
http://www.sfride.com/locations.html
http://www.ridenow.org/carpool/

Another idea is casual carpool, at least for the way there. Alayna

Commuting from Crocker Hghlnds to SF

My husband works in SF and has been taking the express bus on Park Blvd. to work for almost the past year. Lately it has been very unreliable, sometimes causing him to be late to work by at least a half hour. He needs to find a more reliable way to get to and from SF and was wondering how others are commuting from the Crocker Highlands area. We only have one car so driving isn't an option. We live near the Trestle Glen, Grovesnor intersection. Thanks!
Wife of an Unhappy Crocker Commuter

Commuting from Redwood Hgts. to the Financial District

Am looking for suggestions for commuting from Redwood Heights neighborhood to financial district in SF. Can leave home at approx. 7:30 am earliest. Am told that parking at Rockridge BART station is full by that hour. Fruitvale BART station is not a viable option due to safety issues, primarily in the evenings. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

http://www.transitinfo.org/Sched/AC/N/WD/WB.html

It'S $3 a trip, but you can buy a 10-ride booklet for $26 or a monthly pass for $85. Some folks do casual carpool into the city and take the bus back (personally, I'd have someone pick me up to drive me back up the hill!). You can also use the TransitInfo website to find buses closer to your exact location. Transbay buses *rock*--it's the easiest, fastest, cheapest way into the City for me.

Good luck! Jennie Van Heuit eggplant@there.net

In the morning you hook up with a driver who drops you off at Howard and Fremont. On the way back you catch a cushy super size bus at Transbay Terminal (perfect chance to read a little or take a nap). Bus tickets are $3 each or $26 for 10 rides.

The link below details all of the official stops. Most are on AC transit lines. The Lakeshore/Grand spot offers all day metered parking and street parking is available in some areas.

Casual Carpool Stops
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?ContentID=1362&Page=2

AC Transit Trip Planner
http://www.transitinfo.org/cgi-bin/taketransit

Commuting between SF & Other Cities

Commuting from Kensington to SF

I will be commuting to SF starting in August with a new job and need on advice on the best way to go since we just moved here. I will drop my daughters at preschool in Kensington at 8 am. Then I can either drive in, casual carpool in or drive to the nearest BART which I think is El Cerrito and park the car and BART in. Does anyone have experience with how long the commute takes at this time driving solo, driving in a carpool or taking the BART (factoring in finding a parking space, etc). I am most concerned with time not money as once I get into the city I have free parking. My work is close to Embarcadero. If I drop them off at 8, will I be able to get to my job on time at 9? Thanks! Stephanie

Rent SF apt. instead of 1-hour commute each way?

I currently live five minutes from my job and have two young children that are cared for at home with a nanny. I will soon transition to another job where I will have a one-hour commute to work and my hours will be much longer (kids would be with nanny an extra 15 hours!) My husband is amazingly supportive and would be in charge of both morning and afternoon transitions (which he is totally willing to do) but I had a bright (or foolish) idea . . . what if I rented a studio apartment close to work (San Francisco) and then I could still do the pick-ups and drop-offs and actually see my children during the week (which of course would mean that my husband wouldn't be able to see much of them during the week but he's a full-time graduate student in addition to working full time so . . . ) Is this crazy? Why should or shouldn't I do this? I love and adore my husband so it has nothing to do with his capacity or willingness. I've just been the child care manager for so long . . . reluctant commuter

Commuting from Moraga to SF as Solo Driver

I am contemplating a move to Moraga and am trying to research the commute. I would be commuting as a solo driver (I am not allowed to pick up casual carpoolers), most likely from the southern part of town. How long will it take me to drive to downtown SF from there? I am interested in best-case scenario, worst-case scenario, and the average. Also - what's the back-up like for the tunnel in the morning/evening? Anon

Here are his tips:
--Take BART if you can.
--If you go down Moraga Way through Orinda to Hwy 24, you need to leave the house before 7:15 or after 8:30 am. (There is a bit of commute traffic, and the high school traffic adds a lot.) Otherwise, it can take you half an hour just to get to the freeway.
-- If you need to leave for the city between 7:15 and 8:30 or if Moraga Way is backed up, you can go over Pinehurst Road (in Canyon)to Redwood Road, and then down to 580. (Everyone around here calls that ''going the back way.'' I've done this going into Oakland many times and it is pretty darn quick--it will take you either to Redwood Road or to Montclair, depending on which way you go--plus it is a beautiful drive...but don't do it when it is freezing! The road gets dangerously slippery.) Moraga Momma

Commuting to SF from Piedmont vs. from Orinda

We are considering moving to either Piedmont or Orinda. I work at San Francisco. How is the commute in the morning and evening? Which one is better, Piedmont or Orinda? What's the best way--driving, bart, carpool, bus(if there's any)? Lisa

If you're going to drive to SF every day, Peidmont is much easier. Where you get on the highway in Piedmont is one of the last exits before the Bay Bridge, versus Oridna, where you have to suffer through getting through the Caldecott Tunnel and snailing through 24.

But Piedmont also has a great casual carpool going, so if you're going to work in downtown SF you can just catch a ride with fellow Piedmonters and speed right through all the bridge traffic as the car pool lane starts right after the Piedmont highway onramp. Downtown SF in about 15 minutes by carpool.

And for coming home there's a bus that goes straight from downtown SF to Piedmont.

If you want to BART you can buy a parking space at the Rockridge BART station only about a mile from Piedmont.

In contrast, Orinda has it's own BART, though the lot fills up around 9amish. And their carpool shares the same negative as just regular commuting as the carpool lane is far, far from Orinda, so you crawl through a lot of traffic before you get the benefits.

Aside from that, in Oridna you're going to drive EVERYWHERE, and it's kind of a pain because you're sort of out there. In Piedmont, it's 15 minutes to downtown SF (off coummute hours), 15 minutes to the Oakland airport, 10 minutes to the huge shops/malls/theatres of Emeryville, and you can walk to the park, schools, town center, Piedmont Avenue....Let's just say that in Oridna you're always getting on that highway again, and in Piedmont it's like everything you need is right down the street.

But both towns are full of friendly, interesting people, so you can't really go wrong either way. Andrea

Check out www.511.org for various commute options. A transportation geek :)