What is TRAFFIX?
TRAFFIX is a traffic congestion relief program funded by Measure J, the 1/2 cent sales tax approved by Contra Costa voters in 2004. Its sole purpose is to reduce traffic congestion caused by parents driving their children to and from school through some of San Ramon Valley’s most congested intersections.
TRAFFIX began service in August 2009 with a fleet of new clean-burning buses with state-of-the-art safety features. To encourage parents to stop driving their kids to school, TRAFFIX provides this service at a fraction of the cost of other school bus programs – only $475 for an entire school year for each student.
To determine where the program would reduce the most traffic, TRAFFIX conducted comprehensive traffic studies throughout the San Ramon Valley, and surveyed parents at all San Ramon Valley schools. After careful analysis, TRAFFIX established routes and service for Los Cerros Middle School, Green Valley and Vista Grande Elementary Schools in Danville, and Pine Valley Middle School, Country Club, Neil Armstrong, and Walt Disney Elementary Schools in San Ramon.
In 2012, TRAFFIX added bus routes and service for Monte Vista High School in Danville and California High School in San Ramon. In 2014, TRAFFIX added a bus route and service for San Ramon Valley High School in Danville and Coyote Creek Elementary School in San Ramon. Two additional buses were added to the Monte Vista fleet, serving CSA T-1 residents at Alamo Creek and Monterosso in 2014 and 2017 and a third CSA T-1 bus in 2019.
TRAFFIX is operated jointly by the Town of Danville, the City of San Ramon, Contra Costa County, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, with funding from Contra Costa County Measure J through the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, the Contra County Service Area T-1, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and parent contributions.
For more details on TRAFFIX, please see the FAQ section of this website.
Traffix Leadership
Board of Directors
Laura Bratt – Chair
Representing the San Ramon School District
Candace Andersen – Vice Chair
Representing Contra Costa County
Newell Arnerich
Representing the Town of Danville
Karen Stepper
Representing the Town of Danville
Scott Perkins
Representing the City of San Ramon
Marisol Rubio
Representing the City of San Ramon
Rachel Hurd
Representing the SRVUSD Board of Education
Alternates
Dave Fong
Representing the Town of Danville
Gayle Israel
Representing Contra Costa County
Supervisor Ken Carlson
District IV, Contra Costa County
(925) 655-2350
Representing Contra Costa County
School Bus Fleet
The Measure J Traffic Congestion Relief Agency Board of Directors has purchased 23 Saf-T-Liner® HDX buses for the TRAFFIX fleet. This model is the mainstay of transit-style fleets and has helped school buses become the safest form of transportation.
With a capacity of 56 high school, 64 middle school, or 80 elementary students, these buses feature an innovative seat and belt system for added safety. The SafeGuard FlexSeat™ employs a “compartmentalization” technique, where well-padded, energy-absorbing, high-backed seats are placed in a close and geometrical configuration to create a protective envelope. This envelope, combined with lap-shoulder seat belts, provides measurable crash protection.
Other safety features include GPS, closed-circuit video monitoring and an oversized windshield giving the driver greater visibility. Plus, a bumper mounted gate called a “Crossing Control Arm” on the front that extends when boarding or discharging students. This encourages students to walk several feet away from the front of the bus, keeping them safely in the bus driver’s direct line of sight.
A steel-frame, steel structural supports in the skirt area and the rear-engine design, not only create a quiet and comfortable ride, but provide additional safety measures. With passenger safety as top priority, this fleet meets or exceeds all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses.
The TRAFFIX fleet will not only be safe, but also environmentally friendly. The Saf-T-Liner® HDX buses have the MBE900 series Mercedes-Benz diesel engine, which uses cleaner burning fuel than standard gas buses.
Bus Service Provider – First Student
The Measure J Traffic Congestion Relief Agency Board of Directors has contracted with North America’s leading student transportation provider, First Student, Inc., to operate the TRAFFIX service.
Serving 1,500+ school districts with more than 60,000 buses, First Student is committed to the safety and security of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) students.
First Student’s fully screened, trained and certified professional school bus drivers receive extensive pre-employment training and ongoing in-service training. They must also participate in additional in-service safety training annually before school starts, and are required to participate in monthly driving safety meetings.
Safely transporting 4 million students to and from school every day is a responsibility First Student takes very seriously. School buses operated by First Student are packed with safety features to protect students including:
- A Global Positioning System (GPS) – This technology provides dispatchers with the exact location and speed of a school bus at any time. It also provides a record of each bus route and all of its stops, starts and passes.
- Safety Crossing Gates – First Student was the first school bus company to install gates, now an industry standard, on the front of all buses to keep children from crossing directly in front of the bus so drivers can better see them.
- Child Check Mate® System – All First Student buses are equipped with an electronic reminder system, which aids drivers in checking for sleeping children at the end of each route.
- Flashing lights and extended stop arms warn motorists that children are boarding or unloading a bus.
- Every First Student bus is designed with well-anchored seats with high backs that are heavily padded to absorb impact and create a protective envelop. The TRAFFIX fleet will have the additional safety feature of lap-shoulder seat belts.
The National Safety Council recently awarded Moir Lockhead, CEO of FirstGroup, a global transportation provider and parent company to First Student, the 2009 Green Cross for Safety Medal. This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding achievements in safety and health.
Safety is a core value for TRAFFIX and First Student. That’s why First Student is a perfect match for this congestion relief program that is also responsible for safely transporting SRVUSD students.