a total of about 2400 bart employees are on strike. that includes train operators, station agents and maintenance workers. there are talks between both sides broke down about 8:30 last night. the transit union, local 1555 and service employees international union local 1021. along with the picket lines, there will also be picket linings outside of many of the work yards, the bart work yards. now one striking bart worker told me a short time ago he feels bad commuters will be impacted by this labor dispute. >> how can you be ready for this? it's hard. it's hard for us. it's hard for everybody. >> reporter: now for their part, bart officials say they offered up what was a fair contract. their latest proposal they say included a 2% annual raise and reductioned contributions between health care and pension. i have reached out this morning to spokes people several spokes people and left messages but at

this point i have not yet heard back. but we do understand in speaking with union representatives at this point there are no new negotiations scheduled for later on this day. this bart strike will continue. commuters having to find other options. live in oakland alex savidge. time e time right now 4:30. let's check in with sal. to you see the roads? what do you think later this morning what it would be like? >> i think it will be a gradual build up. let's take a look at the pictures. certainly there are people. the people who are very well prepared who said i don't want a claimer of traffic. they are on the road. they're having a big commute. the big question is what will it be like two hours of now. it might help out with the

holiday week. we will see what happens with that. let's take a look at what we have with san francisco. along northbound 101 you can see traffic looks good approaching the 80 split. and if you are driving on the peninsula so far so good. let's go back to the desk. thank you, sal. transportation officials say this morning's bart strike could add another 100,000 cars to bay area freeways because of the extra traffic people are being encouraged to try car pooling. to help bart is offering free parking. bart has parking lots at 33 stations and all of them will be open. however for safety reasons the elevators at bart parking lots will not be working. also bart is offering charter buses at four bart stations. here's a live picture from the walnut creek station. you can see already a number of people waiting in line. this is one of four stations where you can catch a charter bus. the other three.

the buss will be able to take 2,000 to 4,000 people between the east bay and san francisco. now those buss are going to run from -- now those buses are going to run from -- you can see why there is a lot of people out in line. tickets are handed out on a first come first serve basis. you do have to show that round trip ticket in order to board the bus in the city. 4:33 is the time. san francisco ferry expanding to carry the parking lot commuter -- the bart commuters. janine de la vega is in oakland where the first ferry will leave at 6:00 this morning. janine. >> reporter: pam, that is

right. it's empty right now. but about an hour we are expected to see a lot more people here. the ticket office opens then at 5:30. and operators say they are ready to handle the extra commuters. the ferry service says they will be using all -- normally the ferry service handles about 20 thursday riders a day -- 20,000 riders a day. it will increase to handle 50,000 riders a day. ferries will go directly from oakland to san francisco. and alameda to san francisco. rather than making stops in oakland and alameda before going to san francisco. the first will depart from oakland at 6:00 a.m.. departures will take place every 45mys. you must have a ticket or clipper card to board the

ferry. there will be no free ferry parking. parking at the ferry is limited. they encourage people to get dropped off or use the bus. if you do have a bike and riding your bike to the ferry terminal space on board is limited to 16-44 bikes depending on how many people show up here. reporting live from oakland janine de la vega ktvu channel 2 news. time now 4:35. if you don't normally ride bart, expect a lot more commute on your ride to work. while most will get in cars, others will take ferries or buses. some may try to telecommute. bart says just before the workers walked out, sunday ridership set a new record. bart says as of 10:00 p.m.

last night, more than 276,000 people road bart trains. that is 17,000 more than the previous sunday record. that record was set last year. later on this morning we will have the number of riders for the entire day. san francisco international airport is offering transportation alternatives for officers if. san francisco car services they are increasing their availability as well. track drivers will be out there working -- extra drivers will be out there working. there was also a concern that ac transit may be going on strike. but we found out that ac transit will be operating its buses today.

coming up at 4:45 tara moriarty will give us an update on the negotiations between the bus drivers and mechanics and their decision not to go on strike. bart workers have already scheduled rallies around the bay area today. the first will be at noon. and later today at 5:00 another rally will be held at san francisco civic center plaza. for the very latest information on the bart strike any time of day including what you need to know about alternate routes and services go to our ktvu home page and click on the bart strike tab. more than 2,000 oakland city workers could stage a one- day strike today. union leaders met friday with oakland mayor jean quan but they rejected her offer to negotiating through the weekend. the cost of living increase to cover the pay cuts they took during the recession. police, fire, and emergency workers they will not be on

picket lines. and also east bay parks may be hit by a strike. about 600 park rangers, life guards, and other workers are threatening to walk off the job thursday and friday. the parks will not close but a strike could shut down some of the operations like swimming pools and visitor centers. later on today more contract talks are seed yuled with a -- scheduled with a state mediator. well, a couple things going on. there is a little bit more fog starting to fill in north to south and higher clouds coming up. right there wrapping around. some lows are on the cool side. some are very mild to warm. there is no doubt about it a westerly breeze. 50s to 70s. inland it's very, very warm. dealing with a west wind. there is a tremendous difference between the forecast models for tomorrow. as much as 20 degrees.

it's been a long time. it's going to be hot for areas inland. it will continue to be extremely hot. the higher clouds may take a few degrees off the higher temperatures. fog, sun, cool for some. mild, warm, hot far enough away. you will get that very, very warm conditions or very hot conditions but there is a west wind in place. so 70s for some. 80s, 90s to near 100s. just again a brutal forecast. there are projections tomorrow of just blistering heat. unfortunately the forecast models are completely apart on this. it will be hot inland. it looks like the bay and coast will stay where it has been. 4:39 is the time. we want to get back to our big news. busy traffic day after bart announced it's going on strike. sal, is going to help us get around the bay area. how does it look? >> it looks good. you couldn't know it just by looking at the roads now. i want to go right to the roads where we have some 400,000

people trying to look for another way to get around. not everyone is going to drive. we are already seeing more crowded conditions than normal here on the east shore. it's not stop and go. but here it is 4:39. usually we're just doing our first traffic report around this time. we don't see nearly as many people. we will start seeing a ramp up here. at the bay bridge toll plaza you will see people show up. since this is just looking at it right now. it looks like it's getting crowded. when it does get crowded enough, the metering lights will go on. they usually go on at 6:00. today i have a feeling they will go on earlier. also looking at the commute if you are driving anywhere it looks good there. time now 4:40. it's the news the bay area 400,000 bart riders did not want to hear. bart is on strike. we will continue team coverage of the strike and how it's effecting the monday morning commute. good morning. 24 westbound is looking at a live picture here.

it does look okay. we expect a lot more people on this road between walnut creek own oakland. look at 'em.

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welcome back. 4:43. breaking news bart workers are on strike. this is a live picture you are looking at. this is the walnut creek bart station where dozens of people the cameras panning around. taking advantage of charter buses out there. the the entire bart system has shut down. the first bart strike since 1997. talks between the two sides abruptly ended last night. hours before the midnight deadline. at this point there are no new contract talks scheduled. make sure you stay right here with us at ktvu all morning for live team coverage. there is a break for ac transit riders. bus riders and mechanics will be working today even though their contracts run out at midnight. tara moriarty is joining us

live. he is in oakland. >> reporter: we have seen bus operators arrive to work this morning. we have seen a couple buses pull out but not too many. this ac -- that is because in addition to its regular schedule buses will be rolling out to various bart stations to help ease the commuting crunch. ac transit workers have their own problems with their union contract expiring at midnight. talks between the two sides still ongoing. but bus drivers and mechanics basically saying we afree to disagree. and most likely it was because of the bart strike and so many more people will need to take the bus compared to a normal commute day. ac transit says it's grateful the workers decided to come to work and not walk out. ac transit serving 140,000 riders in alameda county. regular service to san francisco and the peninsula will be in effect today and of

course those buses again will be going to bart stations. we are live in oakland i'm tara moriarty ktvu channel 2 news. if you are planning to take golden gate into san francisco, get ready to pay more. golden gate transit bus and ferry services will go up 5% today. that about 25-50 cents more per ride. now we'd like to hear how this -- share your story if. we'd like to know. developing news from arizona is reeling after the worst fire fightingen drab it happened as we were attacking a

fire the fire destroyed 200 hopes. more than 200,000-acres that have been burned since friday. the fallen firefighters were part of an elite team. >> we are devastated. we lost 19 of some of the finest people you will ever meet. right now we're in crisis. >> the crew tried to protect themselves. they deployed fire resistant shields but it didn't work. arizona governor jan brewer will visit later today. president obama is expressing his condolences to the families of the fallen firefighters. mr. obama called the firefighters heros who put themselves in harms way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet. the president is still traveling in africa. the government is already assisting and they will stay in close contact with the officials in arizona to provide support. now the chp is also paying attribute to those fallen

firefighters on twitter. the chp posted this message saying our deepest sympathy to the families of the 19 firefighters killed while battling the yeah fell -- yarnell hill fire in in arizona. courthouses will start issuing same sex marriage licenses. it also opened again on saturday and sunday. yesterday the supreme court rejected an emergency petition. contra costa county opens its doors at 8:00 a.m. as well. time now 4:48. sal is back. we know bart is on strike. the east shore have you seen any impact? >> we have seen more people on the road for sure.

although it hasn't become stop and go. let's take a look at that. traffic is moving along relatively well. it's a little bit more crowded than we normally see. same thing with the bay bridge. there is a little bit of a line already in some of the cash lanes. this usually happens around 5:48. not 4:48. traffic is okay once on the bridge. if you are driving this in contra costa county. we are seeing traffic on 680 and 242 off to a good start. coupling things going on here. higher clouds coming up. and even fog forming. there is a couple signs. it's going to be a little cooler. there will be another 40-degree spread. if we had an offshore breeze it would be one for the record

books. there are some that will be very hot. the problem lies with tomorrow. one forecast model is amazingly hot. the other is 20 degrees cooler for areas all over the place. so we will see how this works out right now. a little bit more fog. some of the higher clouds might cut down a couple degrees. if you are near the coast and around the bay it's not bad. the farther inland you go it's hot. fog near the coast. hot inland. there is a westerly breeze. i've seen a couple near 20-25. 60s and 70s and 80s to 90s and 100s. again just an unbelievable difference. tomorrow is really the key day. it could really rocket up. if you see a 20-degree spread i have to ease into this. it will cool down toward the end of the week. we will continue to follow our very big news this morning. bart workers have begun a strike that is expected to

paralyze the bay area commute this morning. we will continue with our team team coverage of the monday morning commute. good morning. golden gate bridge traffic and marin traffic in general looks good. it's getting more crowded in the east. we'll tell you more straight ahead.

welcome back to the ktvu channel 2 morning news. our big story computers are on strike. this is the walnut creek bart station. parking is free for people who take car pool. they are also taking advantage these people are lined upright now is the first come, first serve tickets for charter shuttle buss that will take them into san francisco. union workers of course the reason why everybody is out there early they announced at midnight their contracts run out without a new offer from bart. they walked out of contract negotiations last night. and they walked across the street to start picketing at the lake merit bart station. at this point no new talks are scheduled. this is the first bart strike since 1997 which lasted six days. of course it created a lot of

traffic nightmare for people around the bay area. time is 4:43. here is something else. at midnight california's gas tax went up. 3.5 cents. california drivers now pay 69.5 centss a gallon in state and federal taxes. the highest total tax anywhere in the country. that extra money that is expected to go for highway repairs and also public transit projects. gas prices had actually gone down in the bay area. this morning's report shows the price drop is offsetting that tax increase. prices are holding steady in almost all parts of the bay area. san francisco drivers are paying $4.07. oakland and san jose drivers averaging $3.96. and in santa rosa gas prices dropped two cents to $3.95. at midnight the interest rate on federally subsidized

loans to college students doubled. students paid 3 -- students say that is enough to make big changes in their plans for life. >> i'm almost $60,000 in debt. and it will effect what kinds of jobs i choose. >> democrats in congress say students need the lower rate to get the college education. republicans and the president favored tying the interest rate. time is 4:55. sal will be one of the most important people in the bay area today. you've got to get people around because of the bart strike. >> that is right. someone called and said they saw a bart train running. it's an inspection train. they have to keep the trains running. there is no rust on the track. to inspect the tracks. some bart workers the ones that

are not on strike will be heading to their assignments that way. but there is no bart service. let's take a look at what we have now. this is a look at the bay bridge toll plaza. early back up here in some of the cash lanes. casual car pooling locations will be all over the place. especially at the bart parking lots. people can use those lots for casual car pool. also looking at the commute on interstate 880 it looks pretty good with no major problems. and on 680 for the benicia bridge to walnut creek we are off to a good start. let's go to steve. fog continues to form on the coast. higher clouds are coming up and wrapping around the high. 50th or 60 -- 50s-70s. it's a huge difference in some of the forecast models for the projected highs. a couple signs right now point toward a cooler pattern but few

yo are inland it will still be hot. if you are inland it will be really, really hot. tomorrow is the key day. there is a 20-degree difference. so we will ease into that. i will tell you it wouldn't take much to see temperatures rocket up. temperatures 60s and 70s coast and bay. 80s-100s inland. farther east the hotter it goes. the farther west the cooler it is. tomorrow will be the key day if it rockets up all bets are off. back to the desk. thank you, steve. coming up next bart is on strike. workers have begun the strike. there are ways to get around this. we will help you out. ñáçwçñ

we want the public to urge the bart board of directors to get us back to the table. >> it doesn't do any good when you lever the table earl -- leave the table early. >> bart is on strike. we have team coverage ahead. traffic is already beginning to show signs of

unusually heavy traffic in some spots. we'll let you know where. the first bus has arrived in walnut creek. good morning. thank you for joining us. it is monday, july 1st i'm pam cook. >> and good morning, i'm dave clark. >> we begin with breaking news this morning. the entire bart system shut down and the transit system's first strike since 1997. 400,000 bart riders need to find a way to get around. the official announcement came right after midnight. the moment their contract ran out. workers walked out of the negotiations and announced they would be on the picket lines