[IMAGE]CAWine.jpg[/IMAGE]Napa and Sonoma, Calif.-based charter company California Wine Tours won a contract to provide the North Bay (San Francisco) 49er Fan Express, which was previously run by Golden Gate Transit.

A ride on the California Wine Tours 49ers Fan Express will cost between $25 to $30 roundtrip and include complimentary water, free high-speed Internet access and restrooms. The charter company will also show 49ers game highlights, Super Bowl replays and other NFL promotional videos and, along with the 49ers, will sponsor raffles on each coach to include 49ers memorabilia and gift certificates for limo rides, as well as a grand prize raffle for the final game of the season.

Golden Gate Transit coordinated this service for 30 years until changes with Federal bus charter regulations no longer allowed public transit organizations to provide transportation for charters.

"The staff at Golden Gate Transit has been very helpful in getting out the word that California Wine Tours is now the source for the North Bay fan shuttles," comments Marino. "It is impressive to see the team work that is taking place all over the Bay Area as we all work together to transition these shuttles away from public transit authorities to the private sector," says Mike Marino, president/CEO of California Wine Tours.