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Ghosts, goblins, the undead, and other assorted creatures of the night who board a bus in the East Bay this Halloween may want to check the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District's new schedule before heading out to feast on the living. 

AC Transit, which serves Alameda and Contra Costa counties, is trying to cope with financial difficulties and will impose its second set of service reductions this year beginning Sunday, Oct. 31. 

The cuts include reduced frequency on 28 bus lines. Morning service will begin later and evening service will end earlier on 18 lines, two lines will be completely cut, and two others will have reduced weekend service. 

Other changes include shorter routes on some lines serving West Oakland/Emeryville, Lakeshore and Grand avenues in Oakland, Bay Farm Island in Alameda, and San Leandro. 

Service to the Orinda BART station and along Broadway Terrace in Oakland will be discontinued. 

The changes will take place over the weekend in order to give people a chance "to adjust to the change," AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnson said. 

"We always make the service change on a Sunday so that it will be fully in effect the following week," he said. "It's better than starting it on a Wednesday." 

All told, AC Transit will have cut 15 percent of its service this year. 

The 7.2-percent service cuts at the end of the month, approved by the agency in June, are expected to save the cash-strapped agency about $11.4 million. 

In March, the agency imposed 7.8-percent service cuts that are expected to save about $10 million. 

For a complete list of the new service changes, riders can visit www.actransit.org or call 511.