Although members do not need to live in Berkeley, they do have to live "within commuting distance," which includes San Francisco, about as far north as Richmond and Pinole, as far south as Hayward, and as far east as Lamorinda.
The first disputed origin is that the term is derived from the word pinol, a form of toasted ground corn that is the main ingredient for Pinolillo, a powdered form of the pinol which is used in a variety of local cuisine and beverage preparations.
The band's unusual name came from a conversation between Abbott and Redford in the parking lot of the Pinole Burger King minutes before their first show.
The transit center is a pulse (a timed and synchronized) transfer point for various local feeder bus lines from the adjacent areas of Hercules, Pinole, Rodeo, the northern Hilltop area of Richmond, Bayview-Montalvin, and Tara Hills.