Transit Times Volume 12, Number 8

8/13/2019 Transit Times Volume 12, Number 8

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75 percent of commuters rrive latePeople may be used to the morningtraffic jam at the Bay bridge toll plaza,but AC Transit would like to do something about it.Because of the tie -up, 75 percent ofDistrict buses are running late during

peak morning commute hours, Alan L.Bingham, general maanger, told theBoard of Directors this month.During the height of the commute,

between 7 and 8 a.m., 86 percent ofbuses are late, he added.THE eOVER: C Transit survey o Bay lrId,eto plaza show. typical momln, con,e lllo n,a. commuter. ft,ht trafRcTraffic slows down and backs up asvehicles converge on 17 toll gates to

pay fares, then squeeze into Rve lanesto cross the bridge. It's taking somebuses as long to get through the mazeas it does to cross the entire span.The District is pursuing with theState Division of Bay Toll Crossings thefeasibility of establishing an exclusivelane for buses to travel quickly through

the jammed area, Bingham said. Witheach full bus taking the place of 40 to45 cars on the bridge, faster servicecould be expected to result in less congestion.To determine how schedules were being delayed, the District stationed trafficcheckers at both ends of the toll plazaarea and at the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco, Bingham tolddirectors.The survey, made during 6:30 to 8 :30

a.m. on an average workday, showed348 buses crossing the bridge-with 265of them running late. The schedules averaged Rve minutes late, but some busesarrived as late as 14 minutes.One bus took minutes to gothrough the toll plaza, but only eightminutes to travel the Rve miles on thespan.The survey showed 17,551 other vehicles on the bridge during the two-hourperiod. Buses represented two percentof the traffic, but carried nearly 50 per-Continued on page 2

iding continues despite fare increaseEast Bay bus passengers have upset ahistoric transit tradition.Despite an increase in fares, ACTransit riding held almost constant, reversing the customary downward plungein patronage after a fare hike.People have kept on riding, withtransbay lines even showing a slightgain, according to Alan L. Bingham,general manager. East Bay lines nearly

held their own, with a patronage decrease of less than one half of one percent.The District raised adult fares Rvecents across-the-board on transbay lineslast July 1 to meet escalating costs. The

rate for East Bay tokens also was raisedfrom Rve for a 1 to four for $1, endinga 20-cent riding bargain enjoyed for 16

years.A total of 25,774,572 passengers rodeAC Transit buses during the past sixmonths-only 42,900 less than the number of riders in the same period a yearago. The District actually had projecteda passenger loss of 271,000 riders,Bingham said.Farebox revenue was 9.2 percenthigher than revenue of $7,153,550 collected in the same period in 1968, asresult of the fare hike.Transit experience has shown a sub stantial riding loss can be expectedwhen fares are raised. Continuing service improvements, including more freeway commute operation, may havehelped to reverse the historic pattern,Bingham observed.

HOW BIG IS A BUS? Blind children get a concept of size as they feel front of a usunder direction of instructor Stan Hodge.Bus class te ches mobility skills

To a blind child, a bus could be onlyseven feet long or big enough to hold500 people. .Transferring means moving from oneseat to another. And a coach door fearfully might be a trap to catch arms andlegs.Such conceptions are common amongblind children in Alameda Countyschools before they go to bus class tolearn speciRc orientation and mobilityskills which they need if they are to usepublic transportation.AC Transit provides the bus and aninstructor for a program which begins inearly grades and continues until the childgraduates to a white cane and the abilityto go traveling alone. Currently takingadvantage of instruction are CastroValley youngsters from Earl Warren,

Chabot and Proctor elementary schoolsand Canyon High School in CastroValley.

In other-year-around volunteer services, the transit district also sends busesback to school to instruct mentally andphysically handicapped children. Theprograms are similar and the goal is thesame - eventual independence andmobility.For the blind, instruction begins with

feeling a bus. The youngsters moveslowly around a coach, patting wheelsand tires, the doors, headlights, bumperwindshield wipers, the sides.

The size always surprises the children,according to Tom Travena, orientationmobility specialist for the AlamedaCounty School Department. Length andseating capacity are classic misconceptions.The children learn the safety doorwon't hurt them, then they practiceboarding, how to use the handrail, pay afare and ask the operator for a transferand location of an empty nearby seat.They also get to do what others mightenvy. They sit in the driver's seat.A great treat is a chance to feel theengine in the rear of the coach-and tostart the motor themselves.

The sequence of bus travel skills,starting with concept building and concluding with a solo run, are illustratedin a RIm made by tbe county school department for use in teacher training andparental understanding.

The RIm already has been shownaround the United States and in Australiaand is due for more traveling-furthereven, than the AC Transit bus whichplayed a starring role.

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We recommend that G. L. Jacobsbe commended for his excellence indriving. He is dependable and courteous,and exercises alertness and caution. Mr.Jacobs excels in his ability to maneuvera vehicle well in heavy traffic and inmeeting his schedules. His excellentcontrol and handling of a bus affordssmooth, comfortable, and relaxing commutes from Oakland to Treasure Island. Signed by 22 passenger

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I wish to recommend and compliment driver H G. Gross who was careful to drive close to curb to let me off. . . I use a cane- have a broken backand broken hip. Am 80 years old . . .Some drivers stop in middle of streetand when unnecessary. I was driving in1966 and understood some of thei r trials.Hazel P. AndersonBerkeley

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I t is delightful for me to take theoportunity to tell you your bus driverL. E Kinney has been most helpful.He was driving an F bus to San Francisco from Berkeley when he stoppedhalf way on the street for me when hesaw me running after it. Such cooperation I wish you to know is well appreciated and I do not want it to go unnoticed

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RobertLiuBerkeley. . . called your Transit Information. I

don't speak good English . . . but awoman answered and gave the mostminute advice to what bus to take atwhat time and the price of the fare . . .Each of the drivers have been most courteous and called my stop . . . I hadlooked upon going as a terrible ordealIt has turned into a trip of pleasure.Mrs. Ellen BattanOakland

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I waited for the bus to arrive. Thebus was behind a camper and aftercrossing Garvin, speeded up to pass thecamper . . . I knew I was stuck. Thedriver was not looking at the BurdickAve. stop and could not have seen it ifhe had. I waved frantically, but it continued on he was not late and therewas . . . no need for this haste . . .Elsie L. WaloffRichmondWeare sorry our operator passedyou up. He h s been cautioned and re-instructed to be more observing and tooperate in proper traffic lane to makenecessary stops.-Ed.

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I left an envelope of important paperson a No. 31 bus When I called youroffice about them I was connected withMr Bill Pete in your yard at Richmond.Within 15 minutes Mr. Pete had located the papers for me. Please passalong my thanks to him.William DoyleFinancial EditorOakland Tribune

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ore uses needed for rider growthAC Transit plans to buy another 30new buses to accommodate the growingnumber of passengers switching fromcars to public transportation.To attract more riders and keep theones who already find public transit convenient and economical-the Districtboard of directors approved advertisingfor bids for additional large, 102-inchwide buses.Fifteen of the buses would be delivered early this fall, with an option foranother 15 early in 1971, to accommodategrowth in transit riding before the BayArea Rapid Transit District commencesoperation.Total cost of the 51-passenger buses,including two-way dispatching radios, isestimated at $1,100,000. Extra optionsare planned, including an experimentalsmog kit, special equipment to quiet engine noise, route destination signs for

the rear of the coach and an automatically controlled ventilation system. TheU.S. Department of Transportation willbe asked to help with the financing.Acquisition of additional equipmentwill pennit assignment of 25 new coachesto keep pace with growth on existinglines, Alan L Bingham, general manager, told the board. Five buses wouldbe delegated for new service.leet requirementsOf the 700 buses currently in the fleet,

628 are required during peak hours, leaving only 72 as spares and for maintenance, Bingham said.With new equipment, five older buseswould be retired for use for parts, bringthe fleet to 725. Bingham estimated byAug. 30, 1971, when BART is supposedto begin operation, the AC Transit's peakhour needs will have grown to 657 buses,leaving 68 coaches as spares.

Transit veterans taken y deathDeath has come to a number of veterans, who contributed to development oftransportation during the era fromtrains and street cars to modem buses.The oldest, Julius Briner, 89, of 166084th Ave., Oakland, entered service onJune 10, 1918, and was pensioned April1,1948, as a rail operator. He died Nov.3, 1969.Another old-timer, Howard L Leek,83, of 341 Sybil Ave., San Leandro, entered service Nov. 8, 1911, as an invoiceclerk. He later worked as chief clerk,assistant storekeeper and storekeeper,before he was pensioned from Purchases

and Stores May 1, 1954. He died Jan. 20 .Albert Ric1wrdson, 75, of 724 MasonicAve., Albany, had spent 36 years in transportation when he was pensioned Aug.1, 1962, as a transportation supervisor.Richardson, who died Dec. 24, 1969,commenced work at Western in 1926,

transferred to supervisor in 1942 and wassuperintendent at Division 5 in 1947. Hereturned to supervisor in 1948.Edgar Klipel, 65, of 2156 41st Ave.,Oakland, pensioned June 1, 1960, fromthe automotive department as a serviceemployee A , died Oct. 16, 1969. He entered service March 1, 1923.Andrew C. Whiting, 81, 2600 BealAve., Oakland, pensioned Fe b. 1, 1949,as a rail operator, died Oct. 23, 1969.He entered service July 26, 1920.William Green, 69, of Junction City,Ore., a bus driver at Emeryville Divisionwhen he retired Aug. 1, 1964, died Nov.1, 1969. He started work on the streetcars in 1944.Louis R Coats, 70, 710 Palmer Rd.,Walnut Creek, who retired from Emeryville as a bus driver Feb . 1, 1964, diedDec. 22, 1969 . He entered service in1942 as a rail operator

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ransit of the past

FANCY TROLLEYS -Center entrance street carswere pride of the 1920's.Car above was photographed at end of the line,Piedmont and CrockerAves., in Piedmont. TheLine D car rolls throughBerkeley's Cragmont areaat a time when 50-footlots sold for "$95 up.

What a great idea it must have seemedto kids of 50 years ago. Gum machineson the center posts of street car windows,to provide a chewing good timeRailfans and old-timers share fondmemories of the 700 class, center entrance street cars, which clanked sovaliently up East Bay hills.

The cars were built in 1917, according to Vernon Sappers, Oakland rail historian, and featured mahogany paneling-as well as the gum machines. Somehow, the gum failed to survive as atransportation attraction.

The cars, designed for steep grades,6

operated on Line A-Piedmont, Line B-Oakland Ave. and Line E-Park Blvd.Lakeshore Ave. until 1929, when theywere transferred to the D line in NorthBerkeley and No.4 Shattuck Ave. line.Less than a year later, they went tothe shop for rebuilding into one-mancars. They remained in service until1948, when the last street cars rolledinto the car bam supplanted by buses.

In the meantime they fulfilled thepurpose of much of early transit-turning real estate developments into prosperous ventures.

And gumchewers into riders.

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y@ r p ssenger revenue parison

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''IIIiiiir , - I1 9 6 99681967 Note Chart ased 0 13 fou -week eriods er yearDEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR . MAY JUNE JULY AUG . SEPT. OCT . NOV . DEC.JAN. FEB. MAR . APR . MAY JUNE JULY AUG . SEPT. OCT. NOV . DEC. JAN .

usiness on upswing during DecemberBusiness activity was brisk during December, with passenger revenueand the number 1 riders carried showing an increase lor the month,compared to December a year ago.Passenger revenue totaled $1,327,969, an increase 1 $183,091 or 15.99percent over year-ago revenue 1 $1,144,878. n East Bay lines, revenuetotaled $747,861, up 14.13 percent over lare box revenue 1 $655,268,collected in December, 1968. Transbay revenue was $580,108, up 18.48percent over year-ago revenue 1 $489,610.Commute book sales totaled $245,757, an increase 1 25.8 percent oversales 1 $195,395 lor the same month in 1968.The number 1 passengers carried during the month totaled 4,342,485,up 4.09 percent over the year-ago count 1 4,171,728. On East Bay linesthe riding total was 3,146,854, an increase 1 3.58 percent compared tothe total 0/3,038,089 lor December, 1968. Transbay riders totaled 1,195,-631, up 5.47 percent over the tally 1 1,133,639 lor December a yearago.Operation costs during the month came to $1,590,080, an increase 1$135,499 or 9.32 percent over year-ago costs 1 $1,454,581. The Districtoperated 2,096,856 miles 1 service, an increase 1 86,734 miles or 4.3]percent above mileage 1 2,010,122 lor the same month in 1968.Total revenue 1 $1,855,561 was sufficient to cover operational costs,depreciation and bond debt requirements.The transit indust ry nationally indicated a riding increase lor the month1 1.29 percent.

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Transit Times Volume 12, Number 8