transit times volume 10, number 9, january

8/8/2019 Transit Times Volume 10, Number 9, January

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Vol. 10, No.9

Cut in bridge tollsSought as aid inHolding line on fares

Continuing its persistent efforts toavoid raising fares, AC Transit will request the California State Toll BridgeAuthority to seek a reduction in tollcharges for buses using the Bay Bridge.

A State study to determine ways ofholding the line on transbay bus faresand encourage greater use of mass transit was ordered a year and a half agoafter the bridge authority dropped bustolls on the span from 75 cents to 50cents, a saving to AC Transit of $115,000per year.

At that time, the State Departmentof Public Works was directed to look forways of increasing use of local masstransit, possibly by a toll reduction.Commuter increase

Transbay buses now carry more thanhalf the commuters who cross the BayBridge during the riding peak. Ridingon transbay buses has increased 12.3 percent during the past year. Auto passengers using the bridge have shown anincrease of 20.7 percent during the sameperiod.The District, which pays $261,500 annually for use of the Bay Bridge andfacilities at the Transbay Transit Terminal in San Francisco, faces an increaseof $821,900 in labor expenses June 1 asa result of the labor contract.

(Continued on page 3)

fohn McDonnell William E. BerkOfficers elected toHead transit boardJohn McDonnell was re-elected president of AC Transit's board of directorsthis month, continuing District leadership in a period when upmost utilizationis expected to be made of his long experience in the transit field and in the worldof business.Re-elected as vice-president of theboard was William E. Berk, also a recognized leader in the business field and incivic activities.A director since the District was created in 1956, McDonnell was elected tohis first term as president a year ago.He is the owner of nurseries in Oakland,Orinda and Walnut Creek and brings tothe post a backlog of experience in business, community affairs and in transportation.McDonnell, who previously served twoyears as vice-president, is a member ofthe Governor's Task Force on Transportation. He is active as a Catholic laymanand is past president of the California

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AC / transit PASSENGER REVENUE . . .COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS YEAR1,260 ,0001.240,0001.220.0001.200 ,0001.180, 0001,160,0001,140 ,0001,120,0001,100 ,0001,080.0001,060 ,0001,040,0001,020 ,0001,000 .000

980,000960 ,000

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l \ , /"I J J " .r / '" /" , f/"'lIlIIII II -1967-1966- 1965I

tjoRiding on East Bay and transbay lines showed a substantial growth during November, with fare box revenue and the number of riders carried firmly manifestedon the black side of the ledger.Rider revenue totaled $1,177,195, up $44,941 or 3.97 percent over year-ago revenue of $1,132,254. Reve nue on East Bay lines was up 2.52 percent for the month,while fares collected on transbay lines showed an increase of 6.0 percent.The number of passengers carried during the month totaled 4,441,372, an increase of 3.35 percent over the 4,297,350 who used district service in November, 1966.East Bay riding was up 2.72 percent and transbay travel was up 5.1.3 percent.Commute book sales showed a gain, with sales of $193,152, up 3.0 percent overyear-ago sales of $187,440.Operation costs during the month reached $1,371,223, an i,ncrease of $84,290 or6.55 percent over costs of $1,286,933 for the same month a year ago. The Districtoperated 1,951,859 miles of service, an increase of 30,773 miles or 1.6 percent compared to November, 1966. Total income of $1,589,077 was sufficient to cover operational costs, depreciation and bond debt requirements.

Firm retained to audit financial operationsThe national firm of certified public completed the audit of the District'saccountants, Touche, Ross, Bailey and financial operations for th e past fiscalSmart, was retained this month to per - year . Copie s of the Annual Report mayform the audit for AC Transit for the be obtained by telephoning the generalfiscal year of 1967-68. Th e firm rece ntl y offices, 654-7878.

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Toll cut to encourage transit use(continued from page 1)

Alan L. Bingham, general manager,stressed the District must meet expenses-"yet an increase in fares to match risingcosts inevitably would result in a loss ofpatronage, a situation we must try toavoid. Similarly, service curtailmentwould be expected to cause a decreasein riding."

In line with action by the Board ofDirectors, resolving to request the tollcut, John McDonnell, board president,pointed out:"Property taxes are high enough-andthe taxpayer today cannot assume additional financial burden in paying forthe cost of providing public transportation."

The District is seeking inclusion of ACTransit in sources of revenue from theState on grounds the cost of transit service cannot be paid ou t of taxes or thefare box alone and the high quality oftransportation must be continued to luretravelers from their private cars to avoidtraffic strugulation.Directors continueBrand of Leadership(Continued from page 1)Association of Nurserymen, North Oakland Kiwanis Club and Orinda CountryClub and past director of the TemescalMerchants Association.McDonnell lives in Oakland at 5109Cochrane Ave.Berk was elected to the Board in 1960,representing west Contra Costa County.President of Timmons and Berk, Inc.,plumbing contracting firm, he is activein a dozen housing, building and contracting associations, as well as in civicand social groups. He is a director ofColumbus Founders Savings and LoanAssociation and the Richmond Chamberof Commerce.Berk lives at 450 Mount St., Richmond.

"Costs of public transportation noware shared by the customer and the taxpayer, with the U.S. Government aidingwith grants of federal funds. We areseeking to further distribute costs byasking the State to participate," Binghamsaid.East Bay riding onNew upward trend

East Bay riders turned out in increasing numbers during the last half of 1967,to tally a boost in riding and reverse thedrop in patronage incurred during thebeginning of the year.

The increase in patronage, particularlyon major trunk lines, began in July andcontinued into December, according to areport made to th e Board of Directorsby Alan L. Bingham, general manager.Sales of Shop-a-Round passes, an immediate indication of service use, showeda healthy upward trend in midday ridingon lines serving the downtown area.

Transbay revenues continued a consistent growth pattern, with an increaseranging from 1.73 percent in July to 6.75percent in November as compared to theprevious year.

Total riding showed a decrease of0.86 percent in July as compared to thesame month a year ago, bu t moved tothe break-even point in August. In September, riding was up 1.42 percent; inOctober, 2.45 percent, and in November,5.13 percent.Buses help footballFans 'buck the line'

District buses "carried the ball" for36,338 fans attending football games atOakland Coliseum during the 1967 season, an increase of over 17,000 riderscompared to 1966. Out of total attendance, 8.4 percent used District buses.

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7ettO 01 a ~ i H d Driver hits jackpot - in girls

It was a double surprise - and twocigars - for bus driver Robert Weemsof 481 Sheryl Dr., San Pablo, whomarked his 34th birthday by becomingthe father of twin girls born on NewYear's Day in Oakland .Weems, and his wife, Irene, got theirfirst inkling that it was going to be "twoof a kind" after X-rays were taken whenshe checked into the hospital."I was on my run on the 72 line at thetime and when I called the hospital theytold me. Boy, was I surprised," Weemsreported.

"We had everything ready for one.Now we have to have two of everything,bu t our friends have helped out andwe'll make out fine."

The babies, who weighed in at 6pounds, 12 ounces and 7 pounds, 5ounces, were named Elinda Ilene andRecinda Mae.Ready to take over their care and"tickled to death" are four older children, Debra, 10; Kenneth, 9; Dora, 8,and Diane, 7.DOUBLE INCREASE - Bus driver RobertWeems and his wife, Irene, hold their NewYear's Day "surprise," twin girls Recindaand Elinda. The husky youngsters have"lots of hair" and "just eat and sleep."

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The twins were the second pair bornon the first day of the New Year at thehospital and were featured in newspaperphotos and stories.They also are the first in the Weemsfamily "in a long time." The last pair

were in the Weems' family 34 years ago.The operator joined the District on

Feb. 1, 1967, after driving a log truckin Oregon. He used to hunt and fish butdoesn't expect "to have much time foranything like that" in the future.Pacifist group canAdvertise in buses

AC Transit's right to regulate advertising it accepts for display on buses hasbeen severely restricted by a ruling ofthe California State Supreme Court, concerning banning of pacifist ads.

In its 4-3 decision, the high courtfound that refusal to accept anti-warplacards as paid advertisements on buseswould be a violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The District will petition for a rehearing of the decision. Legal proceedingshave been in the courts since 1965, whenDistrict directors refused to accept apacifist ad from Women for Peace, aBerkeley organization.

The Supreme Court ruling upheld action of an Alameda County SuperiorCourt judge, in issuing a temporary injunction sought by the organization, prohibiting the District from refusing toaccept the advertising.A State Appellate Court ruling reversed the lower court decision and affirmed the District's right to accept onlycommercial advertising, except duringtimes of local elections when personsrunning for election or supporting issuesactually on th e ballot may purchasepolitical advertising space.

Ir . . . my four-year-old daughter wan

dered away from home quite some distance and was lost for several hours,which was of great concern. . . . Hersafe return was greatly facilitated bythe alertness of your bus driver (RoyNance). He informed the Berkeley Police Department and my daughter wasreturned home. I wish to convey mypersonal thanks to the bus driver . . .

Mrs. Paula ThompsonBerkeley, Calif.'" '" '"

. . . a driver refused to open the backdoor when I wanted to get off at A andRoyal Sts. in Hayward and insisted onmaking us leave by the front door . . .Evan Robinett

Hayward(We apologize for the driver's error.

He is being contacted for correctiveaction.-Ed. )'" '" 'It

Thank you very much for the literatureyou sent us. Weare very interested in itand are very sure that the buses will bea very economical and convenient way totravel around the area.

Mr. and Mrs. Ed WishardRichmond'" '" 'It

I have just ended a year's visit toBerkeley and would like to express my

appreciat ion and admirat ion. . . .Throughout my year's use of the buses,I always found th e drivers courteous,helpful and friendly.

S. I. ShapiroUniversity of HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii'" '" 'It

. . . I rode the Christmas bus and itstarted my day with such pleasure thatI want to write to let you know . . .whatever their reasons, people weresmiling and talking to one another. . . .Thank you for bringing a little gaietyinto the crisp morning ride.

Mrs. William HighBerkeley'" '" '"

We have learned that our bus driver,Ernesto Garcia, will no longer be withus after the Christmas holidays drivingth e Grass Valley route from Skyline HighSchool. Weare writing this letter to askyou to please let him continue to drivethis route . . . all of us aboard the busare very fond of him . . .

Signed by 43 ridersSkyline High School(Garcia shares your affection and desire to remain on line, but under unionregulations, was "bumped" from theroute by a driver with more seniority.The new driver is there because he wantsto be.-Ed.)

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CAR BARN-Central car house,of fond memory to veterantransit workers, before abandonment of street car servicein 1948 doomed it to destruction. The car house was atSecond Ave . and Foothill Blvd.

FIRST CAR-Photograph offirst electric street car, takenat 47th and Grove Sts. in1895, is among photos inhistorical album. This is neartoday's site of Children'sHospital of East Bay.

Recollections of a trainmasterA candid and personal history of EastBay transportation, written by the lateC. M. Smitt, has been added to themementos of one of the District's "finefellows," D. J. Potter, transportationmanager.Potter received the detailed report on

the "Beginning, progress and decline ofelectric rail transportation," along withan album of historical pictures, fromsurviving members of Smitt's family.Smitt, who died in 1958, had 35 yearsof service with Key System "in his hat"before he applied for a pension in 19.57 .Already a veteran railman when hewent to work on Key Route trains in1922, Smitt was a motorman until 1942,when he became a train director at Oakland Yards. Later he became trainmasterat the San Francisco terminal, workinguntil his night shift was abolished.Along with recording history, he madehistory. On Dec. 29, 1938, he walkedacross the Bay Bridge, leaving the eastend at 2:30 p.m. after disregarding awarning from the guard at the substation ."I had to pass many workmen and6

guards," Smitt wrote. "I walked withpaper and pencil in my hand and actedlike an inspector, inspecting crossingsand switches. I gave the guards andworkmen the highball and they in returngave me the salute salvo."Walking through Yerba Buena Islandwas not too easy, bu t it worked. I resteda little at Center Anchorage, picking upa few souvenirs, and proceeded on myjourney. At Rincon Hill I passed the lastguard and arrived in San Francisco at4:22 p.m."Smitt's stroll preceded by two weeksstart of train service on the bridge at4 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1939. Three hoursbefore, he was motorman on the lasttrain to leave the Key System pier.Honors for taking the first train acrossthe bridge were supposed to go to C. N.Andersen, vice president of the KeySystem, who was on the 12th St.-A train.It was delayed by heavy traffic, however,Smitt wrote, and the "towerman at theOakland Yard tower figured first come,first go." So the 22nd St. train was thefirst across.

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What the Editors are saying about transitAC, We Love You!I T ISN'T OFTEN that we feel constrainedto hurl bouquets in the direction of apublic utility, bu t we cannot forgo flinging a few posies in the direction of ACTransit.More specifically, toward whatever

section of AC it is which has for thepast football season handled the busshuttle between South Shore and theColiseum.As full-armored Rabid Raider Rooters(isn't EVERYBODY, now that they're

AFL champs?) it has been our wontthis past season to take in every homegame we possibly could. And we havefound that the ideal way to do so is toboard one of the Alameda-Coliseumfleet at South Shore, let it carry us andour fellow RRRs to the very doorstepof the Coliseum, then pick us up at thesame spot and deposit us safely back atSouth Shore following the game .

If AC doesn't think it'll get them introuble with a certain public carrier,we'd like to note that we've found "It'ssuch a pleasure to ride AC and skip thedriving, tee hee!" They may use thisslogan free of charge, if they desire.

In addition to bypassing the strain ofdriving, finding a parking space, thenrelocating the car after the game andrunning the gantlet of trying to ge t backhome, the bus bi t also provides a sort ofcollegiate camaraderie . Although, wemust admit, there usually are fewerlushes aboard the AC bus than therewere in our Joe College days; could itbe all our old classmates are stayingtrue to the 4gers?

Regardless of the alcoholic content,the Coliseum-bound buses were filledwith anticipatory chatter and the homeward-bound buses loud with exultation.Kid stuff, maybe, but a helluva lot offun nonetheless.

We intend to claim our share of creditfor the Raiders' stunning success thisyear, since our enthusiasm and that ofour fellow shuttlers must surely have inspired Our Boys to their great accomplishments.

We're just a tiny bit concerned overhow they'll do in the Super Bowl without us, though. Wonder how much ACwould charge for a shuttle betweenSouth Shore and Miami?

Everybody reads AC , ransit schedulesAC Transit timetables reached the"best seller" status last year, with over2,313,000 of the free pocket schedules

printed and distributed to patrons. Thetotal was an increase of 29 percent overthe 1,792,000 schedules issued in 1966.Cost of printing the give-aways cameto $19,831, a 28 percent increase overprinting costs of the year previous.Biggest printing job was for local lines,

with 1,364,000 timetables issued. Theexpress lines used over 220,000 schedules, with Lines 32 and 30 tying for topplace with 47,000 schedules each.The F and the R lines led the transbayfield, with 75,000 schedules issued for

the Berkeley line and 71,000 for theHayward service. The transbay totalreached 729,000 schedules, an increaseof 41 percent over previous year.

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At a regular meeting Jan. 10, theBoard of Directors: Re-elected John McDonnell as presi

dent and William E . Berk as vice-president of the Board of Directors, on mot ionof Director Coburn. (See story, Pg. 1.)

Referred bids for furnishing dieselmotor coaches to management for studyand report to board on Jan. 24, on motionof Director Coburn. Adopted resolution of intent to levytax in accordance with provisions ofrevenue and taxation code, on motion ofDirector Coburn.

Authorized General Manager to attend meetings of American Transit Association program committee and executiveconference, on motion of Director Bettencourt.

o Approved downtown Oakland freeride promotion, on motion of DirectorRinehart. Approved appointment of Touche,Ross, Bailey & Smart as auditors for1967-68 fiscal year, on motion of Director

Published monthly by theALAMEDA.CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICTLatham Square Building 508 Sixteenth StreetOakland. California 94612 Telephone 6547878

BOARD O f DIRECTORSJOHN McDONNELL . . .

Ward IIIWILLIAM E. BERK . . . .Ward II

. . Presiden!. Vice President

ROBERT M. COPELAND .. Direclor at LargeRAY H. RINEHART. . . . . Director at LargeWILLIAM H. COBURN, JR. . . . . . Ward IWM. J. BETTENCOURT. . . . . . . Ward IVE. GUY WARREN . . . . . . . . . Ward VADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERSALAN L. BINGHAM . . . . General ManagerROBERT E. NISBET . . . . . . . . AttorneyJOHN F. LARSON . . . . Treasurer-ControllerGEORGE M. TAYLOR . . . . . . . Secretary____________ ____________-J

Rinehart. (See story, Pg. 2.) Requested California State TollBridge Authority to place matter of bustoll reduction for Bay Bridge commuterson agenda of Jan. 31 meeting and authorized appearance of management before Authority to present District position, on motion of Director Rinehart.(See story, Pg. 1.)

Worker ranks boosted by new arrivalsNew District workers are :

Richmond DivisionBus operators: M. L. Sneed, San Pablo;L. A. Chavier, Pinole; J. D. Lee, C. E.Hawthorne and Ben Davis, Jr., Richmond .

Seminary DivisionMaintenance: Rufus Ashley, Rich-

AlamedaContra Costa Transit DistrictLatham Square BuildingOakland, California 94612

Return Requested

mond, service employee.Bus operators : C. S. Styers and J. V.Emery, Hayward; J. F. Giambrone andW. R. Rannie, San Leandro; W . J. Reynolds, Milpitas; V. A. Sparks, David Sanders, Nathaniel Robinson, V. A. McGregor, D. H. Powell, G. W . Smith, B. L.Mehden, Melvin Matthews, all of Oakland.

BULK RATEU. S. PostagePAID

Oakland. Calif.Permit #210.5

transit times volume 10, number 9, january

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