transit times volume 10, number 9, march

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

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01 new transit .concept?


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NEW EXECUTIVES-Assuming new poststhis month were, fromleft: H. D. White, assistant general managerfor operations; H. M.Davis, assistant generalmanager for personnel;C. M. Taylor, assistantgeneral manager for administration .

Executives named to new postsThree of AC Transit's veteran executives assumed new posts this month asassistant general managers .In making the appointments, Alan L.Bingham, general manager, said thechanges were made to better define areasof authority and responsibility and tostreamline the District's administrativeset-up.Appointed assistant general managerfor operations was H. D. White, whotook over responsibility for coordination

and administration of transportation,schedule and maintenance departments.H. M. Davis, as assistant general manager for personnel, has responsibilitieswhich include the personnel department,safety and training, employment andlabor negotiations. He also directs maintenance of building and grounds .

As assistant general manager for ad ministration, G. M. Taylor will plan, coordinate and direct administrative projects and functions. He will also continueas secretary of the District.White, 41, joined AC Transit as trans-4

portation analyst in 1959 and was namedoperations assistant to the general manager in 1962. Previously, he was associated with Continental Trailways andGibson Lines and was superintendent ofoperations for Barrett TransportationCompany in San Francisco.

He entered the transportation industry in 1943 as a bus driver for BurlingtonTrailways.Formerly on the executive staff of KeySystem Transit Lines, Davis, 55, becamepersonnel manager when the transit district went into operation in 1960. He wasnamed executive assistant to the generalmanager in 1962.Taylor, 57, was the first emp loyee ofthe District, serving first as recordingsecretary and later, as administration officer. He has been District secretary andadministrative assistant to the generalmanager.Before joining the District in 1957,Taylor was associated with civic activities and problems of cities and theirgrowth.

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Mrs. Laura Lee Rikli . . . tells methat she is soon to be "bumped" off ofthe F line to Berkeley . . . believe me weall feel pretty sad about this ... as wehave gotten to like her very much andshe is also an excellent driver . . . wewish you would reconsider and let herstay on the F Line with us, please.Mrs. Halley C. ConklinSt. Joseph College of NursingSan Francisco

.. . I had thought of writing to commenddriver Roy Williams . . . I became motivated to action only when I learned hewas being "bumped" from this route(Line 51)! . . . I am going to miss him. . . an d I'm not the only one who willmiss him . . . He knows his "regulars"and watches for them . . . My stomachappreciates him too-unlike many drivers, he doesn't drive the bus as if it werea tank climbing the Rockies-my breakfast and I get to our destination intact-and on time! .. We want Mr. \VilIiams back. Mrs. Charles C. WoodAlameda(We appreciate such commendationsand thoughtfulness, but under union requirements, drivers select their own runson basis of seniority and AC Transit hasno ;urisdiction over line assignments.- Ed.)

... I have been commuting from Oakland to San Francisco and this is thefirst time I have ridden the AC buses

regularly. The efficiency of the servicehas been a constant source of delight,and it occurred to me that you mightlike to hear from one of your passengerswho does not have a complaint. Thescheduling of express buses during peakhours, the efficiency and courtesy displayed by your drivers, the availabilityof information are all evidence that youare running a first-class operation.. .Mrs. Lillian Nurmela

Oakland

. . . I wish to commend the bus driver,0064 (Jack Hegarty), on the A bus coming from Oakland. A child ran into thestreet and his reaction was swift andefficient in stopping the bus . . .Mrs. John H. DietrichSan Francisco

The additional route R-F trip got offto a bad start by using the ancient bus#2003 ... The bus leaves much to bedesired in comfort, especially since theheating system was not operating properly . . . Rodney L. Siemiller

Fremont(We have been engaged since 1960 inupgrading the bus fleet and now have402 ne w coaches in operation, enoughto cover all but peak-hour needs. Fifteenmore buses are On order. Older units willhe retired as new coaches are procured.-Ed.)

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NEW EXECUTIVES-Assuming new poststhis month were, fromleft: H. D. White, assistant general managerfor operations; H. M.Davis, assistant generalmanager for personnel;G. M. Taylor, assistantgeneral manager for administration.

Executives named to new postsThree of AC Transit's veteran executives assumed new posts this month asassistant general managers.In making the appointments, Alan L.Bingham, general manager, said thechanges were made to better define areasof authority and responsibility and tostreamline the District's administrativeset-up.Appointed assistant general managerfor operations was H. D . White, whotook over responsibility for coordination

and administration of transportation,schedule and maintenance departments.H. M. Davis, as assistant general manager for personnel, has responsibilitieswhich include the personnel department,safety and training, employment andlabor negotiations. He also directs maintenance of building an d grounds.

As assistant general manager for administration, G. M. Taylor will plan , coordinate and direct administrative projects and functions. He will also continueas secretary of the District.White, 41, joined AC Transit as trans-4

portation analyst in 1959 and was namedoperations assistant to the general manager in 1962. Previously, he was associated with Continental Trailways andGibson Lines and was superintendent ofoperations for Barrett TransportationCompany in San Francisco.

He entered the transportation industry in 1943 as a bus driver for BurlingtonTrailways.Formerly on the executive staff of KeySystem Transit Lines, Davis, 55, becamepersonnel manager when the transit district went into operation in 1960. He wasnamed executive assistant to the generalmanager in 1962.Taylor, 57, was the first employee ofthe District, serving first as recordingsecretary and later, as administration officer. He has been District secretary andadministrative assistant to the generalmanager.Before joining the District in 1957,Taylor was associated with civic activities and problems of cities and theirgrowth.

I Mrs. Laura Lee Rikli . . . tells methat she is soon to be "bumped" off ofthe F line to Berkeley . . . believe me weall feel pretty sad about this . . . as wehave gotten to like her very much an dshe is also an excellent driver . . . wewish you would reconsider and le t herstay on the F Line with us, please.Mrs. Halley C. ConklinSt. Joseph College of NursingSan Francisco

. .. I had thought of writing to commenddriver Roy Williams . . . I became motivated to action only when I learned hewas being "bumped" from this route(Line 51)! . . . I am going to miss him. . . and I'm not the only one who willmiss him . . . He knows his "regulars"and watches for them ... My stomachappreciates him too-unlike many drivers, he doesn't drive the bus as if it werea tank climbing the Rockies-my breakfast and I get to our destination intact-and on time! . . We want Mr. Williams back. Mrs . Charles C. WoodAlameda(We appreciate s1tch commendationsand thoughtfulness, but under union 'requirements, drivers select their own runson, basis of seniority and AC Transit hasno jurisdiction over line assignments.-Ed .)

. . . I have been commuting from Oakland to San Francisco and this is thefirst time I have ridden the AC buses

regularly. The efficiency of the servicehas been a constant source of delight,and it occurred to me that you mightlike to hear from one of your passengerswho does not have a complaint. Thescheduling of express buses during peakhours, the efficiency and courtesy displayed by your drivers, the availabilityof information ar e all evidence that youare running a first-class operation . .Mrs . Lillian Nurmela

Oakland

. . . I wish to commend the bus driver,0064 (Jack Hegarty) , on the A bus coming from Oakland. A child ran into thestreet and his reaction was swift andefficient in stopping the bus . . .Mrs . John H. DietrichSan Francisco

The additional route R-F trip got offto a bad start by using the ancient bus#2003 .. . The bus leaves much to bedesired in comfort, especially since theheating system was not operating properly . . . Rodney L. SiemillerFremont

(We have been engaged since 1960 inupgrading the bus fleet and now have402 new coaches in operation, enoughto cover all but peak-hour needs. Fifteenmore buses are on order. Older units willbe retired as new coaches are procured.-Ed.)5


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Residents introducedTo service extensionBy women operatorsDOOR-TO-DOOR - AC Transit bus driverPriscilla Crap gives information on extensionof Maxwell Park Line 87 to Mrs. Jerry Nunn,5418 Brookdale Ave., while Jerry, Jr., 4j{"considers possibility of route map.

Two women operators have paid a"neighborly call" on residents in EastOakland to invite them to make use ofservice improvements inaugurated thismonth on Maxwell Park Line 87.

The drivers, Mrs. Priscilla Grap andMrs. Neysa Harford, switched fromdriving to doorbell ringing to personallydistribute information on the bus lineextension.

Working three days, they called onover 1500 homes, explaining the line'sextension via 55th Ave. to MacArthurBlvd. to provide direct connections withtrans bay, intercity express and crosstownbuses.Residents received a printed letter,with the heading: "AC Transit introduces new bus service for residents of

this neighborhood."The letter included a simple map anddetails of how riders could transfer on

MacArthur to transbay Line N to SanFrancisco, intercity express Line 34 todowntown Oakland, East Oakland andSan Leandro, and crosstown Line 57-57C.

The operators also handed out schedules for the service, along with routemaps. They found the work "hard on thelegs, with too many steps," bu t enjoyableand rewarding in reaction from pleasedresidents,who were unanimous in theirpraise for the personal call and the service improvement.

Residents who were not at home received the same information in a pink"doorknob hanger."

Award for maintenance excellencePresented for sixth consecutive year

AC Transit will collect its sixth awardfor excellence in equipment maintenancenext month, again receiving one of thecoveted honors in the industry, the FleetOwner Maintenance Efficiency Award.

The award, made by Fleet Owner, national trade magazine, is a tribute toefforts to improve maintenance procedures and to develop new ideas for bet-6

ter performance.Judging is based on achievements inlow maintenance costs, high percentageof miles per road call, efficiency in shop

procedures and practices; fuel and oilconsumption and trouble-free mileage.

Accepting the award in Chicago April3 will be A. R. Lucchesi, assistant general maintenance superintendent.

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Radio diverts buses during crisisInvaluable efficiency of the two-way

radio system to AC Transit and its riderswas proven again when an airplane hitthe Bay Bridge on a February Sunday,closing the span for three hours.

The radio, coordinated with on-thespot activities of supervisors, kept buseson the move and enabled passengers toreach San Francisco via a "two-bridgetour."

In all, buses on 10 transbay lines werediverted to the terminal at Yerba Buenaand San Pablo Aves., where extracoaches picked up passengers and tookthem to San Francisco by way of theRichmond-San Rafael and Golden Gatebridges.

The trip took an hour and 15 minutes,bu t over 300 riders were kept "on themove," disembarking at the TransbayTransit Terminal.

The radio also was used to turnaround coaches temporarily caught inthe traffic at the toll plaza an d divertthem to the Yerba Buena transfer point.Two other buses were trapped in trafficbetween the toll plaza and the accident,bu t drivers were informed of the situation and could tell passengers the reasonfor the delay.

Four extra supervisors and Dale Good-

man, transportation superintendent atEmeryville Division, were called in tojoin two supervisors on duty and withthe radio as a communication "key," keptthe buses rolling and prevented whatwould have otherwise been a shut-downof transbay operations.

New records add toDistrict experience

The District could add three new records to its operating experience thismonth.

Transbay revenue set a new high onMarch 4 of $22,648.45, boosted by racetrack fans making use of special serviceto Golden Gate Fields in Albany. Thelast high of $22,307 was collected onNov. 3.

East Bay intercity express lines tallied a fare box record on Feb. 23, with$3,409.20, surpassing the former recordof $3,353.01 collected on Dec. 4.

Alameda-Oakland Express Line 35continued to show healthy growth, witha riding high of 227 passengers on March5. The peak-hour commuter express hasha d a riding increase of 97 percent during three months of operation.

PREVIEW BY EXPERTS-Members of theOakland Chamber of Commerce CommunityBetterment and Cultural Advancement Com-mittee consider scenic attractions for ACTransit's summer sightseeing tour. Fromleft: Frank Crosb/{, executive vice president,Oakland Real Estate Board; Mrs. HaroldJewett, Jr., president, Oakland JuniorLeague; Roger Jacoby, committee chairman;Alan L. Bingham, general manager, ACTransit, and Mrs. Frances Albrier, president,Negro Historical and Cultural Societlj. TheDistrict's tour will operate Mal{ 30 throughSept. 2.

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Retirement posted for old-timersLeisure time holds no problems forfour District veterans, who have been

added to retirement lists.Lucien W. Bulette, 62, who raisesCornish Bantam chickens at his home,769 Elgin St., San Lorenzo, has a busyschedule ahead, showing the best of hisbreed at different fairs.

He already has a collection of blueribbons and trophies and plans to ad dto them by concentrating on more linebreeding.Bulette, who retired Feb. 1, becamea bus driver in April, 1944 and has "meta lot of nice people." He spent most ofhis driving years on Line 57.Tony N. Costa, 65, fellow driver atSeminary Division, started his career asan electrician in the Emeryville shop,working on general maintenance. Heswitched to driving in 1958 and wasworking the transbay R Line and Ex-

press Line 32 at time of Feb . 1 retirement. He plans to travel and to do somefishing and hunting.For M. ]. Merkel, 66, 3058 FruitvaleAve. retirement effective April 1 meansmore time to concentrate on his hobby,"buying and selling stocks."A utility service employee at Emeryville Division, working the 6 p.m. to 2a.m. shift, Merkel has parked thousandsof buses and would like "a cent for everygallon of diesel I've pumped."Rudolph V. Gilbertson, due to retireMay 1 after his 64th birthday, has ha dplans interrupted by a back injury suf

fered on a road call. He lives at 1721Emeric St., San Pablo, and expects to"visit around a bit. I haven't had achance to see too much." A mechanicat Richmond Division, Gilbertson startedwork in 1948 as a cleaner. As a hobby,he "assembles" artificial plants.

These teen-agers are the "greatest"Another AC Transit driver has found

high school youngsters are the "greatest"-and passengers to "really miss" whenswitching from one line to another.Carl E. Swanson, 979 91st Ave., Oak

land, driver at Seminary Division, tookadvantage of his seniority to drop aschool bus run from St. Joseph's NotreDame High School in Alameda beforehe knew how much it meant to his teenaged riders.His departure didn't go unnoticed.Some of the youngsters brought a cakeinscribed: "Sorry to see you go." Otherspresented him with cards. A poster ofone of the "Seven Dwarfs" said simply:"Bye Bye."

It was a sentimental experience forSwanson, who simultaneously celebratedhis 12th anniversary as a bus driver."Those kids are wonderful. I sure hateto leave them."8

FIRST SAN PABLO STATlON-A rare photo from the collection of the late C. M. Smitt,KelJ Stfstem trainmaster, shows the "new" shingled San Pablo station, built in 1904 for theequally new Piedmon t train, second of the Key Route's lines. L ight gravel in foregroundmarks road bed of California and Nevada Railroad, one of the ancestors of todalJ's ACTransit bus network.

Death comes to former transit workersRalph E. Hawes, 67, veteran centraldispatcher who "hung up" over 41 yearsof service before retiring on Aug. 1, 1965,

died on Feb. 20 at Yucaipa, Calif.Mr. Hawes began work as a street caroperator in 1923 and became a bus drivera year later. He worked as an inspectorand supervisor before inaugurating Central Dispatch on April 25, 1943. Heworked the first shift-a shift he retaineduntil he was pensioned. He left the District to let his "itchy feet" take him ontrailering trips around the country.

Leslie W. Mathews, 76, of 722 LassenSt., Richmond, died Feb. 4. He enteredservice in 1916, working at Northern Division as a conductor. He became a busdriver in 1935, taking leave to serve asfinancial secretary an d treasurer of theCarmen's Union from Nov. 1944, untilhe was pensioned July 1, 1951.William L. Hill, 86, of 935 ArlingtonAve., Oakland, pensioned Aug. 16, 1950,from the Emeryville shops as a Class Atruckman, died Jan. 14. He had enteredservice Jan. 18, 1919.

Bus passengers ride safer than everPassengers who rode AC Transit buses lastyear not only rode safer than ever-but saferthan the average traveler in the UnitedStates.While traffic accidents nationally continued to climb, the District reversed the trendwith a decrease for 1967, according to G. G.Wadsworth, safety engineer.Traffic accident frequency was reduced 5.0percent, while passenger accident frequencydropped 1.1 percent. Miles of accident-free

operation gained 5.7 percent.Traffic accident frequency is based onnumber of accidents per 100,000 miles,while passenger accident frequency is determined on occurrences per million passengers carried.The District operated 24,168,810 miles in1967, an increase of 1.4 percent over theyear before. The safety record was based on59,573,439 passengers, including fares, transfers and those riding on passes.

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Ray M. Trackwell and book of memoryThe street-car men, who once pilotedclanking cars over neighborly streets,

have rung many a bell in memory, bu thardly with more detail than that chronicled by Ray M. Trackwell, 77, of 15059Edgemoor St., San Leandro.A motorman from 1912 until 1933 anda bus driver from 1933 until he retiredin 1959, Trackwell has kept a "littleblack book" on "notes an d anecdotes ofa half-century of street-carring."

The diary lists the men he workedwith: street-car men; bus drivers, superintendents; inspectors; supervisors; repairmen and office force.

From his few lines, the men of remembrance become very human.

" ____________ _" for instance, "was toofond of the bottle and lost his job fromrunning a red light while under the influence."Shotgun __ ____ __ _______ has a short temper.His most unusual accident happenednear Hayward when his c a ~ skialed intoa big road roller. To avoid the crash, hejumped to the ground, but got a brokenleg anyway." ____ _______________________was considered a fastman. In fact, he spun two-car trainsaround curves too fast for comfort. Further examination proved he was insaneand had to be sent up."Trackwell's record indicates many ofthe men worked briefly and went on to10

other jobs. Many died young and somedied tragically."Life didn't look good to Motorman_________________ ____ __ ____ fter a triangle affair, sohe shot himself."--------_________________ got a bride from theeast through a marriage bureau. She shothim to death one night."Trackwell found many interestingsidelights ."_______ __ ________ worked Leona Line severalyears. He had an unusual hobby for aman. Tatting and doing i t well."

One man raised canaries on the side;another raised pigeons. A third suppliedsquabs for a hotel. Another raised berries. A conductor left his job to becomea lighthouse keeper on the Farallonesand "even persuaded his bride to sharehis loneliness."Excitement appears frequently." ____ __ ___________, I remember how alarmedhe was when a young extra motormanbacked up too fast with him riding onthe fender holding the rope. Didn't stopuntil _____ ________ __ ___ __ __ ___'s rump broke thewindow of the car behind. Close call."Trackwell, remembers many of his fellow workers with fondness and admiration. One of them was "Bunco Joe" McNamara, familiar to all old-timers. Hisrecollections of "Bunco Joe" will be carried in a subsequent issue of TransitTimes.

AC / transit PASSENGER REVENUE ... COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS YEAR1 300 ,0001,280,0001 260,0001 240,0001 220,0001,200,0001,180,0001,160,0001,140,000

1,1 20,0001,100,0001,080,0001,060,0001,040,0001,020,0001,000,000

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At an adjourned regular meeting Feb.28, the Board of Directors: Approved establishment of positionsof assistant general manager; changedtitle from director to manager of research

and planning; allocated former salariesto new positions without change, on mo-tion of Director Coburn. (See story,Pg. 4) Established supervision and management of Claims Department as re-sponsibility of General Manager, on mo-tion of Director Berk.

Referred letters from Association ofIndependent Districts and retention ofDistrict membership in association toPublic Relations Committee, on motionof Director Copeland.

Adopted resolution approving jobdescriptions, on motion of Director Warren.

TransiHimesPublished monthly by theALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT

Latham Square Building - 508 Sixteenth StreetOakland, California 94.612 - Telephone 654-7878

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJOHN McDONNELL . . PresidenfWard IIIWILLIAM E. BERK . . . .Ward II

. Vice PresidentROBERT M. COPELAND . . Director at LargeRAY H. RINEHART . . . . . Director at LargeWILLIAM H . COBURN, JR. . . . . . Ward IWM. J. BETTENCOURT . . . . . . . Ward IVE. GUY WARREN . . . . . . . . . Ward V

ADMINISTRATIVE OF.FICERSALAN L. BTNGHAM . . . . General ManagerROBERT E. NISBET . . . . . . . . AttorneyJOHN F. LARSON . . . . Treasurer-ControllerGEORGE M. TAYLOR. . . . . . . SecretaryDENNIS J. O'CONNOR . Public Information Mgr.____________ ____________At a regular meeting March 13, the

Board of Directors: Adopted resolution cancelling mem-bership in Association of IndependentDistrict, on motion of Director Copeland.

Workers welcomed to District ranksNew District workers are:Emeryville DivisionBus Operators: W . P. Damato, Rich-

mond; J. D. Brodnax and C. R. Sorenson,Oakland; J. T. Lennear, Berkeley.Maintenance: Ronald E . Kramlich, SanPablo; Wilson Wiley, Alameda, serviceemployees.Richmond DivisionBus Operators: Sterling Stewart, Berke-ley; G. T. Thomas, Richmond; GerhardKlamp, San Leandro.

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit DistrictLatham Square BuildingOakland, California 94612

Return Requested

Seminary DivisionBus Operators: H . D. Hartley, Ala-meda; L. H. Abrahamson, San Leandro;H. R. Shore, Castro Valley; M. J. Furlong, Walnut Creek.

Richmond wins treatDrivers at Richmond Division tallied16,502 miles per accident in February to

beat the safety goal of 12,900 miles-andwin a treat of coffee and doughnuts. I twas the first "win" since September.

transit times volume 10, number 9, march

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