transit times volume 12, number 7

8/13/2019 Transit Times Volume 12, Number 7

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William E. erk E. Guy WarrenOfficers re elected toHead transit hoard

William E Berk was re-elected presidEmt of AC Transit Board of Directorsthis month, in a period when the District is actively moving toward reduction of air pollution by attracting morepeople from cars to public transit.Re-elected as vice-president was EGuy Warren veteran board member,civic leader and trucking executive.,Berk heads up efforts to developgreater operating efficiencies, while emphasizing the continued improvement oftransit services, to lure as many ridersas possible from cars to buses.Prime importance also will be givenin the year ahead to efficient coordination of mass transportation systems, tobest serve the needs of the people.Berk has been a member of the boardfor nine years, representing west Contra Costa County.A plumbing contractor, he is prominent in housing, building and contracting associations, as well as civic andsocial groups. He is a director of Columbus Founders Savings and Loan Assn.

Warren was apointed to the board inJune, 1961, representing southern Alameda County. Owner of Warren Transportation o he played an importantrole in establishment of the State College at Hayward. He is a trustee ofCalifornia State Colleges.

Warren was instrumental in formationof the District and passage of the bondissue which put it in business.2

Operating economiesxpected from newomputerized programA computerized program, to reducecosts and improve operating efficiency,will be tested by AC Transit in partnership with the Federal government.The program initially will involveservicing and maintenance of coaches

and inventory and stores.t will employ the latest of electronicequipment and computer programmingto collect, analyze and report data valuable for management decisions on dis

patching buses and tighter control ofmaintenance costs. t also is designed toimprove control of inventory and storesand hopefully will reduce total on-handinventory.A Federal grant for $180,242 is covering two-thirds of estimated project costsof $270,364. The project will take fulladvantage of a government-funded pro gram underway at Kent State University,Kent. 0. to develop an overall computersystem for all phases of bus transit operation.

The project involves installation ofon-site electronic data collection equipment, from which information will befed into a computer for processing andprint-out of various analytical reports.

The equipment will replace manualprocedures and permit accumulation ofadditional information now too costlyto compile.For the first time, total maintenance

and service expense of each individualcoach will be available, leading to operating economies through more effective dispatching of buses.The program also is expected to cutlabor costs in stores and reduce moneytied up in inventory.First services are expected to be inoperation by April 1.

~ de4lU lf, aQeistrict moves he d in smog fight

Efforts to reduce air pollution wereaccelerated by the District this monthwith emphasis on these fronts: Testing of new types of propulsionsystems and devices, including an antismog kit, to reduce to zero the minimalamount of pollution now attributed todiesel-burning buses. Stepped-up activity to increase busriding, since each coach full of passengers removes 40 to 45 cars from streets-and automobiles cause between 75 and90 percent of air pollution.Although District equipment is wellwithin local exhaust control standards,AC Transit is looking at other propulsion systems or methods which mighterase deadly smog, it was pointed out byAlan L. Bingham, general manager.Anti smog k tOne major step will be the testing ofa new diesel engine converter kit on fourdifferent types of buses this year.The EIP (Environment ImprovementProgram) package has been developedby General Motors Corp., in cooperationwith the U.S. Department of Transportation.The modified engine and exhaust sys-tem is expected to offer substantial improvements in eliminating pollutants,smoke, noise and odor. It achieves theselow noise and low pollution qualities bymeans of a needle injector valve, catalytic mufHer, air induction system lo-cated in rear window, and rubber engine mountings.The combined package is expected toreduce hydrocarbons by up to 90 percent, carbon monoxide by 30 percentand nitrous oxides by 17 percent.Looking into the future of new, smogfree propulsion systems, the District isparticipating in a federally-financedsteam engine test and also is keenly interested in electric power.

However, the most immediate newpower plant on the horizon is the gasturbine engine, Bingham said. GeneralMotors expects to be in production withthe gas turbine in two years.At the same time, they also expectto tum out a gas turbine engine conversion system, so existing equipmentcan be changed over.lean exhaustBingham pointed out the District usesthe highest quality of fuel available andJceeps rigid preventative maintenanceschedules, with result coaches burn relatively clean exhaust.Without a sound preventative maintenance program, anything we did wouldbe of little consequence, Bingham said.As it is, public transit can play animportant role in reducing peak-hourcongestion and helping to clean up air,the transit executive pointed out.By dipping into neighborhoods, thentaking to freeways for a fast, direct ride,District buses are able to provide thetype of service that competes favorablywith the private automobile.Everybody who is caught in congestion, like the daily traffic jam on the BayBridge, knows that air pollution is not

a laughing matter, but a serious threatto the health of the area.Ridership on AC Transit buses hasincreased 20 percent since 1960. On theBay Bridge, buses carry nearly 50 percent of riders now crossing in commutehours.We are trying to increase this proportion, upgrading service, expandinginto new neighborhoods and adding additional express buses.Bingham also pointed out close andeffective coordination with the futureBay Area Rapid Transit network wasvital, to provide greater convenienceand encourage use of public transit.3


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LOWER FARE Bus driver E. L. McAdamsbeams as Mrs. ]. C. Graham of San Leandrotakes advantage of new 10-cent fare.Pul lic InformationManager Appointed

Mrs. Virginia Dennison was appointedpublic information manager for the District this month, becoming one of thefirst women transportation executives inthe industry.Mrs. Dennison was named to the postby Alan L Bingham, general manager.She succeeds Dennis J. O'Connor, whoresigned to become director of communications for a LaJolla investment firm.A former bay area newspaer woman,Mrs. Dennison has been with the transit district over nine years, serving as assistant public information manager andnews bureau manager. She also is editorof Transit Times.Mrs. Dennison previously worked forthe Oakland Tribune, San FranciscoChronicle, San Francisco Examiner andnewspapers in Richmond and Pittsburg.She was editor of the Oakland Tribunemotor journey series before leaving thenewspaper to write a history of East Baytransportation for the District in 1960.She lives at 20 Marston Rd., Orinda.4

ldsters enjoyow bus faret was good news for elderly residentsthis month-and warm thanks for AC

Transit-as senior citizens took advantage of a lO-cent fare on East Bay busesduring non-peak hours.

It is just wonderful, one womanwrote. Happine ss is doing for others.As letters and phone calls accumulated, it was evident that many oldsters

were grateful for the lower fare.Now one doesn't have to sit on thebenches in place of taking a ride on thebus, one senior citizen said.Economically, the reduced transitfares are important to persons on old agesecurity, who receive only a smallamount for transportation allowance.The basic East Bay adult fare is 25 cents.You bet I had to pinch pennies tomake the bus, one 73-year-old wrote. Ican't carry too much groceries at onetime and it was hard for me to saveenough money to ride the bus to a storewhere I could get cheaper foodBus operators reported a banner number of oldsters riding buses during theearly part of the month, with major linesshowing as much as a 50 percent increasein elderly passengers. With rainy weather, however, riding returned to normal.A survey, taken before the reducedfare program went into effect Jan. 1showed the lower rate must attract 150percent more riders this year to preventserious revenue loss.

The survey of adult riders on East Baylines showed an average 12,104 fares collected from elderly persons per day. I fsenior citizen riding continued at thesame rate during the year-long experiment, AC Transit stands to lose $568.626from the fare reduction.Oldsters seeking the lower fare contending riding would increase enough tomake up for the revenue loss.

TOP RECORDS Drivers C. R. Basted, Jr.center and E J. McCann, receive jeweledgold lapel pins from. R. M. Detloff, superintendent, Seminarq Division. Their shoulderpatches will designate 21 years of drivingwitho ut an at fault record, tops for District. Five others had 20 years of safe operations.

ve r 1,000 AC Transit operators-most of the driving team-wore awell-pat ched look this month, proudlysporting shoulder emblems which designated their safe driving record.

Over 275 drivers also received jeweledgold pins, proclaiming five-year periodswithout an at-fault accident.Superintendents at each division madethe presentations, kicking off a new safety recognition program.Drivers now qualify for three shoulderemblems after 12 consecutive months atthe wheel without an at-fault accident.They also receive a wallet-sized certificate, showing years of safe operation andqualification date. The jeweled pins are

SAFE DRIVERS Dale Goodman, superintendent at Emerqville Division, gives 20-qear pins and shoulder patches to, fromleft: A. G. Engle, E A. Bigler, W. L . Smithand L L. Boardman. Another winner, L. GBabo, is not in photo.

RICHMOND PROS-20-qear safe drivingrecords are sported by, from left: J. A. Hunt,H. H. Deimler, A. C. Leigh and O. C. Stalker. They received awards from N. P. Alevizos, right, superintendent.given for five-year periods, with differentstone combinations indicating the total.

The program takes into account therecords of drivers for past three years.Another recognition plan was in operation before 1967.Names of qualifying drivers are postedat each division, on basis of records kept

by the District computer.Cost of living Ienefit Loosts w ges

Wages for 1400 bus drivers andother union workers went up anotherseven cents an hour Jan. 4, as resultof the third cost of living adjustment.Non-union employees received anequivalent increase of 1.8 percent.

The new allowance will total $125,-500 during remainder of the currentfiscal year.The adjustment brought the wa es

of bus operators to $4.14 an hour.Class A mechanics, with the new benefit, have a wage of $4.83 an hour.The increase brings cost of livingadjustments to 23 cents an hour sinceinitial increase a year ago.Wages and fringe benefits, including new allowance, cost the District

an average $6.51 per hour, accordingto Alan L Bingham, general manager.5


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A photograph of one of Oaldand'smost unusual trolley cars has beenadded to AC TraDSit's historical collec-tion by Ray ~ insurance andinvestment executi11e.Laughrey founa the' ~ taken in1908, as he s ~ Iris home toleave on a trip ~ O d world.He's in the as a yoUDglad in knickers, ~ With his JDQther,irs. Effie Laughrey, }Jl the left, and hisgrandmother, Mrs. ynl Dishman.

The photo shows one of the cars ofthe West 12th Street line, known to itsriders as the Old Lady's Comfort.The trolley was d ~ in the middle so ladies, with their long, cumber-some skirts, need take only, one upwardstep to board.The open .m ddle ,section had seatswhich faced outward;and was much infavor with women.. However, dur-ing rainy brellas were

needed for protectiob against the elements, according to Vernon Sappers,railway historian.It was p o s s i l e if course, to enterclosed elevated f ~ at either end,

but this required tWO more steps.Ten such cars W e r ~ built in the KeySystem's Emeryvil1e s}\ops in 1905 andwere called Kelly c rs after their designer, W. F. Kelljt; ~ e r a l superintendent, Sappers $8l(l.The Laughrey photo was taken at12th and Chestnut Streets, long beforethe street was paved. Laughrey remembers the motorman as polite and nice.l f he saw us coming he would stop and

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wa in front of our house.The street: car line was an ant8cecMiof the District's present Une 88 andthen, as now, operated to the SouthernPacific's 18th Street depot. Today itoperates from :Berkeley; or ig in itconnected the elegant Victorian seetl6Dof west Oakland with downtown Oakland at 12th and Broadway.Built as the Central Ave. Railway in1893, the electric road was one of thefirst three lines to be consolidated byF. M. Borax Smith into the OakI8.bdTransit Co. in 1898. The o r i ~ carhouse was at 12th and Kirkb.am St:Share of use taxDistributed to cities

The local share of the use tax Qidby AC Transit on its recent purchase of45 new buses has been distributed al1lQllgcities and unincorporated territory in theEast Bay.One percent of the tax was distrib-uted, on basis of mileage traveled inrespective areas, under an unusual arrangement approved by .tbe State lSoardof Equalization. The other four percentof the paid use tax goes to the State.

The cities' share amounts to: Enaery-ville, $228.58; Oakland, 6 , 9 1 4 . ~ Bedce-ley, 1,450.42; Albany, 249.38; lU eetrito, 380.96; Richmond, $9(Yl.3$;meda, 676.03; Piedmont, 'l2O.5i: s nLeandro, 935.08; Hayward, 76LOO;San Pablo, '191.17; unincorporated.Contra Costa County, '234.12; unincorporated, Alameda County, f803.48.

river s ores with gospel musiA wide, wide world of fame andtravel may have opened for SeminaryDivision bus driver Milton Starks.Starks, 32, is a member of the Tonesof Faith, a music sextette highly diversified in their artistry.The gospel singers, who have vowedto dedicate themselves to religious music, have been invited to join anothergospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, for concerts and recordings.The singer heard them at her performance at Oakland Coliseum and hadthem do six numbers. Starks, who playsthe steel guitar, was featured in a solo.Miss Jackson decided they fit the demands she needs in her work and askedthem to join her in future concerts, in

the United States and possibly in Europe.Starks said he started playing theSpanish guitar in 1957 because I justlove music. Then I taught myself thesteel guitar about 1963.A former bus driver in Louisiana,Starks went to work for AC Transit eightyears ago. He drove on Line 83 for sometime, but now is working transbay LineR from San Leandro in the morning andLine R-Fairway Park in the afternoon,with a school trip in between.

He also finds time to serve as Youthpresident, assistant Sunday School superintendent and church secretary at theOakland Prayer Church of God in Christ.He joined the Tones of Faith twoyears ago after they invited him to practice with them-then to stay. To date,the group was recorded 0 Happy Dayand I Come to Praise His name.They describe their music as realgospel -the forerunner of jazz, theblues and rock and roll.

entral dispatcher promoted to new postRobert J. Shamoon, 42, has been appointed to a newly created labor andindustrial post, in line with managementtrainee policy.As labor relationsanalyzer in thePersonnel Department, Shamoonhas duties covering personnel functions, the healthand welfare program and labor relations problems.R. J. hamoon He had been one

of the eyes and ears of Central Dispatch since 1968.Shamoon, of 569 Ginger Ave., Hayward, joined Key System Transit Linesas a bus driver in 1954. He became adispatcher at Seminary Division in1957 and a supervisor in 1962. In hisspare time, Shamoon hunts deer, elkand bear in Montana. He's also a trapshooter and a bowler.Emeryville drivers on topEmeryville drivers topped the safetygoal in December with a tally of 13,269miles per accident.

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N WMPLOY S

he District welcomed thesenew workers in October No-vember and December.

B J BUCKLEYTransit Information

DIVISION 2

8

J. R DeBOSETransportationDivision

G. A HINEMaintenanceDIVISION 2

C C. CAMPBELLTransportationDIVISION 4

M. E. ENGLISHransportationDIVISION 2

W. C JONESTransportationDIVISION 4

L ABRAHAMSONTransportationDIVISION 4

L BARTHOLOMEWTransportationDIVISION 4

A. L COVINGTON V. R CRUZ C M DANIELLTransportation Transportation TransportationDIVISION 4 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 2

W. G. GAMLEN DONALD GETRIDGE C H HAMPTONTransportation Transportation TransportationDIVISION 4 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 4

E G. KIRKSEYTransportationDIVISION 2

M. L. LEETransportationDIVISION 2

H L LOFTINTransportationDIVISION 2

L M. BRYANTTransportation

DIVISION 3

C A DAWSONTransportation

DIVISION 2

C D HARRISTransportationDIVISION 2

R. J LYALLTransportationDIVISION 2

L M. MARCHANDTransportat ionDIVISION 2

A. J MUNDERMaintenanceDIVISION 2

P F PICCHITransit InformationDIVISION 2

K. E THOMPSONTransportationDIVISION 2

E P MERSICHMaintenanceDIVISION 2

D B OBRAYMaintenanceDIVISION 4

G. E POZNIKTransportationDIVISION 2

P J TORRESTransportationDIVISION 4

D R MONROETransportationDIVISION 4

C F. ODENTransportationDIVISION 4

D S PRATTTransportationDIVISION 2

J L MOOREegal epartmentGENERAL OFFICE

DANIEL PADILLATransportation

DIVISION 4

C M. PRYORTransportationDIVISION 2

ALTON WHEELER JR . RONNIE WILLIAMSTransportation

DIVISION 4Transportation

DIVISION 2

R E. MOORETransit InformationDIVISION 2

R. L PELTONTransportation

DIVISION 3

J A. ROBINSONTransportationDIVISION 2

N T. WILSONTransportation

DIVISION 4

M . W. MORGANTransportationDIVISION 2

J J PESTONTransportationDIVISION 4

S L RODRIGUEZPubl nformationGENERAL OFFICE

SYLVESTER WOODSTransportation

DIVISION 2

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THE BRASS -Officers of the AC Transit Management Association include, at left: JohnKraicar, treasurer; Robert Shamoon, president; Don Larson, secretary, and Joe Galindo,vice president. Talking shop at right are: George Ziegenfuss, chairman of organizingcommitt ee and elected governor; Lou Bailey, governor; Alan L. Bingham, general manager, and Billy Lyle, governor. Les Minear, also a governor, is missing fmm picture.

anagement groupSpouses (or friends) will be guests ata Valentine dinner planned by the newAC Transit Management Association on

Feb. 13 to mark Valentine Day in appropriate hearts and flowers manner.

The association, organized to givesupervisory personnel an opportunity tomeet and discuss mutual interests,rolled off in high after a meeting inDecember.

Elected as officers were: Robert JShamoon, president; Joe M. Galindo,vice president; Don S Larson, secretary;John A Krajcar, treasurer.Board of governors includes GeorgeW. Ziegenfuss and Billy S Lyle, oneyear terms; Les H. Minear and Lou VBailey, two-year terms. The past president also will become a board memberfor a one-year term.Initially, four meetings a year areplanned by the group.CONFAB-Enioying the get together are,from left: D. D. Hightman, L. A. Ball, Howard Jeffries, H. H. Foster, E. Sam Davis,W. J Wallis and R H. Lewis.

PARTICIPANTS-Attending first meeting ofnew AC Transit Management Associationwere, from left: W. E Howe, W. E. Antwiler, M W. Hancock, W. F. Schmid, H.D. White and H. J Dupuis.

MEMBERS - The feminine contingentamong supervisory personnel is representedin this group. Fr.om left: C. L. Gross, G. L.Modieski, W. G Skilling, W. E Robinson.Zada Malinak, Lou Bailey.

'00,000

1,060,0001,040 ,0001,()20,ooo1,GllO.o )O

980,000

l1lI/I' , J -, ,-, J ,

I. ~~ ~ \ ~ IIIr ''IIIiii; , 7 I1 9 6 9- 19681967 -week I eriodsote Chart ased 0 13 fou 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

Passeaglr rev'I p durilg ovlllberFare box revenue from East Bay and transbay line, was on the upswing

- 'u' r November, but number 0/ passenger' carried declined during themonth.Passenger revenue totaled 1,250,272, an increase 0/ $78,852 or 6.73~ t over revenue 0/ 1,171,420 collected in November, 1968. On EastIJIiy line revenue tallied 710,745, an. increase 0/5.90 percent over yearfigures 1 671,147. TrtIBIbay revenue was 539,527, up 7.85 percentpared to November 1968, total 0/ 500,273.Commute book sale were 239,167, a 16.8 percent increase over yearago sales 0/ 204,797.The number 0/ passenge1'8 carried during the month totaled 4,167,848, adecrease 0/ 3.17 percenJ below the riding count of 4,304,132 for Novembera year ago. On East Bay line, the riding total was 3,042,491, down 3.01percent over the count 0/3 ,136,872 1IUIde the same month in 1968. Transbay riding howed a 3.59 percent decrease, with a total 0/1,125,357 compared to year-ago figures 1 1,167,260.Operation cos durira8 the month came to 1,525,203, an. increase 1192 _ r :SO percem over expemes 0/ 1,488,Oll/or November, 1968.

The lJis4m operated 1,948,634 mile, of service, a decrease 0/ 19,612miles 0 1: ;lIIP cenJ below year-ago mileage of 1,968,246.Total of 1,744,565 was sulficient to cover operational costs, dep r ~ N bond debt requirements.The trtIIUiI industry nationally irulicated a riding decrease lor the monthof 5.39 percent. 11


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ct ions 1 the oard At an adjourned regular meetingDec. 30, the Board .of Directors: Referred bids for computer equip

ment to General Manager for study, onmotion of Director Coburn. Authorized expenditure up to 8,000for testing diesel engine converter kits onfour buses, on motion of Director McDonnell See story, Pg . 3). Approved attendance of staff members at Maintenance Efficiency AwardConference and American Transit Association Executive Conference, on motion of Director Bettencourt. Authorized use of 350 coaches in advertising campaign and installation ofspecial inside frames, on motion of Director Bettencourt. Approved participation of District instudy project relating to local and feederservices in outlying areas, on motion ofDirector Bettencourt. Authorized appointment of staffmember to advisory group of ABAGRegional Transportation Planning Committee, reaffirmed board policy on composition of committee, on motion of Director Bettencourt. Approved extension of Line 93-SanLorenzo to serve Del Monte, Inc., onmotion of Director Bettencourt.

At a regular meeting Jon. 14, theBoard of Directors: Elected William E. Berk as president, on motion of Director McDonnell. Elected E. Guy Warren as Vicepresident, on motion of Director Coburn. Directed preparation of letter, reaffirming Board position on transit representation on ABAG Regional Transpor-

AC TransitLatham Square BuildingOakland, California 94612

eturn equested

Tran itTimesPublished monthly by the

ALAMEDACONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT508 16th St., Oakland, California 94612Telephone (415) 654-7878BOARD OF DIRECTORSWILLIAM E BERK Presidenl

Ward IIE GUY WARREN . . . .

Ward V . Vice PresidenlROBERT M. COPELAND . , Director al LargeRAY H. RINEHART . . . Director al LargeWILLIAM H. COBURN, JR . . . . . Ward IJOHN McDONNELL . . . . Ward IIIWM. J. BETTENCOURT . . . . . . Ward V

MANAGEMENTALAN L BINGHAM . . . General ManagerHAROLD M DAVIS . . Assistant General Manageror ersonnelGEORGE M TAYLOR . Assistanl General Manager. . . for dministration nd District SecretaryH. DONALD WHITE . Ass istanl General Managerfor OperationsHOWARD D BEEBE Purchases and Siores Mgr .E SAM DAVIS . . Research and Planning ManagerVIRGINIA B DENNISON Public Informalion Mgr .OZRO D GOULD . , Claims ManagerANTHONY R LUCCHESI Mainlenance ManagerROBERT E NISBET . . . . . . . . AllorneyDONALD J . POTTER . . . Transportation ManagerWARREN E ROBINSON . Transportalion EngineerROBERT D TOUGH Treasurer-ControllerGORDON G. WADSWORTH Safety Engineer'-_______ 9 l

tation Committee, on motion of DirectorBettencourt. Authorized Assistant General Manager for Administration to serve onATA-TAA committee on standardization,on motion of Director Coburn. Approved advertising for bids forfurnishing bus washers, on motion of Director Coburn . Authorized General Manager toconfer with U S. Department of Transportation officials on grant applications,on motion of Director Bettencourt. Adopted resolution of intent to levytaxes, in accordance with State code, onmotion of Director Copeland.

transit times volume 12, number 7

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