transit times volume 4, number 3

8/14/2019 Transit Times Volume 4, Number 3

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Vol. 4 No.3 OAKLAND, JULY 1961

TRANSIT ON THE MOVE

Series' 01 Improvements Scheduled;Hayward to Get New Local ServiceA series of transportation improvements, bringing either new or betterservice to various sections of the district,were scheduled this month.

The additions include three new locallines to serye Palma Ceia Village, ShaferPark and other outlying areas of Hayward, with service to start August 17 (seemap, page 2).Put into operation during the monthwas the nrst bus service for the upper

Piedmont Estates area of Piedmont,through an extension of " he La SalleAve. branch of the 42 line.

Improved bus service also was provided in EI Sobrante, by connectingbranch lines 69-A and 69-B, givingthrough service between residential andbusiness areas served by the lines.First Million

The additions will add healthy nguresto the total of 1,000,000 annual milesof new motor coach service already putinto operation during the district's nrstnine months.The transportation improvementspromised for southern Alameda County

follow a series of meetings with representatives of the Hayward city administration and chamber of commerce andincorporates several suggestions offered.The network will include a 90-ShaferPark-Palma Ceia Village line, a 92-Palma

Ceia-South Gate line and an extensionto the 91-Castro Valley line throughHayward into the lower Tennyson Rd.area.

The service will give residents of theresidential areas direct access to thePalma Ceia shopping center and todowntown Hayward, along with providing convenient connections to other ACTransit bus lines, including City Expressservice.Service Plans

The new lines will operate Mondaythrough Friday on a 60 minute middayfrequency and in most istances, 30 minutes, in rush hours.

The 90 and 92 lines will be combinedin downtown Hayward and at the outerloop, formed by Miami Ave., FloridaAve., and Calaroga Ave., providing morefrequent service for a substantial portionof the outer area, as well as throughservice to and from the Palma Ceniashopping center.

Under the new Piedmont operation,the 42 line was extended on HamptonRd. to Estates Drive, returning via Estates, Inverleith Terrace to Hampton.

As result of the EI Sobrante improvement, residents are able to ride to shopping centers and return, as well as traveldirectly to San Pablo and Richmond.


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Incinerator Hits Dust to Aid ProgressAC Transit not only cooperated with abeautification project in Richmond, bu t

cooperated so quickly it left civic offi-cials and a photographer "without astack."The Richmond Development Foundation and Richmond Chamber of Com

merce ha d asked Nick Alevizos, superintendent of Division 3, if the districtwould tear down the incinerator whichstuck a useless stack into the vision ofpassersby on Macdonald Ave., near theSouthern Pacific underpa ss.Nick passed the request along, General Superintendent Don Potter gave the

ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT

okey and before the Richmond grouparrived to photograph the event, the incinerator was demolished.The visitors, nevertheless, were de

lighted with the results and the fast action, an d decided to use the district asan example to other industries and businesses involved in making MacdonaldAve. and the downtown area more attractive.

The incinerator, built when the division yards were opened in 1947, stoodabout 25 feet from base to tip of smokestack. It ha d no t been recently in use incompliance with smog controls.

PROPOSED SERVICE-Dotted lines show routes of three new bus lines to be inauguated in Hayward-Palma Ceia area August 17. New lines will take residents toshopping centers and provide direct access to downtown Hayward an d connectionswith existing AC Transit service, illustrated by solid lines. (Story, Page 1.)2

District Budget of $11,591,300 Adopted;Revenue Expected to Top ExpenditureExpected passenger revenue will top

operating expenditures by some $564,900in a budget adopted by AC Transit'sboard of directors for the new fiscal year.

The 1961-1962 budget, first to cover afull year of district operation, is basedon estimated operating costs of $11,591,-300 and estimated revenue of $12,156,-200.

It allows for the addition of another691,000 motor coach miles of new serviceduring the coming fiscal year.

Board President William J. Bettencourt in commenting on the district'sfinancial picture, said the progress ofAC Transit was "remarkable in view ofwhat is happening in the economy andin the industry.

He said that numerous transit organizations are being forced to raise fares.The district is in sound financial con-

dition despite the addition of more thana million miles of service, the increaseof salaries and the purchase of 250 newbuses, he added."But we are not going to be complacentconcerning the future," Bettencourt said.The budget was presented to the board

by the finance committee, headed byDirector John McDonnell, after severalweeks of study.General Manager John R. Worthingtonexplained that in computing a final estimate for the new year the addition ofbond servicing costs and funds for futureequipment replacement will exceed totalincome by $755,140. This amount, however, will be offset by a surplus of$775,000 accruing from opera tions of theyear just ending, and is in accord withengineering estimates for the second fullyear of operation, he explained.

Survey Seeks Express Service MeritsPassengers on City Express buses madecontributions to educational researchthis month, through a survey arranged

by the University of California Instituteof Transportation and Traffic Engineering and AC Transit.

During the survey, riders on the inbound trips of the four express lineswere handed a card, asking questionsabout their transit habits. They wereasked to fill out the cards and hand themback to survey personnel or the driveror to drop them in a mailbox.

The survey, to learn the rider's response to express service, is the specificproject of a graduate student, FredrikY tehede, who plans to write his thesisfor a master's degree on results of thestudy.

The Institute and the transit district

cooperated in collecting the information,particularly in supplying survey personneL so that all riders could be contactedon the day assigned to each line.

The cards asked where the bus wasboarded; where the trip was started, suchas home address; destination; how oftenthe trip is made, and how the trip wasusually made before the express servicewas instituted. Space was provided forcomments.

The survey is expected to develop howmany have shifted to express buses fromprivatE' cars and from other routes sincethe expresses were started last March,and whether the lines are scheduled androuted to best advantage. Results areexpected to be tabulated by the middleof August.

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FINE PADDLING-Mix warm water and a convenient sandy beach and you havethe handy South Shore area of Alameda.

Transit Trai/sSplash in Alameda on Trip of Month

By Virgin ia Dennison

It still seems amazing to be able topaddle in warm bay water-and for free-and it's even more amazing when yourealize you can load the family on abus and in a few minutes, have thekids playing on a sandy beach.

I f you want to be real practical, youcan even mix wading with shopping,and how many housewives can makethat claim?Alameda residents already have discovered the charms of .south Shoresplashing-we won't call it swimmingbut to the rest of the Bay area, it maycome as a surprise. Even on warm days,the beach isn't too crowded and there'slots of room, especially in the water, forsome fine youngster paddling.

The water is shallow way out and sur-4

prisingly warm. And if you get tiredof watching the minute-sized waves, youcan turn around and look at the luckyapartment dwellers leading the good"barbecue-life" on minute-sized terraces.

I f you're strong enough to mix a touchof Newport Beach with the sand, walkup to the lagoon area-which used tobe the water front-and envy those whohave made it with an ultra Venice-typecanal at their back door . Looks awfullygood on a hot day.Easily Reached

The South Shore beach can be reachedconveniently through a big shopping center, which makes it one of the fewplaces where you can buy what youneed, then lie down on the sand andthink whether you should have done it.

water. At both spots, take your ownshade if you need it. It can get prettyhot.At Washington Park, there's complete

playground equipment, plus SouthernPacific locomotive 1227, fixed up foryoung climbing by the Alameda RotaryClub.Sunday patrons can expect a ball gameIf you want to include park play witha touch of water, Washington Park presents a pleasant answer. But be preparedfor a short walk from the park to the

and usually a tennis tournament.

The beach is sandy and safe alld youcan even do a little swimming here. Thisis part of the area acquired for the newlyborn Alameda Beach State Park whicheventually will be exteNsively developed.To reach Washington Park, take bus51 or 58 to 8th St. and Santa Clara Ave.,and walk two blocks south; or take bus64 to 9th St. and Central Ave., walk oneblock west.

For the South Shore shopping andswimming area, take bus 64 to SouthShore Shopping Center Monday throughSaturday; or to Park and San Jose Aves.on Sundays and holidays.To reach the beach and swimming,take the path at the western end ofthe park; that way you'll avoid sloshingthrough hot sand.

CASEY JONES, JRS.-Young engineers en-joy train at Washington Park, Alameda.It's part of playground equipment.

SHIP, AHOY-Add a rickety raft and asmall boy to happy wav.es at Alameda'sWashington Park and you have fun fora warm day.


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Passengers on Air-Conditioned BusesRide in Comfort While Others SwelterPassengers and drivers on AC Transit's

new air-conditioned buses are findingthat planned, cooled riding is unsur"passed, especially when everybody elseis sweltering in a heat wave.

First real test of $3,700,000 in airconditioned buses came in June and July,as temperatures soared throughout theBay area-except in the interiors of 112air-conditioned motor coaches.There it was a pleasant 68 degrees andth e only complaint came from passengers-and operators, too-when they ha d toleave the bus and step ou t into whatone termed a "blast furnace."

Drivers reported noticeable appreciation from passengers and said the generalreaction was: "It's too good to be true."A big improvement was in tempers, withnone of the hot-weather irritation. Instead, the riders relax and enjoy the trip,operators said.

Operators added their own happy noteand said they were amazed at their ownlack of fatigue at the end of a ho t day.New Smaller Buses

On Neigborhood linesA shipment of new, smaller buses wentinto service during the month on ACTransit's 59-Broadway Terrace, 76-Montclair, 69-EI Sobrante and 7-Euclid Ave.and Arlington Ave. lines.

The new coaches, part of the group of13 special compact buses especially designed for use on neighborhood lines,will handle basic mid-day operations.The final shipment of smaller buses wasexpected by the end of the month, rounding out the order of 250 ne w "TransitLiners" purchased for service in the EastBay and on tr:msbay runs to San Francisco.6

No figures are available ye t as topossible passenger gains, bu t transbayruns, where air-conditioned coaches areused, have continued to show an increase,without the expected summer lull. Women passengers, in particular, have expressed their satisfaction, from the pointof view of comfort and "looks, besides."

They like arriving at their destination"in one piece, without being hot, rumpledand blown about," one woman wrote."It's wonderful to arrive downtown without being whipped around by openwindows. Before that, I either ha d toswelter-or hang on to my hat!"

Maintenance problems on the cooledbuses have been at a minimum, according to Brooks Rice, maintenance manager. No bus has been out of servicebecause of an air-conditioning problemand the equipment is working extremelywell, he reported.Special Service

For WoodminsterA special shuttle bus, the "Woodmin

ster Special," is picking up patrons whowant to forget parking problems and useAC Transit to attend musical eventsscheduled by the Oakland Light OperaAssociation for Woodminster Theaterduring summer months.

The bus takes theater goers from theend of the I8-Park Blvd. line at OakmoreRd. and Leimert Blvd., for a direct runto the open air theater in time for th eevening performance, returning when itis over.

Th e special will be in operation for th eannual summer musical events throughSeptember.

IN 92 YEARS-The horse car hadn't rambled up Broadway yet and there wasplenty of shade for buggies when the above photograph was taken early in1869, looking up 11th Street from Broadway. The same corner, below, lackscountry charm, but shows downtown Oakland-and AC Transit-on the go. TransitBuilding, stands at left . Early photo from collection of the late Perry MacDonald,pioneer publisher.

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What the Eelitors Are Saying About TransitSan Leandro M orninJ{ News:

Transit System In Healthy ShapeT HE TIME has come to commenton the new Alameda-Contra CostaTransit District, the new bus systemwhich has stepped into the East Baytransportation picture, at th e creation ofth e voters.

There is no doubt that the directorsof th e two-county transit system willfind more roadblocks ahead, bu t whatdifficulties which it met in th e last fewmonths seem to have been successfullyeliminated through negotiations, planning and compromises.

And, on th e whole, it looks like th evoters of the district di d the right thingin creating the Transit District.Fo r one good piece of news AC Tran

sit started the new fiscal year this monthwith a healthy balance sheet an d acarry-over operating ne t of $774,883. Thisincludes nine months of actual operationssince taking over the Key System Transit Lines.

At th e same time it is apparent thatthere have been improvements, not onlyVeterans PensionedGeorge W. Schenck, 53, of 1733 26thAve., who started with Key System 32years ago, retired effective June 1.Schenck, who has been on sick leave,

worked during the years as a car shifterand repairman, retired as a service employee in th e maintenance departmentat Division 4. He also worked at Division2 an d at the old Central ca r division.

Theodore M. Gunn, 71, of 787 Pomona Ave., EI Centro, ended 19 yearsas a driver when he was pensioned July 1.8

in super-deluxe buses, bu t also in service, and th e morale of bus employeesseems high. And Gen. Mgr. John R.Worthington has said that the district hasreserves, enough anyway during thenext full year of operations, to meet fi-nancial expenditures for improvementswithout an increase in th e fares or taxes.

The Morning News is concerned, however, that there have been reports thatthe express lines 30-San Leandro an d32-San Lorenzo are in trouble. A reportthat they may be discontinued happilyturned out to be only a rumor. AC Transit will have to take a "long, hard look"at th e lines, because its business duringmid-days is down, bu t then perhaps 30-San Leandro an d 32-San Lorenzo servethe people (mly at peak express hours,not during the mid-day.

The two lines have only been in operation about 15 weeks, less than fourmonths. It is too early to make a decision.AC Transit officials have indicated it will"wait a while" to see what adjustmentsmust be made. No t every line is going tobe a money making line for AC Transit.Some must be for service to th e public,the taxpaying supporters of the district.

Meanwhile, it is good to learn thatth e AC Transit District continues to moveahead with plans to serve the people.In August more lines will be added tohelp transport people in the South Hayward area, along Tennyson, and to tie-upwith other existing lines.

President William J. Bettencourt - aSa n Leandran-and the other members ofthe AC Transit Board deserve our appreciation for a fine job being done.

COACH MEETS COACH-What could be more appropriate on a "magic tour" thanto find an overland stage meeting an AC Transit "chariot." Group shown aboveused the bus to reach Peralta Playland to take advantage of the park department's special summer tour.

Transit Launches Visitors on 'Magic Tour'AC Transit is keeping some of its best

magic polished this summer, carryingvisitors to Lakeside Park for a specialtour developed by th e Oakland ParkDepartment and the Oakland RecreationDepartment.

Labeled as the "Magic Tour," the parkspeciality includes travel by the LakeMerritt launch an d a number of "adventures" in Children's Fairyland an d Peralta Playland, plus a bi t of refreshment."Magic Tour" tickets are sold for $1.25an d can be used through Sept. 17.

Because of parking congestion, visitors

are being encouraged to us.e transit"chariots" - buses to most people - toreach one of th e six piers where the LakeMerritt launch makes a stop and continue from there by water-avoiding unmagical problems of traffic, which onweek-ends, particularly, ties up movement in th e park.Piers where the launch stops includethe boat house on Oa k Street; .12th St.dam; Athol Plaza, at the end of FoothillBlvd.; sailboat house; bandstand cove,and Fairyland pier at Harrison St. an dGrand Ave.

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Chartered Buses Rescue Girl ScoutsAC Transit's charter buses. are enjoying a varied life, ranging from rescuingGirl Scouts to transporting members of

the Roller Derby.Three of the new "300' " took part

in a last minute "rescue" adventure whenEast Bay Girl Scouts and counselors fledforest fires in Madera County.

The girls, evacuated in stages to Roeding Park in Fresno, were carried all theway home after Scout executives pu tin a hurry-up call to the district.

The three buses were dispatched toFresno in the early afternoon, with a "busmother" aboard each coach. They pickedup the girls and their salvaged belongings, delivering them into a mob ofexcited parents at 1 a.m. at Division 2yards, 45th and San Pablo, Emeryville.

The new buses handled their first over-

night charters in June, taking the Richmond Moose Lodge drum corps of "juniors" to Santa Maria and again, later inthe month, to Long Beach.

Another charter took the Roller Derbyon a tour from Oakland to the NapaCounty Fair at Calistoga, to Sacramentoand to home.

The skaters brought consternation toan all-night drive-in at 2:30 a.m. whenthe bus load of 40 asked for "car service."They didn't get it, bu t the combinedorder closed the drive-in.A highlight of this charter was thethrowing of bus driver W. E. Howe ofDivision 4 into the swimming pool withhis clothes on-an affectionate gesture,the skaters reported, because they "likedhim."

New Committee Considers School Service 4In a concentrated effort to solve Oakland's Skyline High School transportation problem before school opens inSeptember, a special joint committeehas been appointed by the OaklandBoard of Education and the AC TransitBoard of Directors.The school board will be represented

by Directors Robert L. Nolan, LorenzoN. Hoopes and Mrs. Marjorie Hirschler.The transit district will be represented

by Board President William J. Bettencourt, and Directors John L. McDonnelland E. Guy Warren.

The transit district has advised theschool board that the addition of specialbus lines to serve the new high schoolwould cost the school system $106,000a year.Cost of the special service could bereduced to about $64,000 if half of the10

students c ommenced classes an hour laterthan the rest of the student body.

School board member Carl B. Munckrecommended to his fellow board members that they give serious considerationto the alternate transportation plan whichwould cut the cost of the special busservice by more than 40 percent.

The school directors also have underconsideration a proposal to operate theirown shuttle bus system, collecting students from various points in the highschool district and depositing them onone of the AC Transit lines for theremainder of the trip to school.Another alternate under study by theschool board is to leave transportationup to the individual students, givingthem the privilege of attending anotherhigh school if they are unable to furnishtheir own transportation to Skyline.

Messenger Piles Up Mileage in Rounds;Still Has Time for Outside Activities

While the rest of us have been working our eight hours a day, Van ClevelandMoore-the man with the mail-has beenholding as many as three jobs, and stillhas time for projects like church work,scouting and painting with water colors.

"Cleve," as he is known throughoutthe district, also has another distinction.As the man who carries the inter-officemail from division to division, he keepsa tight schedule and drives an averageot500 miles pe r week, bu t has never hada chargeable accident.

Back when he first started carryingthe mail in 1948, his schedule was soclose he ha d only five minutes or so toget from place to place. It took somefast hurrying-and fast driving-but eventhen he collected only one traffic ticket,and that for making a wrong turn.Night and Day

Familiar to just about everybody, andwith a quiet, reliable and tactful mannerthat has earned considerable respect,"Cleve" dates his transit employmentback to 1943. During many of the yearssince, he's also worked at nights, and fora while he owned and operated a parkinglot and a small restaurant-as well ashandling his daytime work.

Now, he admits with a smile, he's doing some of the sleeping he missed then."Cleve" lives with his wife and threeyoungsters at 976 53rd St., Oakland, andis scoutmaster of Troop 22, as well as atrustee of the New Light Baptist Church.

Though he never received formal arttraining, it doesn't keep him from enjoy-

ing art, particularly painting with watercolors.His wife has the unusual name of"Arthur," which he solves by calling he rby her middle name of "Meze." Th e children are Grace, 17; Van, 14; and Elaine,8, all with musical talent and all proficient on the piano.Familiar PastimeWork is still a familiar pastime with"Cleve" a "pastime" he learned as asmall boy. But now it's more likely toinvolve the property he has managed tobu y or his activity with the church, andwith boys.

Van Cleveland Moorethe man on the mOlle

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transit times volume 4, number 3

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