Transit Times of Cities of Richmond, San Pablo and Ad Published Monthly by the Jacent Unincorporated Area to the Transit District, on Motion of Director Coburn
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Volume 3 Number 1 OAKLAND, MAY 1960 $7,500,000 SETTLEMENT District and Key System Reach Price Agreement; Long Court fight Avoided Threats of long delay in the improve meda and San Leandro representative, ment of East Bay public transportation who declared the agreement is both were eliminated this month when the "reasonable and fair" to the taxpayers of Transit District reached agreement with the district and Key System stockholders. Key System Transit Lines on a purchase "This settlement is a far cry from the price of $7,500,000 for its complete fa old allegations that this district was cre cilities. ated to bail out the Key System," Betten The settlement, which clears away a court said. possible delay of two years in court ac He cited last year's high earnings of tion, was recommended to the district Key System, its increased patronage and board of directors by General Manager revenues, and observed that the district John R. Worthington. would be "extremely fortunate" to obtain Worthington, who negotiated the set the entire Key holdings for the $7,500,000 tlement with Glen L. Stanley, Key System price. president, said that by taking advantage Initial Key Price of the agreement, the district could ex The negotiated figure is approximately pect to replace Key and be in operation $3,000,000 less than the initial asking by next October. price of Key representatives when nego An early settlement also should help in tiations began four months ago, W orth avoiding the possibility of a transit shut ington told the board. down May 31 when the labor contract The settlement is based on values of between Key and the Carmen's Union Key equipment and real estate as deter expires, he added. mined by engineers of the State Public Utilities Commission as well as district Agreement Studied engineering consultants, he said. Both the district board and directors of Key System maintenance terminals, the privately owned transit company storage yards and rolling stock, including have yet to approve the agreement. How 296 gasoline buses not originally sought ever, the transit board was expected to by the district, are contained in the pack decide on whether to approve the nego age agreement. tiated price before the end of the month. "By the purchase of all of Key's facili Initial reaction of the transit directors ties," Worthington said, "the district will came from William J. Bettencourt, Ala- (Co~tinued on Page 3) Transit Annexation Up for June Vote Voting unanimously this month to by the various public agencies involved, What the Editors Are Saying About Transit place the proposed annexation of West provides for a maximum tax rate of one Contra Costa to the Transit District on cent per $100 of assessed property valua San Francisco Chronicle: the June 7 ballot were the city councils tion. West Contra Costa residents would of Richmond and San Pablo and the tran be eligible to vote on three of the seven sit district board of directors. members on the transit board of direc Better Service Increases Transit Use tors. The terms of two of the three direc The annexation proposal, requested by AMONG arguments gloomily advanced fast, frequent service, is deemed respon tors expire the end of this year. Richmond, San Pablo and adjacent unin .t\. against the practicability of a Bay sible . Latest of the many community organi corporated area, requires a simple ma Area rapid transit system the most fre In San Francisco, for example, the zations to lend full support to the an jority vote for passage. quent contends that the American public Municipal Railway that carried 140,- nexation proposal are the merchants di has become wedded to the privacy and 300,000 passengers in 1958 carried 141,- By joining the district, West Contra vision of the Richmond Chamber of Com convenience of the automobile and could 609,000 last year. The increase in Oak Costa would be assured of local transit merce, San Pablo Chamber of Commerce, never be lured back by mass transporta land was somewhat higher. service when the District replaces the Richmond Development Foundation, tion. One Philadelphia line increased pa operation of Key System Transit Lines Richmond Urban Renewal Committee, tronage 126 per cent through new equip later this year. It now appears that this argument, East Richmond Heights Improvement ment and faster service. A Boston line The annexation agreement, approved Association. plausible as it may seem, runs contrary doubled patronage in less than a year. to fact. The public is already returning In Los Angeles, the so-called "freeway to mass transit, and the trend that began flyer" serving San Fernando Valley upped Key System Price Accord Under Study by District with World War II has been reversed, patronage in one year from 1,300 to 5,000 according to statistics now available. daily. Directors; Early Date Seen for Start of Operations Nationally, the increase in transit pa Here is persuasive testimony that the 300 new, streamlined "Transit Liners" tronage and revenues has varied from public is ready to forsake the expense (Continued from Page 1) have within its control the ability to during the first 18 months of district moderate to "astounding." Increasing and annoyance of commuting by auto promptly remove from the streets anti operation. congestion of freeways and city streets, mobile where cheap, fast, convenient plus mass transit that provides modern, mass transit is available. quated equipment and replace it with "I am firmly convinced," Worthington coaches of superior design and comfort. said, "that the acquisition of Key System "Lengthy court proceedings could de at the price proposed is an exceedingly Bids on New Buses Delayed to June 15 lay our operation by as much as two years, fair and equitable solution, and will prove prolonging just that much farther Key's of great and lasting benefit not only to Bids on a maximum of 300 new ultra transit board of directors until June 15. use of the older equipment," he said. transit riders but also to the taxpayers of modern motor coaches, estimated to cost The original bid deadline of May 4 A total of $550,000 has been allowed the district." $8,000,000, will not be opened by the was extended following a change in plan by the district for the used gasoline ning schedule that calls for the com coaches. But their purchase by the dis Besides providing funds for the pur mencement of operation October 1. trict eliminates the possibility of sever chase of Key System, Worthington said BeHencourt: Named t:o I-Iead Bids on the new motor coaches will be ance damages which could "approach the the $16,500,000 bond issue approved last year is adequate to "carry out every detail San Leandro Development: based on manufacturers' offer of coaches price paid for the equipment," Worth at a firm price for 90 days with provision ington said. of the district program as approved by the William J. Bettencourt, transit district for adjustments for buses delivered after "In other words, we are trading the voters, including $8,000,000 for the pur director. representing San Leandro and 90 days. payment of severance damage for the chase of a modern motor coach fleet." Alameda, and East Bay civic leader, ha.s By delaying the bid opening date, used coaches and thereby getting some In addition to the modern "Transit been named general chairman of the San maximum advantage can be taken of the thing of value in return." Liners," the district plans to improve pub Leandro Development Committee. fixed price offers without delaying the The official pointed out the older buses lic transit with a network of fast express The committee is charged by the City start of operations, General Manager are needed to commence immediate op lines and more than 200 miles of new Council with the study of ideas for the John R. Worthington reported. I eration, but that they will be used only or improved local routes in the various revitalization of the San Leandro central The bids will be opened at 4:30 p.m. + until delivery can be obtained on some East Bay cities. business district. in district headquarters. 3 2 Exclusive Freeway Lanes for Express Buses Urged for Los Angeles I,y Traffic Engineer 95,500,000 _ ._-'-. Rush-hour express lanes for buses have hours out of a total of 8,760 hours in a been advocated by Los Angeles' city traf year. fic engineer, S. S. Taylor, as the best "A pair of expressway lanes allocated 1 method of making "rapid transit" systems exclusively for inter-urban buses in the J really rapid at least expense. morning and afternoon rush hours and Such ~ study was urged by Taylor be available for cars and trucks as well as fore further consideration of a monorail buses in the remaining hours would thus or other method of bringing thousands of be utilized far more extensively in the daily commuters in and out of downtown course of a year than would a pair of railroad tracks," he said. Los Angeles. 47,500,000 "The lanes, particularly the curb lanes, These special lanes, on freeways and 46,600,000 major streets, would be available for au of our streets and highways are not work tomobile and truck use during non-rush ing nearly as efficiently as they can," he hour periods. added. "A comparable railroad track or mono Central Terminal rail lines, on the other hand, would be Also needed to speed up public trans used largely for some two or three morn portation, in Taylor's view, is a centrally 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 5657 58 59 60 ing and evening hours for only some 250 located passenger terminal for these ex MORE RIDERS-Chart shows first upturn in number of riders using Key System Tran weekdays," Taylor said.