Transportation planning Seek funds for added Oakland study Action Agenda, '84 AC Transit's Board of Directors gave Under the program, a steering com­ the green light May 23 to the second mittee made up of representatives from phase of a program which could reshape AC Transit, BART, City of Oakland, the face of downtown Oakland. Oakland Chamber of Commerce and the Proposed service adjustments They approved a proposal to seek Metropolitan Transportation Commis­ $142,000 of federal money to fund the sion would direct the project. In addition, would aid bus/rail linkage next step in planning transportation for a Citizens Advisory Committee and a downtown Oakland under the Central Technical Advisory Committee would be District Transit Improvement Plan. The established to provide informational sup­ We are currently weighing a series of proposed service adjustments to first phase of the project involved port services. better meet East Bay commuters' future transit needs. preliminary analysis of existing traffic A key element in the proposals - some to be implemented in Septem­ and transportation conditions. ber, others scheduled for late 1984 and early 1985 - is maintaining an The second phase of the overall plan is State finance to help even closer working relationship with BART to improve coordination of designed to provide the City of Oakland, With 30-Z operation bus and train schedules and service. AC Transit and BART with information The District also will begin trimming lightly-patronized bus trips and and direction regarding coordinated tran­ With. the aid of a $300,000 state trans­ bus routes, and the coaches and drivers will be redeployed to areas where sit efforts, producing both short term and portation subsidy, AC Transit is taking long range proposals. The project is ex­ over the Martinez-Richmond corridor there is unmet need (and possible undeveloped markets) for local feeder pected to take 12 months to complete. service which the System previously pro­ service connecting with BART. The area to be considered in the study vided under contract to BART. Plans call We are keenly aware that some riders will be inconvenienced by these covers the central city from the Grove­ for some expansion of peak-hour service adjustments. But we also expect longer-range benefits. In later phases of Shafter Freeway on the west to Lake on the express route connecting the the program, existing services will be beefed up in many neighborhoods, Merritt and Laney College on the east, Western Contra Costa County cities of and new crosstown feeder routes will further improve the network of and from Jack London Square and the Richmond, San Pablo and Pinole with bus/rail service - particularly to BART stations with overcrowded park­ Oakland Estuary on the south to the Martinez, the county seat. ing lots. MacArthur Freeway and "Pill Hill" Line 30-Z service was started as Line Z We have a financial stake, also, in these changes which, implemented medical facilities on the north. following a 1982 transportation needs study which pointed up the lack of direct in September, will enable AC Transit to complete the next two fiscal THE COVER - Safe driving can years without a serious financial shortfall. never be taken for granted, and con­ transit access to Contra Costa County tinued improvement in AC Transit courts, administrative offices, and health We are tackling redeployment of our resources with renewed vigor. AC facilities in Martinez. Subsequent survey Transit passengers and the public are invited to help us assess proposed safety statistics over more than a decade offer proof of the System's information identified riders on the line changes toward this goal at a public hearing Monday, July 9, 7:30 p.m. in emphasis on this key operating con­ as mainly District residents, many of the BART board room, -800 Madison St., Oakland (at Lake Merritt Sta­ cern. Monthly coffee and doughnut whom are totally dependent on public tion). celebrations, like this one at Rich­ transportation. Details of the proposals will be communicated to bus riders through a mond Division, are a long-standing For economical continuation of their comprehensive newsletter which will be distributed on buses beginning tradition, recognizing divisional trips, Line 30-Z passengers may transfer safety tallies which meet, or better, to another AC Transit bus, to a BART in mid-June. the established safe driving goal. The overall statistical picture is positive: train or BART express bus, or to frequency of buses in traffic accidents WestCAT Dial-A-Ride or 'County Con­ dropped 25% between Fiscal Years nection' service. 1969-70 to 1982-83. District-wide, The two-zone express route will be drivers averaged 16,600 miles per operated by AC Transit on a one-year accident last year while piloting pas­ trial basis, with hopes for improving both U!tl~4: sengers over a service area encom­ service and ridership. An updated and L.A. Kimball passing some of the Bay Area's revamped Line 30-Z route map and General Manager toughest, most heavily trafficked ter­ timetable is available from drivers or by rain. calling AC Transit Information. 3 2 Study seeks clues to best bus ride Move-in coordination group named Can we make buses quieter? Can we ball says. "We are experimenting with make them smoother? new materials, new designs and new As building contractors put finishing "This team will provide direct assis­ AC Transit is joining a private Califor­ ideas to see if we can come up with an touches on the new Central Maintenance tance to each and every maintenance nia firm to try to answer these questions improved product." facility, a special task force named by employee, making their work more effi­ in a noise and vibration study involving "And whatever the outcome, we will General Manager L. A. Kimball has been cient. The task force will go far to four District buses. Two 35-foot coaches have increased our information and un­ assigned the responsibility for smooth guarantee an outstanding maintenance and two 40-foot coaches are being rebuilt derstanding of the subject," he explains. opening and successful operation of the operation at this state-of-the-art facility with various materials and designs to ex­ Results of the testing will be used in complex at 105th Ave. and East 14th St. - now and in the years to come," he plore the possibility of reducing noise preparation of specifications for future in East Oakland. Maintenance will share added. and ground vibration. equipment orders, he said. Funding for the site with Purchases and Stores. Work is slated to start the end of May, the research project is being provided by Smooth start-up as the District begins working with a special grant from the State. The ad hoc group is charged with Pacific Bus Rebuilders, Inc., a Woodland several responsibilities in the transition company specializing in refurbishing of process as heavy maintenance activities older equipment. Cost for the initial Subsidized program offers are moved from the overcrowded phase is projected at $60,000, according Opportunities for employee Emeryville Division into the new facility to General Manager L.A. Kimball. Certificate or degree work beginning in July. "We want to look at alternatives to "We expect them to ensure a smooth what is currently on the market," Kim- Courses aimed toward career and per­ start-up as they oversee the opening of sonal advancement are the core of a Central Maintenance," Kimball stated. unique Regional Transit Association pro­ "And they will finish preparation of the It's golden summer for parks gram launched at Golden Gate Univer­ administrative guides and work manuals Residents and visitors can enjoy the sity, San Francisco, and also to be carried designed to give Central Maintenance out-of-doors the easy way by using AC out at other institutions of higher learn­ employees guidance, on a task-by-task Transit bus service to a variety of ing throughout the Bay Area, according basis, to make effective use of the new East Bay Regional Parks from now to Ben Davis, employee relations coor­ facility. " through Labor Day. dinator. Heading the five-member 'transition A special extension from the At least 25 District employees will join task team' is Gene Gardiner, assistant BART/Berkeley rail station will pro­ other transit people from San Francisco manager for research and planning, who Jeffrey Chang Lee Donnell vide access to Tilden Regional Park at Maintenance Maintenance Emeryville Division Emeryville Division hourly intervals between 11 a.m. and MUNI, BART, Golden Gate Transit, has been joined by Pam Granger, project 6:30 p.m. with regular fares being SamTrans, Santa Clara County Transit, coordinator; Donn DesBoine, assistant charged. An additional 25 cents will and the Metropolitan Transportation project coordinator; and Irvin Owle and allow patrons to board with bicycles. Commission in a series of classes leading Colby Swanson of Maintenance Depart­ Regular bus service provides access either to a Certificate in Transportation ment. to Temescal Regional Recreation Management or a bachelor's or master's When fully on line, Central Mainte­ Area, Redwood Regional Park, Crown degree. I nance will give the District capabilities Memorial State Beach, Point Pinole The Pilot Program is being funded by I, far beyond today's level of activities. The Regional Park, Don Castro Regional the Urban Mass Transportation Admin­ new facility will be fully equipped for in­ Recreation Area and Point Isabel istration, with plans to continue it based chassis diagnosis of drive trains for as­ Wlbert Fleming Steven Hopson Regional Shoreline in Richmond. Maintenance Maintenance on the evaluation of the first students' Seminary Division Emeryville Division Hikers can also use bus stops near sembly-line-like rebuilding of major recreational areas, including Alameda course work, Davis says.