Survey suggests variety of options which Could meet needs of elderly, handicapped It would take a combination of services, sociates, consultants who conducted the priced from $4 mi Ilion to $18 mi Ilion a study, include: year, to take care of the unmet transit .Zonal Dial-A-Ride, feeding to BART, needs of elderly and handicapped people at an estimated annual cost qf $18 million, in East Bay cities, according to a six-month or $14 a passenger trip. study. • Taxi ride discounts, providing the I concluded my business in Los Angeles Jerry Lee Purvis, driver of a Route 15 A detai led survey has turned up 660 same type of door step service, estimated rather late and flew to San Francisco .. bus, is to be commended for his special at­ people out of a popUlation of 1,133,000 to cost up to $14 million annually, or $11 after several inquiries and delays, I made tention to the needs of his passengers. East Bay residents who could get to a bus per one-way ride. my way to the East Bay (Trans bay Transit) Monday mOl ning . .. he parked his stop but need a wheelchair lift on regular • Lower front steps and more handrails Terminal. west-bound bus at the East 31 st St.- High­ AC Transit bus service. on existing service, with zonal contract I t was then that I met (Supervisor land Hospital stop to personally escort a Initial costs to equip the 9OO-bus fleet Dial-A-Ride for severely handicapped, Trainee) lavery Morrison . This gentleman blind passenger across the street and into with lifts is estimated at more than $8 priced up to $10 million, or $5.40 per trip. tried every conceivable way to route me the hospital building. million. Annual cost to maintain and • Wheelchair lifts and lower steps on close to Walnut Creek. Failing that, he at­ This action is typical of the high stan­ replace the lifts is estimated at $990,000 or regular buses, coordinated with transporta­ tempted to help me find inexpensive local dart\s of concern for passenger welfare and $27.50 per one-way trip for wheelchair tion provided by social service agencies, lodging. safety that we have come to expect from users. estimated at $4 million, or $3 .57 per one­ At this point, (Driver) Marjorie Ezell en­ the staff of A.c. Transit. The projections are based on 100 trips a way trip. tered his office. He explained my situation R. G . Jcnevein day by persons in wheelchairs using fixed­ All four alternatives include a relatively to this lady and she most graciously offered Oakland route service. low cost package involving driver training, to drive me to Walnut Creek after she Actually, a six-month study ordered by priority seating for the elderly and han­ returned her bus to the yard. * * * AC Transit found a variety of unmet dicapped, teletype equipment for a deaf These two people are more than dedi­ I'm deeply grateful to you for mailing transit needs among elderly and handicap­ transit information service and an "Out­ cated employees. AC Transit is indeed for­ my wallet to me. Fortunately, when I'm a ped people in 13 cities - San Pablo south reach" program to inform the elderly and tunate to employ Mr. Morrison and Ms. patient in a hospital, as I was when the to Hayward plus Fremont and Newark. handicapped in use of existing public Ezell. wallet was stolen, I carry just a few dollars. transportation. Gary E. Barnabo I had also removed all of my credit cards, Costly alternatives Stamford, Conn. driver's license and other items that could The study proposed transit alternatives be used by someone else. ranging from a full Dial-A-Ride system to THE COVER - Working Foreman * * * This would be a much better world in wheelchair lifts and lower bus steps, coor­ Wayne West of Seminary Division which to live if everyone had your kind­ dinated with social service agency feeder checks the hydraulic system actuat­ ing experimental lift, retracts lift I ride the L Line at 8: 15 a.m. from the EI ness and courtesy in helping someone else. services. The price tags range from $4 Thank you with all my heart. into coach door and inspects Cerrito Plaza. I haven't gotten a scat for at million to $18 million a year. wheelchair securement devices inside least two weeks, and have been left several Mrs. Elmer G. Taggart Each alternative represents a tremen­ vehicle. Maintenance and Safety times because the bus was too full. Please Berkeley dous increase over AC Transit's present departments are working to perfect consider additional bus service at this (Ed. Note: Letter was addressed to Lorrie cost of 83 cents per passenger trip in the the prototype prior to testing in ac­ hour. I do think that us folks that get on at Trevino, Customer Services Center) East Bay urban area. tual service. Once the departments the end of the line (just before it goes on * * * The study, first major assessment of are satisfied with the lift's perfor­ the freeway) have it pretty bad. transportation problems of the elderly and mance, the coach is slated for service Nancy Taylor Before I leave Oakland I want to thank handicapped in the AC Transit service tramporting elderly and handicap­ Berkeley area, found approximately 66,000 transit ped riders in Concord. Environmen­ you for your wonderfully efficient AC tal Equipment Corp. of San Leandro (Ed. Note: We regret any inconvenience Transit system. You deserve everyone's handicapped, or about six percent of the provided the lift for testing of the that you have experienced. Contilluing praise for the super service that your com­ total population. Most, however, can use newly-developed design. Cost of the evaLuation q!'trl/nsbay traffic reveaLs Line L pany gives the pUblic. the existing bus system, but with some test will be covered by revenues patronage has increased. To baLance pas­ I wish I could say "thank you" to every difficulty. available to the City of Concord, senger loading and minimize allY need fOr driver I've had. They're the greatest! Un met transit needs amount to about which currently has a contract with riders to stand, we added two lIIornillg bus Dorothy Gordon 7,700 one-way trips per average weekday. the District for transit service. trips to Lille L service this lIIonth.) Oakland Total systems suggested by Crain & As- 2 3 He has no current plans to move from his Point Richmond apartment for a leisure-oriented life elsewhere, preferring to stay put and to enjoy the bachelor life. Oregon bound A move from Oakland to Oregon, where Leroy Boardman A.M. Daniels, Jr. Benton Tomlin he expects to make good use of the golf course across the street from his home in District retirees Creswell, near Eugene, is the first order of retirement business for Leroy Boardman. Tell leisure plans When he retired Oct. 1 at age 60, Board­ man had completed nearly 31 years of tran­ After long careers sit service, beginning with two years on When Benton Tomlin, 55, retired Aug. 1 streetcars. These "fascinated" him so much oIid camp-alp!!.. after 15 years as a driver, it was his second that he changed occupations - he was pre­ career farewell. He had retired after 22 viously an auto mechanic - for the oppor­ Media message is delivered by riders years of Navy service before joining AC tunity of operating them. When they were Positive public reaction to TV commer­ advantages of taking the bus. Transit in 1962. phased out in 1948, his subsequent 29 years cials featuring Oakland Raider Phil Villa­ Some of these comments: Tomlin and wife Ruth, who had lived in were spent operating buses out of piano has spawned anothcr season "on the "(The bus is) quicker and faster and Alameda, chose to spend their retirement Emeryville Division. tubc" for Villapiano as AC Transit's media cheaper - it's pure economics." (Piedmont years in Summit City, Calif., a hunting and Besides golf, leisure time activities plan­ "star" . But in the new spots now being rider) fishing paradise where the Tomlin's ned by Boardman include fishing (using shown on Bay Area stations, Villapiano "It's just easier than driving. I can climb mobile home is located just six blocks his own boat) and travel. He and wife has two "co-stars" - Waverly Jenkins and on and forget about driving." (Albany from Shasta Dam. His most recent fishing Martha, who'll retire from her 14-year Ann Vanderslice, both AC Transit patrons. rider) outing at the dam, using his own boat, gar­ position as an Oakland librarian this year, In the commcrcials, filmed locally, "The reason I started riding was to con­ nered a catch of 10 trout, he reported, plan a trip next year to the Virgin Islands Villapiano is shown strolling casually with serve gas." (Fremont rider) adding that he also expected to take advan­ and the Caribbean. Jenkins and Vanderslice as they explain New radio commercials, also featuring tage of the fine deer hunting opportunities why they find riding the bus a convenient remarks from riders, begin in January. this season. Redding is home and efficient alternative to driving. The year's media plan also includes out­ Tomlin was with Emeryville Division, Fifteen years of Air Force duty - dur­ The 30-second spots conclude with one door posters and posters on buses. mostly on Line 51, during his entire period ing both the Korean and Viet Nam con­ of nine different messages, spoken by with AC Transit.