1) No memo (until this afternoon) detailing the route, replacement stops
etc.
2) Central Control did not know the location of these stops, I had to
contact passengers to find out, they got it from the newspaper
3) The switch through which ALL Market St trolleycoaches turn from
Mission onto Main is set for occassional use...to activate the switch,
your bus must be turned 30-45 degrees (we also have turn signal
activated switches which are supposed to be ``used in high traffic
locations'', management chose not to install one here). The only
problem with this is that the wires are over the right lane, and the
switch is located prior to the intersection. If you follow Muni
Training's recommendations for activating a `position' switch (start
turning when your seat is underneath the switch, with the bus located
under the overhead) you will not activate the switch and will lose your
poles. You cannot make the switch from the right lane, because you
would run over the curb and sideswipe a support pole before you were
turned enough. You must turn from the left lane (or at least split the
lanes and also run over the curb). AAARRRGGHHH!...so ALL the
trolleycoaches that use run on Market were either losing their poles and
blocking ALL Market, Mission and Main St Muni traffic, or using both
lanes of westbound Mission and causing added congestion.
EVERY bus that goes to the Ferry Terminal from Market OR Mission, as
well as every 1/41 that uses the Howard Terminal now uses Main St!
Every trolleycoach uses this one wire: Market St (difficult right from
Mission, bad traffic left to Market); Mission St (left from Mission,
right to Market); 1/41 (straight move)
The Main St bus stop is located at Mission (farside), and while it is a
long stop, current practice and passenger habits, and the stop shelter
block more than one bus from using the stop at a time. How many drivers
want to take the abuse for stopping 60 feet past the shelter in the
rain? Generally, all Mission buses and 1/41 buses stop here
contributing to Market St delays.
Expect delays for the next 8 weeks on Market St/Ferry Terminal
service...I will post if improvements are made.
Robert Parks
(now it's Saturday!)