San Francisco Bike Blog

So says someone who is actually dependent on the bus — someone who has actually ridden the new Cleveland BRT:

Mr. Litt:

I do not agree with your glowing praise of the RTA HealthLine bus [corridor] (PD 11-09-08.) The bus shelters are too confusing. They have fare boxes that don’t work, or accept bus passes. So, riders don’t know where to stand on the platform, or which door to enter to get on the bus. And there is a large gap between the bus and platform, which is dangerous and could cause severe injury if a passenger slips and their leg is caught in this 24 inch deep opening.

The new shelters only have 3 seats — metal seats that freeze in the winter, and are colder than traditional wood or plastic benches. So riders have to stand while waiting for the bus. Why? Every shelter along Euclid Avenue has only 2-3 seats for the many people who ride this route. Especially at rush hour, when 10-20 people board the bus, going home from work. Is this good customer service?

The HealthLine cost $200 million and runs every ten minutes, yet it is frequently standing room only. The first time I rode this bus, I expected to see a large roomy bus with many seats. But upon closer inspection, when I examined the bus and counted the seats, I discovered that the super size extra long HealthLine bus only has about 40 seats — less than half the seats of a traditional bus. And half of the seats are situated along the side of bus are on raised platforms, making it difficult for seniors and disabled to step onto the platform.

This platform also juts into the aisle making it a one aisle lane. To get off the bus, passengers have to squeeze past the standing passengers. Hey, this is just like the old No. 6 bus line, only even more crowded. Wow! What an improvement!

If you personally ever ride this bus, (and from your praise, it is evident that you have not had this thrilling experience yet), please take a tape measure with you and discover for yourself that each seat measures only 18″ across.

Does this seem like a comfortable size seat for anyone over the age of five? And since the seats are side by side, passengers have to sit thigh to thigh. Why is that? Imagine how exciting this will be in the summer time when the weather is 98 degrees and everyone is wearing shorts!

This first time I rode this bus, I did not know which shelter went eastbound and which went westbound. There were no signs. So I watched as the bus passed me by, and I had to walk two blocks to the next stop.

I have ridden the Healthline only 3 times, because I had appointments that were past the Trolley route. I dread taking the HealthLine bus, and try to take the Trolley whenever possible.

I give you permission to publish this letter.

Jeanne Coppola

[The bold is mine.]

The only people who like BRT are the people who are not dependent on transit, do not have to ride the bus, have not ridden the bus, and are not overly enamored of the thought of providing dignified transportation to working-class people.

It also goes to show the wide reality divide between those in the press and everyone else. BRT cheerleading from BRT proponents like Streetsblog and Streetfilms does not leave one hopeful for a better ‘new’ media.

Leave comment (1)

[p.s. The Forums are open for participation.]