My List of City Slogans of the San Francisco Bay Area

The Chronicle did a funny article about odd slogans that is used around the SF Bay Area. For example, San Francisco: "The city that knows how."

So here's my list of local Bay Area cities. If you don't understand what it means, you don't read the news or live in the Bay Area:

• San Francisco: ""Home" of disgraced ex-supervisor Ed Jew."
• San Francisco: "Muni sucks."
• San Francisco: "Blaming problems on the Mayor on a daily basis."
• San Francisco: "We've got bums."
• San Francisco: "Locals hate tourists. Get off the Cable Car and don't visit Pier 39."
  
• Berkeley: "Smokin' weed and the know it all Cal students sleeping in trees."
  
• Burlingame: "That's our international airport! Why did San Francisco claim it?"
  
• Oakland: "Who the hell is Mayor Ron Dellums?"
• Oakland: "Birthplace of Kaiser Permanente, damn that's creepy."
  
• San Jose: "Kickin' San Francisco's butt on a daily basis."
• San Jose: "Home of silicone valleys... we do boob jobs instead of making computer chips these days."
  
• Daly City: "We still use plastic bags and styrofoam boxes."
• Daly City: "Lower sales tax rate and we've got TARGET!"
  
• Sausalito: "Small town, expensive toll bridge nearby."
• Milpitas: "Outlet shopping galore."
• Emeryville: "Sold out to IKEA."

Translink Card Bay Area - How I would fix it

Ever since the Metropolitan Transportation Commission started their "Translink" program, I was there to help out their pilot program to test-out the program to assure that there will be no major problems to get it running in the future.

For about two or so years, I was primarily a pilot tester for San Francisco's Muni by using the product on their metro trains, but I was also issued a monthly sticker pass that I had to attach to my card to also use on other Muni transit vehicles.

One of the big advantages of the card is that I could load cash onto the card and use it on a limited number of transit agencies in the Bay Area, and I primarily stuck with BART, Golden Gate Ferry, and of course, Muni. I actually took transit more often just to try the card and visit some fun places like neighborhoods outside of SF and Great America.

Yet, out of all that "fun" of experimenting with the card, I hit several snags that made the experience interesting, but also rough on the edges. It was amusing that I contacted the Translink customer service center so many times that the people I talked to knew who I was.

The real problem with the Translink program stems from their poor implementation of the system, especially when it comes to installing the product on every single transit vehicle and station. When I was a tester for the program, the card worked very well on card readers that were permanently installed on train platforms/stations, and even the Golden Gate Ferry terminals. The permanently installed card readers were always on and 100% reliable, and that meant that I had a confident ride on-board public transit. The best experience is by taking the Golden Gate Ferry where all riders, regardless of being a daily user or infrequent user, would get the discount rate that was sometimes nearly 50% off the price of a ride across the bay. Muni Metro stations were not that bad, but because some stations only have one agent at one of the two booths, you sometimes had to tag the card and enter through the emergency gate. Caltrain was not so bad either, but the train conductors were not prepared to read the card, and had to fetch the card reader, which some had a little bit of a challenge to operate.

My solution: Install the program on permanent platforms first. Get it started on Caltrain first, because it will be the easiest to gain confidence with the public. Then, continue with installing it on BART, because the technology is already on the new faregates to read it. Lastly, get the product on the bus vehicles.

But let's talk about the bus vehicles. I've encountered a number of issues, including card readers that were marked "out of service" and not even turned-on. VTA buses were a real problem because it was supposedly installed on certain routes, but the readers were always broken. When they were installed on a majority of SF Muni metro trains, they worked when they were on; but when it was not powered-on, I practically had to teach the driver to turn-on the machine (just press the red button, and no it does not turn on the fire alarm... ok?). The problem with the card readers is that it has a slow startup time, and if you live at a bus terminal where they turn off their engines to not annoy the neighbors, you'd think that Translink sucks because the machine only operates when the engine runs. Plus, with the slow start-up time, would you just pay in cash or just say, I'll wait until the bus driver erupts in rage that he/she can't drive-off because you are still in front of the yellow line?

My solution: Why not put back-up batteries in each card reader, and when the bus is off, the batteries kick in, and when the bus is operating, it charges them. We have those electronic parking meters in San Francisco that runs on batteries (with no recharging capabilities), and they last quite a long time. Even better, upgrade the software for a quick start-up in less than 15 seconds. In just 30 seconds, the bus driver at the terminal is ready to leave after warming-up the engine.

Lastly, I've asked Translink on a number of occasions throughout the years about what's the progress, and they keep saying that it will be ready soon, and then later, and then years later. What's the delay? Can't they just cut the red tape and simply install it? If the price of the project keeps rising, wouldn't it be cheaper on the taxpayers if they just hurry and get it up and running?

I think the news said that the project originally cost about $38 million, but after all these years, it went through the roof to $150 million. If a contractor can rebuild a collapsed section of a highway ramp for a $5 million dollar bonus in less than a few weeks, would it be also worth it to just hire a contractor, train them, and give the company a nice bonus of lets say, $10 million to complete the project by a short deadline? If the project kept slacking-off and completion of the project would be in another two years, more than likely the cost of the project may hit $200 million; so if we are stuck at $150 million today, a $10 million bonus for a contractor to finish in lets say three to six months would be totally worth it.

Translink and Public Transit in the Bay Area

If you haven't read the article about San Francisco Muni (public transportation system), you should read this first before you continue reading my blog. Click here for the article.

I remember that I had to ride Muni during my years in high school and during college for at least three years, and what a nasty experience that was.

During high school, it was the year of the "Muni Meltdown" where the metro was so bad, that you were stuck in the tunnel with more than ten trains ahead of you to get out of the tunnel, and the bus drivers were going nuts. I remember waiting for over a hour, having two buses pass by because they were so packed. Another time, a driver intentionally passed the bus stop I was waiting for, and say goodbye to that driver!

During college, I attended City College of San Francisco and that was a horrible experience. I rode the 29 sunset directly to CCSF and I had a major argument with one of the drivers. I complained numerous times to their complaint department, and after that did not work, I complained directly to the head of Muni that the driver continuously refuses to stop at a legal bus stop, and that the city must respray the poles and the pavement that it is a legal stop.

It took three months to get that resolved, but by then, I did not have any more confidence in that bus line. I found alternate routes to get to campus:

To campus: 38L, transfer to 28L, transfer to M, transfer to K. Still made it in same amount of time that the 29 would take.
Another route to campus: 38AX, transfer to K. Made it to campus earlier than the 29.
Another, more expensive route: 38AX, transfer to BART, transfer to 15 line. Still made it to campus earlier than the 29.

To home: 29, transfer to the 18. 29 sometimes intentionally stopped for five minutes, just so they did not get caught by the inspector.
Another route: K line, transfer to L, transfer to 28, transfer to 38L. Still faster than the 29 direct.

Geesh, the 29 is the worst line around. Their route makes too many turns, and makes too many frequent stops. They need more direct turns, and needs exceptions to "no left turn" zones, especially at 19th avenue, where they must turn right to get to Irving to get to 19th avenue.

Now, I drive to SF State. It's better paying $20 a week in parking fees versus $45 a month, plus fees to talk to a psych doctor.


Has anyone tried Translink yet?
This program is a universal transit fare card that you use to pay for all Bay Area public transit. I was a pilot tester in 2001 and I enjoyed the technology because I did not have to grab change, and all my passes were stored on the card.

The big problem I had with the card is that some drivers were really incompetent about the process, I was charged twice in a few incidents when I paid for my passes, and the delays to implement the system.

The delays to establish the system were very poor, it does not take three years to get it installed it on two transit systems, the goal was to install the system on all transit by this year. It will not be until 2010 until that's ready. That sounds similar to the Bay Bridge project that will be until 2013, when it should have been ready by now.

Also a good fact, the price for the project has shot-up every single year. Why do they need to waste more of my tax money, when it should have been ready by now?

Read more about Translink here: KGO's website

Let's summarize my rants:
Muni sucks, the 29 is real poor.
I can find faster alternatives, and cover twice the distance.
Translink is a great program, but delays in the program is very bad.