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FAIR EXCHANGE Supervisor Loren Ball, who served s one of the PBX/Informationclerks during the strike, happily hands his headset back to Zada Malinak, customer serv- .ice supervisor. At right, Glenn Ashmore, maintenance superintendent, and Vincent McCarthz, foreman, change batteries at Emeryville Division to activate bus fleet.

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Back to business as usual

ON THE JOB End of walkout put central dispatchers, including J W.Hacking, left, back in radio communication with buses. Among busiest workerswere dispatchers like Donald Myers, who prepared new run assignments forreturning bus drivers.

GETTING READY Checking tires,before first bus rolled, was CharlesDonges, left. First driver out, E. G.Courant, receives transfers and assignment from dispatcher Warren Potts,then wheels out of Seminarlf Division,a bright light in midnight darkness.

ublic transit ro s againSl:riking employees rel:urn 1:0 work asDiscussions conl:inue on lahor conl:racl:

AC Transit workers returned to theirjobs and a special vVelcome Backthis month after a strike closed the property for 19 days.

The walkout ended after the Districtand Division 192, Amalgamated TransitUnion agreed to arbitrate recommenda-tions of a fact-finding committee.Bus drivers, in the meantime, weregiven an interim wage increase of 36cents an hour, bringing their hourly rateto $4.50. Other workers received a corresponding 8.7 percent increase .

The fact finders worked through 424union proposals and 131 District itemsbefore coming up with more than a dozenmajor issues it felt should be recommended. Disputed items include ultimateSuperior ourt judgeEmerges as masterediator of dispute

A persistent and determined judge was creditedwith working out the interim agreement whichgot buses back on the road.Legal representatives of AC Transit andDivision 192, Amalgamated Transit Union, werebefore Superior CourtJudge Robert L Bos-tick to argue the Dis-trict's contention thatunder Transit District

law union membersare for idden tostrike. The judge saidhe was going to rulein favor of strikingworkers, but in theme n t im e pressedeach side for actionJudge R L Bostick to end the strike. Hisefforts finally were successful.Both sides had a fundamental desire to getthe buses back in service and a real sense ofresponsibility to the public, Judge Bostick re-marked later.

From there it was just a matter of hammeringout details.Judge Bostick said he also had been friendswith both attorneys for over 18 years, withresulting mutual trust.

wage rates to be paid on the property,cost of living allowance, fringe benefitsand working conditions.

The welcome was shared jointly byemployees and their customers.Banners were hung at each division tocarry greetings to returning drivers ,mechanics and clerks. At the same time,car cards were posted on each coach, toexpress a welcome to passengers.End of the strike was happy news to200,000 riders, who daily use Districtbuses. People rolled out family automobiles, formed car pools, rode bicyclesor walked during the transit shutdown.Traffic jams affected freeways and theSan Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge,pointing up the important role of publictransit in avoiding traffic strangulationand air pollution.Automobile travel on the Bay Bridgeincreased 10 percent during commutehours, slowing motorists to the pointwhere it took some drivers over twohours to travel the span.

The exclusive bus lane, which bypasses congestion at the bridge toll plaza,was back in operation, giving transbaybuses a clear route to the TransbayTransit Terminal in San Francisco.First man out when the buses wentback into service was E. G Courant,5805 Harmon Ave., Oakland, who alsowas the first driver to roll without monetary stock when the Ready Fare plan ofriding went into effect two years ago.

Courant took his Line 83 owl run outof Seminary Division at 12:07 a.m. June20, while television cameras and a stillphotographer clicked away. A short timelater, a bus left Emeryville Division, thenRichmond yard. A standing crowd ofpassengers was aboard the first transbayLine A coach to leave San Franciscoterminal at 12:30 a.m.

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uses to have anti-smog kitsNew AC Transit buses will be

equipped with experimental smog controlkits and will have more attractive interiors .In awarding a contract last month forthe purchase of 15 new coaches to Gen eral Motors Corp., the Board of Directors called for optional equipment to improve transit riding and engine performance.Along with anti-smog packages, thenew buses will have ceiling paneling tothe top of standee windows, eliminatingthe traditional advertising frames.General Manager Alan L. Binghamnoted earlier that advertising revenuewould not be jeopardized, since the current fleet of nearly 700 buses alreadycontain racks and much of the space isunsold.

The smog control kits are expected toreduce air pollutants, odor and engine

noise.Five of the new buses will have thecomplete Environmental ImprovementProgram package, which includes an improved fuel injector and air filter, a rubber engine mounting to reduce noise anda vertical exhaust stack to help eliminatediesel exhaust odor.

The other 10 buses will have theEnvironmental Improvement Programkit, less the catalytic mufHer.To help offset expenses for desired improvements, the District agreed to accepta less expensive seat, at no loss of passenger comfort.

Total District expenditure for theGMC coaches including freight, is $483,-989.55, without taxes. Delivery is expected by early November.

The District has an option to buy anadditional 15 buses from GMC at a laterdate.

ssistant claims manager n medRobert L. Gettys, 43, has joined ACTransit as assistant claims manager with

headquarters at the General Offices.

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Gettys, who assumed the newlyew bus riding dataFeatured in yellowPages of phone bookBus riding infonnation is no further awaythan the yellow pages of the new PacificTelephone Directory.A description of AC Transit's bus routes

and a map of the system are on Pages 2, 3,4 and 5 of the yellow pages.Space is provided as a public service oythe telephone company, putting transit infonnation at the fingertips of the more than500,000 phone customers who annually receive the free "best seller."

f additional assistance is needed, it's nofurther away than a toll-free call to TransitInformation (Oakland, 653-3535; Hayward,582-3035; Richmond, 232-5665; San Francisco, 434-4334).

created position last month, formerlywas claims manager for Mission Insurance Co. in San Francisco.He began his ca

reer as an insuranceadjuster and laterbecame a regionalexaminer. In 1967he was named assistant claims manager for ContinentalInsurance Group inSan Francisco. Twoyears later he be- Robert Gettyscame claims manager for Mission Insurance .A native of Iowa, Gettys is a Navyveteran and a graduate of Stanford University . He and his wife, Mary Anne,have four children. They live at 5224California St., San Francisco.Gettys' hobbies range from fishing tomodel airplanes.

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Driver honored foroflert reporting

Fire bomb blaze

FIRE BOMB HERO Richmond operator\Varren E Kummer receives service citationfrom Alan L. Bingham general manager.A new bus driver has been given anAC Transit community service citationfor saving the Berkeley office of the Ala

meda County Welfare Department fromdestruction by a gasoline fire bomb.The citation was presented to WarrenE. Kummer, 26, of 3996 La Colina Rd.,

El Sobrante, at a meeting of the Boardof Directors.Kummer was at the wheel of a Line72 bus southbound on San Pablo Ave. inBerkeley shortly after 4 a.m. Friday, May1 when he spotted "a fire burning prettygood" in the front of the building at2530 San Pablo.

He immediately radioed the District'scentral dispatching headquarters andstood by , with his load of seven or eight

regular early morning riders, until thefire department arrived minutes later.Police said someone used a brick tosmash a hole in the front window of theoffice and dropped in two crude firebombs. Only one exploded, apparentlyseconds before Kummer saw the flames.The citation was given by the Districtfor Kummer's "outstanding contribution

to the betterment of his community andthe well-being of his fellow citizens."

He was one of three men rescued fromthe bay in 1965 when a new Coast Guardboat broke up in heavy seas while enroute to Sausalito. They radioed for helpand were down in water to the gunnels,"Kummer recalled, when another boatarrived and rescued them.

Survey reveals us riding patternBuses were carrying 55 percent ofpeople crossing the Bay Bridge during

peak commute hours- an 11 percent gainover last year's total-at the time servicewas interrupted by a strike.Although an increasing number ofcommuters switched to public transportation, the bridge handled more carsthan ever-with fewer riders per car.

During the 6:30 to 8 :30 a .m. peak, thenumber of car passengers decreasedfrom 20,388 counted a year ago, to19,309 this year. The number of cars

increased, from 14,343 last year, to15,243 automobiles on the span duringthe same peak hours this year, a surveymade by the Institute of Transportationand Traffic Engineering, University ofCalifornia, showed.

It takes 476 buses to do the job oftransporting 17,897 riders during theperiod, according to the survey.Since AC Transit went into operationalmost 10 years ago, transbay patronagemore than doubled, while car passengersincreased 3.5 percent.

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THE TIMES, THEY ARE A CHANGINThe place? Broadway in downtown Oakland, between 13th and 14th Streets. Thetimes? In the photo above, around 1910,when the horse, automobile and trolley carlived together in relative harmony. The Kellycar passing through the intersection wasknown t.o its riders as the old ladies' comfort, the ultimate in easy boarding for longskirted females. By 1945-46 (photo at leftby Waldemar Sievers), the horses were longgone, skirts were shorter, but streetcars stillheld sway at the same busy iunction . In thephoto below, taken shortly after Broadwaywas restored following the placement .ofBART in the basement, AC Transit busesshare the road with the ever-present automobile and a mini-skirted lass. Today theyoung ladlf would have to pick her wayaround construction work, pmt of the streetbeautification program underwat/ o.n Broadway. (Photos, Harre Demoro collection)

pril revenue mprovesBusiness activity was on the upswing during April, with lare box revenue and the number 01 riders carried showing an increase, compared to the.ame month a year ago.Pm.senge r revenue totaled $1,380,153, up $93,306 or 7.25 percent overfare box revenue 01 $1,286,847, lor April, 1969. On East Bay lines, passenge rs revenue was $738,419, an increa

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William E E GuyWarren Robert M.Copeland Ray HRinehart ClaudeDaughtry JohnMcDonnell William Jettencourterk

ct ions o the oardAt an adjourned regular meeting May27, the Board of Directors: , Adopted recommendations of Special Bus Evaluation Committee to award

contract for purchase of buses to General Motors Corp, at total unit cost of34,144,67 including taxes, on motion ofDirector McDonnell. See story, Pg. 4) Adopted resolution authorizing General Manager to contract with GMC formanufacture and delivery of 15 to 30coaches, on motion of Director McDonnell Adopted advertising budget of193,436 for forthcoming fiscal year, onmotion of Director McDonnell.

Execul ives named 1:0Research commil l ee

Two chief transit executives from theBay Area have been named to a new national committee to evaluate researchproposals for the entire transit industry.Alan L Bingham, AC Transit generalmanager, and B. R Stokes, general manager of Bay Area Rapid Transit, willserve on the 12-man advisory board.

The group will provide operating ex-perience and technical ability againstwhich new research proposals may be

AC TransitLatham Square BuildingOakland, California 94612

Iransi imesPublished monthly by the

ALAMEDA CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT508 16th St., Oakland California 94612Telephone 415) 654-7878

BOARD OF DIRECTORSWILLIAM E BERK PresidentWard II

E GUY WARREN . . . .Ward V

ROBERT M. COPELANDRAY H. RINEHART . . . .CLAUDE DAUGHTRY . . .JOHN McDONNELLWM. J. BETTENCOURT . . .MANAGEMENT

. Vice PresidentDirector at LargeDirector at Large Ward I Ward III . . Ward IV

ALAN L BI NGHAM . . . . General ManagerHAROLD M. DAVIS Assistant General Managerfor PersonnelGEORGE M. TAYLOR . Assis tant General Manager. . . for Administration and District SecretaryHOWARD D BEEBE Purchases and Stores Mgr.E SAM DAVIS Research and Planning ManagerVIRGINIA B DENNISON Public Information Mgr.OZRO D. GOULD Claims ManagerANTHONY R LUCCHESI . . Maintenance ManagerROBERT E NISBET . . . . . . . . AttorneyDONALD J. POTTER . . . Transportation ManagerWARREN E ROBINSON . Transportation EngineerROBERT D TOUGH . . . Treasurer-ControllerGORDON G. WADSWORTH . . Safety Engineer1____________ 9 ~

measured before public funds are committed by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.Another California transit executive,Samuel Nelson, general manager ofSouthern California Rapid Transit, alsowas named to the board.

Formation of the committee was announced by John Paul Jones, presidentof the American Transit Association.

Return RequestedHAHbAHA J H U D ~ O NINSTI1UTE OF GOV109 MOSES HALL

PSTUDIES