Whitecaps Forum
Members: See the new items in Events 8/112008
What's WRONG with the Stagecoach?
Before going into the present discussion, a little background is in order. As explained elsewhere, transportation has been a topic of concern and discussion
for many years. When I was on the board of West Marin Senior
Services I was appointed a committee of one to try to do something,
anything to improve the transportation problems. After a year I had
accomplished absolutely nothing and told the other members the best
contribution I could make was to resign. Not long after, Phil Binley
took up the lonely task. He came up with the idea of setting up a
demonstration project for a fixed route system, lasting three to six
months, to see if such a system were feasible and would be used. He
went before the Board of Supervisors to try for twenty to
twenty-five thousand dollars support for the experiment. Steve
Kinsey saw an opportunity to provide some public transit for all of
West Marin and he and the Marin Transit District's John Loll did all
the dreary work getting through a half dozen agencies', federal,
state and local, requirements. A group of us acted as an advisory
committee on such matters as bus-design, routes, schedules, even
decoration for the buses. Allowing for the usual settling-in things
have gone rather well ever since.
After the demonstration mentioned in the News section Marilyn
Schauf sat down with a group of our members and asked why they don't
use the Stagecoach service. The answers mostly settled around the
word "fear". For instance, fear was expressed over being stranded,
missing the bus or finding it already filled. The word was used in
conjunction with the drop-off points (want to get to downtown, the
Depot, in Mill Valley) , availability of toilets, getting on
with heavy groceries, transferring to other services and so on. Some
of these fears are not based in fact and some are easily addressed
and some could be managed but take some effort.
There is one problem that is universal and difficult to answer - how
do you get to the bus stop and on returning, how do you get home?
On the Stagecoach website, on the page called
Other Information we find this:
Route Deviations
ADA eligible riders may schedule deviations (off-route pickup and dropoffs) within 3/4 miles of bus route by calling (415) 526-3239.
No deviations will be made on weekends on the South Route 61. Instead, call Whistlestop Wheels at (415) 454-0964 for weekend paratransit service.
Stagecoach service may not meet every transportation need, so please call (415) 526-3239 regarding any other mobility problems or to let us know how you can help us to improve this service.
Now, as the Hippies used to say, they're just shuckin' and jivin' on this
deviation business. Supposing I am returning on the bus and at the Mesa Road
stop sign on the Olema Road I ask the driver to "deviate" to my house on
Mesa at Overlook - how does he/she know whether that is within the 3/4 mile
limit? Is there a map? If so, why isn't it made public? (Trust me - there
isn't one.) Same question if I call in and try to book a deviation to pick
me up at my house - is there a map for whoever it is that answers the phone?
To give you an idea of what a map might reveal I've used Google's driving
instructions to show a few limits, how far 3/4 of a mile reaches - and they
are very revealing. First, are two maps for Bolinas showing the reach from
the Mesa-Olema branch point and the other from the terminal stop at Wharf
and Brighton:
As you can see, neither route gets you near more than a few houses - so all the others living on the gridded mesa would still have to find some sort of transportation
to get to the pickup point. The situation in Stinson Beach is just the
opposite.
As you can see a 3/4 mile deviation from Highway 1 and Arroyo takes you
past the Seadrift entrance. In other words, all the homes in the Calles
are within reach. Starting from the Calle Del Mar bus stop all but some houses at the
crest are within reach. This suggests a way we might force the transit
district to pay attention to this problem. I'll bring it up at
the next Whitecaps meeting.
So what is this all about? Why do they publish this stuff about deviations when they clearly have no expectation of fulfilling it?
Well, it's the usual - money. The Stagecoach is subsidized with money from
the Americans with Disabilities Act (which is why you have to be qualified
under ADA to ask for the extra service). In other words, they are using ADA
money with no real expectation of having to provide extra services for
seniors - we are subsidizing the commuters, high school kids, visitors and
able locals.
As if to rub our noses in it, they add that last piece flummery:
Whistlestop does not provide service in West Marin, certainly not on
weekends - who the hell do they think they're kidding?
Roger Kovach
Post Script: There is a related problem in using the deviation service. Buses are very strictly regulated as to where they can pull over and stop for loading or unloading purposes. Lillian Letter made the mistake of using the Stagecoach once and the driver wouldn't let her out at the top of her driveway on the Olema Road, took her several hundred feet down the road to the big clearing and dumped her there - this in observance of safety rules mind you! If it hadn't been for a Highway Patrol officer who observed the whole thing and was decent enough to pick her up and drop her at her door she might have expired out there.