Oh, AC Transit line 51, the bus everyone loves to hate. The inspiration for Facebook groups and random fits of rage through the East Bay.

The bus that, even when it was supposed to come every 10 minutes, you always seemed to spend at least 20 minutes waiting for.

But the simultaneously most popular and most reviled bus in the AC Transit system may soon be gone from us. Just one in a massive list of possible “service changes” announced by AC Transit is a proposal to eliminate the 51 and split its route into two separate lines–the 3 and the 4.

read more »

For those of you who drive, live and dwell on or around campus, or simply choose to walk rather than subject yourself to the whims, smells and sad resignation aboard the AC transit system, this year expect a seller’s market for bus pass stickers. Amidst a gaping deficit and, it would follow, looming budget cuts, it looks like bus prices are on the up and up. Our hands protectively cup our oh-so-valuably adorned read more »

The Clog does not like to revel in other people’s financial misery, especially in these times of economic woe. Therefore, we will to maintain a very somber tone when relaying the tragic tale of Billy, a 17-year-old S.F. resident whose skipped fare on one fateful Muni trip ultimately cost him 766 bucks.

Sound ridiculous? That’s because it is. What began as a simple case of a boy caught on an L-Taraval Metro without having paid his measly 50 cents escalated into an extravagant ordeal involving a citation mailed to the wrong address, a suspended driver’s license, an unexpected arrest and an impounded car.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so depressing. All ye users of AC transit, take heed, for what happened to Billy could easily happen to you—and with even greater frequency if this proposal goes through. If you’re going to screw the system, at least go for a little more stealth.

Image Source: wotthe7334 under Creative Commons
S.F. Teen’s Muni ride ends up costing $766 [SFGate]
Earlier: Feel Young Again

If you’ve ever had to take the 51 line, please accept our sincere condolences. We’ve been there as well—the long waits in wee hours of the morning, the inexplicable arrival of four buses at once, the overcrowding and the less-desirables (although, to be fair, that really isn’t limited to the 51). Maybe you’ve found yourself turning to anger management as a somewhat inadequate respite.

Well, all that is theoretically about to change, as AC Transit will be holding a series of open houses in response to the slew of complaints they’ve received about generally shoddy service. Any and all are urged to attend, share their horror stories and respond to a report the staff has compiled addressing usage and delays.

If you plan to catch a bus there, we recommend leaving home with plenty of time to spare.

Image Source: nafmo under Creative Commons
AC Transit Seeks to Change 51 Bus Line [Eye on Blogs]

Newsflash: Students sell their Class Passes to former students! OK, so you probably already knew that, but did you know that UCPD trolls craigslist looking to bust the sales? For reals.

Of course, those Class Passes are so alluring. Current students pay for the passes through mandatory fees. If former students want the same hookup, they’d have to shell out $560 for spring-summer AC Transit bus use, according to the Daily Cal. Damn.

Students also copy their passes and share them with friends, and their replicas are so good that the bus drivers can’t tell the difference. So what’s the moral of the story here? When in doubt, go to Copy Central–not craigslist. But you didn’t hear that from us.

Image Source: Chris Chung, Daily Cal
Officials Voice Concerns About Class Pass Resales, Fraud [Daily Cal]

They will, however, take you to watch President Elect Obama on the big screen. Get excited.

What: Obama Inauguration Big-Screen Community Viewing
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland
When: Tues., Jan. 20
Cost: $5

Image Source: April Isabel Angeles

With a new magnetic guidance system developed by engineers at UC Berkeley, bus drivers may become a thing of the past, and uh, I don’t think any of us would be too upset about that. The culmination of a 20-year research project by the California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH) and $320,000 of funding from Caltrans produced the first magnetic bus Friday, Sept. 5.

Apparently, the bus uses sensors mounted underneath it to detect magnets embedded under the pavement, essentially creating an auto-pilot bus system. I know what you’re thinking: without a driver behind the wheel, wouldn’t this system pose problems such as you know, running over pedestrians and not stopping people who don’t pay bus fare? read more »

 

 There were earthquakes, there were Treewoks and there was even the elusive messenger bag. But it’s not over yet.Remember your Class Pass from last semester, the one that expires Sept. 4? That’s next Tuesday, and the AC Transit bus drivers are not sympathetic to your anti-freshmen excuses. They may clog the lines and ride the 51 bus to Unit 1, but AC Transit doesn’t discriminate against freshmen—they hate all students equally.So just avoid the hassle. Grab a latte, read a syllabus and stand in the mostly-shady line. Hey, they already have your parents’ $58.50.The Cal 1 Card office, where you can get your nifty pass to the seat-free, hygiene-free and cash-free AC Transit buses, is open 9-5 Monday through Friday (except Labor Day). If we recall correctly, it’s one of the only University offices open before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., and they don’t close for lunch.And in case you travel by car and plan to brave the impending horrendous holiday traffic, remember that there will be a large hole preventing you from crossing the Bay Bridge this weekend. But hey—BART’s running all night service all weekend long, so you can finally feel like you live in a region that doesn’t sleep at night.Image Source: Skyler Reid, Daily Cal

The first thing you learn as a freshman is that the 51 bus will get you pretty much anywhere around Berkeley. The next thing you learn is that 1) it’s never on time and 2) you will see at least three (one right after the other) traveling in the opposite direction.

And so these revelations inspired a few normal students–just like you and us–to write haikus about nature. Well, the nature of buses, that is.

The original poster wrote:

bq. I always see you
As I pass by the bus stop
…Unless I need you

One person commented:

bq. the 51s go
one right after the other
both too full to board

Another suggested:

bq. twenty minutes pass
hours still with none in sight
rejoice! here comes three

Then Bears Necessity got in on the act, albeit a little bit off topic:

bq. Write about the bus
To get away from desk job
My internship sucks

Those were all very lovely, but how about one more, courtesy of the Clog?

I’m holding the bar,
Armpit odor in the air.
Babe, that smell’s all me.

Image Source: Skyler Reid, Daily Cal
Haiku in Ode to AC Transit [UCB LiveJournal Community]
Earlier: We Spy: Childish Pleasures in Berkeley