kneeler: pneumatic pistons installed at the front door of a coach that can lower the steps for those needing assistance in placing a load or themselves on to the first step
lift: another device located below the front steps of a bus that extends from the bus and on to the sidewalk to allow for a rolled object such as a wheel chair, grocery cart, or stroller to be loaded up to the aisle elevation without needing to go up the steps
avenues: numbered streets located out by Ocean Beach in the Sunset and Richmond neighborhoods of San Francisco
streets: numbered roads close-in to the city in the Financial District, the Mission, and area South of Market, or SOMA
islands: a set of land tips in the most remote location of the world, in the center of the Pacific Ocean, where a stressed out bus driver sometimes goes to in his mind, renamed since established in the Western world, by the Earl of Sandwich. Or: those concrete medians on Market Street that have a bus stop that takes you south of Golden Gate park to the Inner and Outer Sunset, or take you to an inbound terminal short of the Ferry Plaza.
curbs: referring to the stops on Market Street, downtown, that take you north of Golden Gate park, and can get you west much faster than the islands when on a weekend with a special event
crunch zone: a time and place to avoid on Muni, as items may get picked, or a fight or altercation may arise. the chances of a bus breakdown are high.
over there: a phrase to be avoided when addressing an operator. An answer of yes or no still results in no clarity about where to stand.
flat tire: a blemish or flattened tread in a city transit bus tire that can create a thumping noise at speeds over 15 mph
hot lunch: excreted body fluids on a seat or floor on a Muni bus
running time: the amount of time allowed spent on a treadmill at the gym on lunch break: or, that amount of time it takes to complete a trip on a run
leaving time: used by operations’ central control to mark a time for a revenue or shop appointment for an in-service coach, usually by the inbound terminal. This commonly refers to time on paddle that denotes time for a coach to start a trip, inbound or outbound
splits: day shift that allows for a two hour break in the middle of the shift
feng shui: literal translation is “wind-water,” that ancient practice of harmonizing with invisible energies
straight through: a shift with no break, save for some recovery time written-in on the paddle, which may or may not be true in reality.
owl: run that works from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
open run: no operator scheduled in front of you. (see: ‘Ninth Level of Hell’, or ‘Packed, Stacked, and Racked,’ in first book, Finding Zen)
timed transfer: a vanishing point, but still followed on the 22 Fillmore at Mission at night. 22’s will wait and see if a 14 is coming, so you can make the transfer. the 38 and 90 seldom make this, as with the L and 90. Get that run number!
Lojong: the mind training practice in Tibetan Buddhist tradition that treats disaster or adversity as a way to overcome trouble and pain by using the 59 Slogans.
the wiggle: a well marked bike route connecting the Panhandle with Market Street, avoiding any hills
e p u : auxiliary or battery mode whereby a trolley is not connected to the wires
l p o : late pull-out
a p c : automatic passenger counter, can be spotted by the red laser lights on either side of the steps, or above the door by the courtesy lights
v t t : verified transit training, in which a professional class b operator within a city transit system is re-qualified on bi-annual basis, as is a distinction from tour bus endorsement which carries no v t t card
range sheets: posted in the Gilley room at the barn where the line and run and bus pulls-out
g s u : general sign-up whereby an operator can change report barn and may mean use of different equipment or mode
Driver Doug is a twenty-nine year resident of the City by the Bay, and has been a transit operator for the San Francisco Municipal Railway for almost 20 years. His current run is on the 21 Hayes trolleybus line from the Ferry Plaza to Golden Gate Park. His interests include photography and writing, and this latest book, The Trolleybus of Happy Destiny, is a composition including anecdotes and photo illustrations from his experience behind the wheel of a city transit bus.
The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective 