I've Been Commissioned
Friday, September 22, 2006 at 1:09pm 12 comments (last by Jamison)
I need to update this a lot more often because on the tuesday before last, Mayor Gavin Newsom swore me in to the MTA Citiczen Advisory Council. Our transit agency, Muni, does not have the best reputation (the Metro stopped running again this week, a computer problem this time) nor does the Dept. of Parking and Traffic which many don't think does enough (unless you're on the wrong end of a parking ticket). The MTA was created a few years back to oversee and reform both organizations and the CAC is there to give the voice of the public, or the what the voice of the public would probably be if they knew all the little details.
My district supervisor, Bevan Dufty, recommended me to the Mayor after a few conversations about Muni problems. With an interaction design background, I view Muni's biggest problem (and I mean that in the sense of being very visible, there are operational and financial problems less obvious) is that of signs, maps and other information. Bevan got there would be a lot of benefit for little costs. Take a look at The Wayfinding Project to see what can be done by just through changing signs.
I was surprised when I got a call one morning from the Mayor's office, after just one meeting, letting me know it was pretty much a done deal and he was appointing to the CAC.
Gavin Newsom had some kind words for me at the swearing in ceremony and Bevan has reminded me more than once that Gavin himself started his career with an appointment to the DPT CAC.
12 Comments
Eric C. Friday, September 22, 2006 at 6:01pm
Congratulations, Jamison! I'm sure you'll do a stellar job.
jesse Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 11:09am
That's excellent news Jamison, congrats.
Jamison Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 8:47pm
Thank you for the support everyone. I'm going to do my best.
James Sunday, September 24, 2006 at 11:27pm
Congratulations on the appointment!
I wanted to urge you to be a champion of Nextbus.com -- a very useful source of up-to-the-minute information about Muni bus arrival times. It needs to be extended to *all* Muni lines and better advertised! And it should be fully integrated with 511 information as well.
Best,
James
PS Unofficial nextbus information about many bus lines –
1,3,4,5,6,7,14,21,22,24,30,31,33,41,45,49; F,J,K,L,M,N,S; Cable Car Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde, California
– is available at:
Jamison Monday, September 25, 2006 at 10:05am
NextBus was supposed to be fully rolled out by this fall, but I think that has slipped until years end.
It will be branded as Next Muni (given cable cars, trolleys and metro are all rail) and digital displays will be installed in every bus shelter which has power conduit to run it. The total is about 400 (out of 1200) shelters that will be getting displays.
We were supposed to be presented at our last meeting with the new shelter designs, but it had to be pushed back until next month. Because island stops (like those in the center of Market Street) do not have power, they won't be getting information displays, but I've got it written down to find out about future plans with shelter replacement and the possibility of solar power since conduit isn't available.
As for 511... As it is now their trip planner is a bad joke which never gives me worthwhile directions. The MTC is responsible for good 511.org integration. AC Transit and Emery-Go-Round are both using NextBus which is all the more reason the MTC should make their trip planner better because they can solve it for three agencies in one go.
Steve Boland Monday, September 25, 2006 at 11:00am
To paraphrase the stencils all over sidewalks these days, your appointment gives me hope, Jamison ;-)
And yes, MEMO TO JAMISON: solar.
Patrick Carroll Saturday, September 30, 2006 at 10:17pm
I just read about your appointment in Bevan's newsletter. Congratulations, Jamison! Now I can say I knew him when!
Laurel Monday, November 13, 2006 at 10:40pm
Oh My God Jamison!!! This is awesome!!! I am so proud of you! We must talk about transportation and soon. Why is it taking S.F. so long to do next bus? I am confused about that one but oh well.
Yippeee for the comission!! I heard that S.F. is talking about a new rapid bus program by 2011 or so, that's great too!!
Stephen Coles Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 1:41pm
Great news, sir. I feel good about someone with your values on the council. You know where to go if you need any typographic help or hookup. Typographica and FontShop have your back.
Michael Krueger Monday, December 18, 2006 at 3:02pm
Belated congratulations on your appointment to the MTA CAC!
I was wondering if you have any updates on the NextBus roll-out. I saw your comment on SFist and I share your frustration with the speed (or rather, the lack thereof) of the deployment.
I am dismayed at Muni's refusal to publish all of the NextBus data currently available, ostensibly because some of the kinks have not been worked out of the system yet . . . as if everything else about Muni runs like clockwork! Besides, haven't these folks ever heard of a beta test? I would much rather have potentially dodgy information -- with the appropriate disclaimers, of course -- than no information at all.
As I was trying to discover the latest Official Excuse for the delay in rolling out NextBus, I ran across this set of MTA CAC minutes from December 4, 2003, or three years ago, for those of you keeping score at home. Get a load of this passage:
Responding to Ms. Cauthen question as to why there is a issue concerning the passenger side functionality portion of the system, Mr. Murphy explained that it is an expensive part of the system to maintain and there are people who are not sure that Nextbus is important or useful to passengers verses the cost. He commented that Nextbus is an under utilized system and many passengers are unaware of the service.The Chair commented that there is a decision point for Muni and it is his understanding that if the project does not continue it would be terminated.
Ms. Cauthen suggested that the motion should address the issue of promoting and publicizing the passenger portion of Nextbus, and passengers should be educated about the capabilities of the Nextbus system.
Did it ever occur to these morons -- er, I mean, good folks -- that the NextBus system might be "under utilized" because after what was then five and is now eight years since the project began in 1998, it only covers ten lines on a whopping nine routes (I don't think the "S-Castro Shuttle" really counts as a separate route) . . . a mere 10% of the system? I think NextBus is fantastic, but its usefulness is severely limited when it's not deployed system-wide. If the good folks at Muni don't understand this, I suppose it's hardly surprising that the roll-out is taking this long. They may think nobody cares, but they should know that we, the riders, do find NextBus "important" and "useful"!
Then again, my impression from actually riding Muni is that the needs of the riders are way, way down on the list of the agency's top concerns.
I would write to Muni about this, but I'm pretty well convinced that they ignore all customer feedback, positive and negative. (I have sent them both over the years, and nothing has ever been so much as acknowledged, not to mention acted upon.) I thought that you, as a CAC member, might have a better chance of pursuing this. Good luck . . . I'm afraid you'll need it!
Jamison Monday, December 18, 2006 at 5:40pm
Hello Michael,
I'm sorry, I have no better information than you about a full roll out of Next Muni. I'd like to think this isn't due to any incompetence, but because two other major projects have taken priority.
First is the T-Third Street line. There are a lot more technology requirements then you might think, between it's Next Muni signs, the ticket vending machines, the system which detects approaching trains and flips the lights for them (under simulated loads, they've gotten the travel time down to 23 minutes, compared to 35-45ish for the 15), getting the tunnel control system to run a full time sixth line, etc. The MTA needs this to be a success and it isn't just because of Third Street, the additional service in the tunnel is needed to relieve congestion and overcrowding.
The other major technology project is the system-wide rollout of TransLink. The machines are being installed in the subway stations and this is going to require those card reader boxes being installed on every single bus and trolley. This is probably a lot more demanding in time and resources than Next Muni. When it comes right down to it, Next Muni is a nice to have, but fare collection is mandatory.
I'm not sure if these have drained resources for Next Muni, but with the T-Third Street opening for demonstration service in just a few weeks, I've witnessed how much it's become a (or even the) major focus of so many MTA staff.
n judah chronicles Friday, September 22, 2006 at 3:09pm
Congratulations! I can't think of a better person to have on such a committee representing the people. You have an incredible knowledge of our MUNI history and I think the wayfinding project is SORELY needed.
Good job! And kudos to Bevan Dufty, who knew a smart individual when he talked to them!