San Francisco: Public Transportation, City’s Lifeline
San Francisco: The Only Moving Landmarks: Cable cars (courtesy: www.commons.wikimedia.org)
Moving around San Francisco with our own vehicle can most of the time prove to be a nightmare, with the rush hour traffic, off beat roads and usual parking problems. Also the public transportation here is the seventh largest with around twenty agencies operating public transportation in the form of buses, streetcars, trains, Para transit and ferryboats.
It is obvious for major chunk of San Franciscans to use Public transportation for their day to day traveling. The natives and the tourists find the public transport safe and convenient. People are so used to this that most locales do not find the need to have a driver’s license until they attain the age of 19-20.
Cable cars are the oldest means of transportation on road; one can still enjoy its ride for $5 per person for one way ride, while going to Fisherman’s Wharf. The cable cars are seen moving from 6 am to 1.30 am. One can also procure one day cable car pass with the payment of $10 to the conductor.
After cable cars, the street cars serve the same purpose and both are the part of San Francisco’s Municipal (muni) Railway
Sanfrancisco: Muni Train At 4th Avenue ( courtesy: www.flickr.com)
Transportation convoy. During sports time Muni gives special services to Monster Park and AT &T Park. The fares are cheap but one need to have exact change, special considerations are given to senior citizens and disables.
Muni Transit is available 24x 7 with 80 routes, operating both old and modern vehicles. Diesel buses, alternative fuel vehicles, electric trolley coaches, light rail vehicles and most sought after historic cable cars and street cars of Muni Transit are seen on the road.
People living in East Bay Area have better option to travel in clean BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) which is the commuter rail mostly runs on time. It also operates AirBART shuttle to Oakland Airport.
May it be Muni Transit or BART, during rush hour one has to push oneself inside with all its might and gush as it is crammed
Sanfrancisco: BART Commuter Rail ( courtesy: www. commons.wikimedia.org)
with locals as well as tourists. The available maps and website of transit system are meant to keep you well informed of their arrival and departure time and halts. The city transport is the integral part in the life of the people. In short it is the life line which keeps the city moving.
The best part is, new modes of transport have been introduce on the roads from time to time, but the old ones have not been discarded, they still continue to move on roads with same importance like those that of modern ones.
While mentioning the various modes of transportation, one cannot forget about Car Share, the most appreciated, efficient and fuel saving mode of transportation. This car sharing program started in the year 2001, 70 vehicles are being operated for this purpose on hourly basis. Around 1,500 members are benefiting from this and have helped to avoid the hassle of parking.
There are other services too that move in different parts of San Francisco or restricted to certain parts. It is entirely people’s choice were do they feel comfortable traveling in.