School Bus to our Community
Still public transportation's not for everyone

By Laurina Marcic

Find yourself sitting in traffic behind a caravan of cars waiting to enter the reservoir parking lot? Or maybe you're driving the neighborhood trying to outmaneuver other road jockeys for the last remaining parking space. All the while, you're stressing about being late for class.

Photo by Rosalind Kwan

There is an answer. Get out of your car and take MUNI!

Public transportation is essential for many City College students. Without it, some wouldn't be able to attend classes. Even though other forms of transportation are available, MUNI is one of the most commonly used. There's a reason.

According to one MUNI driver, you can get to City College from anywhere in San Francisco.

MUNI offers 11 different lines to City College. They are the 49, 26, 88, 36, 43, 15, 54, 29, J, K and M lines. The numerical routes are busses and the letters are streetcars.

All these routes bring you within a reasonable walking distance of the main campus.

City College is fortunate to have stops around the entire perimeter of the campus. Exit the bus on the north side and you can beat a short path to Batmale, Creative Arts and the gymnasiums. One stop on Phelan and Judson puts you in close range of Science and Cloud, while another at Phelan and Ocean gives you a bee-line to the Admissions Office, Bookstore, and a latte at the Student Center.

You might even discover the walk to campus is shorter than when you park the car in the reservoir, or hike in from neighborhood streets seven blocks away.

Next time you drive Interstate 280 to school during rush hour (and spend 20 minutes crawling up the Ocean exit ramp) be sure to notice the pedestrian bridge near the corner of Ocean and Phelan. Just two blocks away is the Balboa Bart/MUNI metro station. This is your gateway to downtown San Francisco, the East Bay, and the Peninsula.

One of the best parts about MUNI is the cost. Even with a fare increase September 1, it's only $1.25 to go anywhere in the city. Get a transfer from the driver and you have 90 minutes to get on and off the bus as many times as you like or hop on to another route.

Better yet, do yourself a favor and buy a MUNI Fast Pass. Let's say you take MUNI to campus five days a week for a month. If you pay $1.25 both ways, that's $55.00. The $45.00 Fast Pass will save you ten bucks.

The savings don't end there. You can use your Fast Pass to ride Bart anywhere in San Francisco.

Okay, so you don't have to worry about parking, don't have to pay for gas, and you can finish your homework on the way to campus.

City College student Jennifer Ventura said, "I choose to take MUNI because it helps with parking, money and time. If I feel sick one day, I don't have to worry about getting behind the wheel. MUNI is more convenient for me."

Still, public transportation's not for everyone.

Safety is one issue. Have you ever gotten on a bus, found people arguing, and nobody does anything about it? "There is a lack of law enforcement on certain lines..." said a MUNI driver, who asked to remain anonymous.

Wait time is the other factor, especially when riding the bus at night. But some routes have better performance than others.

Robyn Murphy, a City College student, rides MUNI to campus. "MUNI is efficient with what they offer to us students," said Murphy. "Their busses are reliable and they come frequently."

Sure it's a little less convenient than your car, but MUNI was never meant to be a taxi. Think about the benefits: lower cost, fewer hassles, and environmentally friendly. And it's a lot more comfortable than paying a parking citation at the whopping price of $35.00 a pop.

Photo Gallery: Peace in the Park
	Two days of festivities celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Academy of Science included a well-attended Wild Cat exhibit. (Left) Rob Dicely poses with Oksana, an Eurasian lynx on Sunday.
September 6-7 was an action-packed weekend of free festivities in Golden Gate Park. The "911 Power to the Peaceful Festival" attracted a crowd at Speedway Meadow on a perfect weather Saturday. Musician and activist Michael Franti with his group Spearhead (above left inset) wrapped up a full day of music, spoken word, theater and meditation. Drummer Tracy Welsh (above center inset) rallies the crowd, while a sunflower (above right inset) dances in the sunshine.
The Polo in the Park match was held on Sunday at the Polo Field, benefiting the James S. Brady Riding Program for Special Children. A model preens her feathers during the Fashion Show and Luncheon on the Lawn. (Bottom right), Hugh Meakin leads Sarah Varon, age 2, on Norwegian pony Olaf during the half-time presentation by Sarah Meakin.