4 ms·

I recently moved to Marin county and use the bus to commute to SF. The Golden Gate Transit buses are pretty amazing. They come on time, the seats are clean and

I recently moved to Marin county and use the bus to commute to SF. The Golden Gate Transit buses are pretty amazing. They come on time, the seats are clean and comfortable, and they have (usually fast) wifi. The clientele is clearly professionals commuting to the city in the morning and evening, and it works. Honestly, if more bus systems simply got wifi and nice seats, that would be a huge step forward. I've taken the Muni buses before, and they are frankly disgusting. I actually look forward to my bus commute each morning now.

jessaustin 9y ago
Comparing those buses to those that serve other areas seems a little bit like admiring charter schools that only accept rich smart kids...
- tathougies 9y ago
  Why? Golden gate transit buses are public buses paid for by tax payer dollars and fares, like every other bus system. They are not private systems. What an odd time we live in, when being proud of our public civil infrastructure gets one labeled an elitist. Should I be ashamed of our schools as well?
  - stevejb 9y ago
    I think it is reasonable to point this out. When I lived in Seattle, I took the express buses between Seattle and Redmond on a daily basis. They sound like the ones that you describe. However, the buses within the city of the Seattle were a completely different situation. Messy, smelly, and often carrying people who could be upsetting or at least make you feel uncomfortable. Taking a bus originating from the second-wealthiest county in the United States should not be regarded as a typical experience.
    - tathougies 9y ago
      But the government funding these systems is the same -- the state of California. Also, the Marin system still deserves commendation. First of all, while it is a rich county, there is still a large wealth gap. There is a substantial number of obviously poorer people on the buses as well. Some routes mainly serve disadvantaged areas. Yet, the buses serve everyone, and people still want to ride them. And they're still pretty nice. Why punish people who may already be struggling with an awful bus ride? Secondly, the counties to the south of San Francisco are pretty darn rich (probably richer than Marin, TBH), and their public transit options suck. I spent many years in south bay, and despite all the money people throw around there, the bus system was awful. There are certainly poorer areas in the United States where the main factor limiting adoption and tech improvements is a lack of funding. However, there are also plenty of really rich counties (in California at least) where the lack of a good bus system is simply due to a complete unwillingness to invest in good public infrastructure.
      - dragonwriter 9y ago
        > But the government funding these systems is the same -- the state of California. No, it's not the same, and though the State of California is among the indirect funders of both, it's not the government directly responsible for either. The government funding GGT is the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District. The government funding Muni is the City and County of San Francisco.
        tathougies 9y ago
        The City and COunty of San Francisco is really friggin rich.
      - stevejb 9y ago
        http://time.com/money/3014512/richest-wealthiest-highest-income-counties-america-united-states/ http://time.com/money/3014512/richest-wealthiest-highest-inc... It seems that there aren't many counties richer than Marin. And, a large wealth gap may just mean, there are some rich people, and some really rich people. Are the "obviously poorer people" still on iPhone 6's and 2015 MacBooks? (ok that part is sarcasm). The point is, if you are getting the bus in Marin county, you are getting on the bus with others who are also in Marin county. That is going to heavily bias the experience because of the people, not the quality or cleanliness of the bus.
- TheCoelacanth 9y ago
  The cost of wifi and some nice seats has got to be a rounding error compared to the cost of actually purchasing and operating buses. There is no reason normal buses couldn't have those things too.

jessaustin 9y ago

Comparing those buses to those that serve other areas seems a little bit like admiring charter schools that only accept rich smart kids...

tathougies 9y ago
Why? Golden gate transit buses are public buses paid for by tax payer dollars and fares, like every other bus system. They are not private systems. What an odd time we live in, when being proud of our public civil infrastructure gets one labeled an elitist. Should I be ashamed of our schools as well?
- stevejb 9y ago
  I think it is reasonable to point this out. When I lived in Seattle, I took the express buses between Seattle and Redmond on a daily basis. They sound like the ones that you describe. However, the buses within the city of the Seattle were a completely different situation. Messy, smelly, and often carrying people who could be upsetting or at least make you feel uncomfortable. Taking a bus originating from the second-wealthiest county in the United States should not be regarded as a typical experience.
  - tathougies 9y ago
    But the government funding these systems is the same -- the state of California. Also, the Marin system still deserves commendation. First of all, while it is a rich county, there is still a large wealth gap. There is a substantial number of obviously poorer people on the buses as well. Some routes mainly serve disadvantaged areas. Yet, the buses serve everyone, and people still want to ride them. And they're still pretty nice. Why punish people who may already be struggling with an awful bus ride? Secondly, the counties to the south of San Francisco are pretty darn rich (probably richer than Marin, TBH), and their public transit options suck. I spent many years in south bay, and despite all the money people throw around there, the bus system was awful. There are certainly poorer areas in the United States where the main factor limiting adoption and tech improvements is a lack of funding. However, there are also plenty of really rich counties (in California at least) where the lack of a good bus system is simply due to a complete unwillingness to invest in good public infrastructure.
    - dragonwriter 9y ago
      > But the government funding these systems is the same -- the state of California. No, it's not the same, and though the State of California is among the indirect funders of both, it's not the government directly responsible for either. The government funding GGT is the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District. The government funding Muni is the City and County of San Francisco.
      - tathougies 9y ago
        The City and COunty of San Francisco is really friggin rich.
    - stevejb 9y ago
      http://time.com/money/3014512/richest-wealthiest-highest-income-counties-america-united-states/ http://time.com/money/3014512/richest-wealthiest-highest-inc... It seems that there aren't many counties richer than Marin. And, a large wealth gap may just mean, there are some rich people, and some really rich people. Are the "obviously poorer people" still on iPhone 6's and 2015 MacBooks? (ok that part is sarcasm). The point is, if you are getting the bus in Marin county, you are getting on the bus with others who are also in Marin county. That is going to heavily bias the experience because of the people, not the quality or cleanliness of the bus.
TheCoelacanth 9y ago
The cost of wifi and some nice seats has got to be a rounding error compared to the cost of actually purchasing and operating buses. There is no reason normal buses couldn't have those things too.