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SamTrans > News Archive > SamTrans Installs New Bus Stop Seats
SamTrans Installs New Bus Stop Seats
Waiting for a SamTrans bus promises to become more pleasant, thanks to nifty new seats
currently being installed at some bus stops. The simple, bright blue seats are attached
to existing bus stop poles and provide a sturdy, comfortable place for riders to sit
while waiting for the bus.
Riders are already enjoying the seats at five bus stops in South San Francisco. Matt
Sieger, SamTrans’ accessibility coordinator, said, “There is one at a stop near my house
and every time I go by someone is using it.” Plans are underway to install 19 more in
the near future. The bus stop at the new Kaiser Hospital in South San Francisco is at
the top of the list. The bus pole seat is an ideal solution for this location, which is
on steep hill that would not accommodate a bus bench.
“We are hoping that these seats will make taking the bus an option for riders who have
trouble standing,” said Sieger. He added that many riders who currently use paratransit
service have said that they would be able to take SamTrans if they could sit down while
waiting for the bus.
The bus pole seats are a good alternative to a typical bus bench, which takes up
considerably more space. Installing a bench usually requires a permit from the local
municipality as well as the consent of the property owners near the bus stop.
The bus pole seats cost only $500, are easy to install and don’t require the same
approval process.
The seats can be modified to fit a variety of poles and are perforated to allow rain to
run off quickly. Made of steel, the seats are powder-coated rather than just painted,
making them virtually indestructible. Because there is almost no vertical surface, they
are not an attractive canvas for graffiti artists.
“We have asked our bus operators and transportation supervisors to suggest bus stops
that they think would be good places to install the seats,” said Sieger. Sieger also
has asked the district’s Americans with Disabilities Act Technical Advisory Committee, a
group representing riders with disabilities, to make recommendations.
The San Mateo County Transit District is the county’s people-mover. In addition to
operating SamTrans bus service and serving as the administrator for Caltrain, the agency
also provides Redi-Wheels paratransit service for persons with disabilities who are
unable to ride regular fixed-route service. The district operates shuttles that link
transit centers with major employment sites; is the managing agency for the San Mateo
County Transportation Authority, which administers the expenditure of Measure A funds;
and, is a partner in the BART extension to Millbrae.
6/22/05
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