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RTD

Southern California Rapid Transit District425 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

FOREWORD

This operator's handbook is intended to help you toreview your knowledge about your job, give some sug-gestions on bus operating techniques and informationon how transit systems work. It is in no way intended totake the place of the specific help you can receive fromyour Instruction Department or other supervisory per-sonnel at your Division.

Professional bus operators realize that they must con-trol their vehicle and t.ilat it will perform properly onlythrough their guidance. However, the vehicle has limita-tions which the operator must understand in order tooperate with efficiency and safety. '

Because we deal with a large number of people, main:-taining an even temperam~nt is essential if ~e are tokeep an emotional balance that will enable us to copewith the petty annoyances and distractions we must dealwith everyday.

Safe operation of the bus is our responsibility. Whenpassengers board, they are placing their safety in OUfcare and none of us has the right or privilege of riskitlgthe safety of others for any reason.

Section I:Defenses for Most PrevalentTypes of Accidents

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Defenses against accidents enteringand leaving bus zone.

Defenses against accidents lin the bus zone.Defenses against onboard falls.Defenses against accidents

between intersections.Defenses against accidents at .

intersections. 5

Section II:Operating Information

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Steering.Leaving a bus stop.Front door mirrors.Speed.Application of brakes.Wet pavement.Traffic signals.Hazardous conditions.Spotting the bus in bus zones.Proper right side clearance.Pulling into curb.Farside stops.Following distance.Stopping distance. .Routes (out of service) Why?

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Scheduled departure times.Relays.Rolling back on a hill.Left turn over railroad tracks.Right turns.Left turns.Illustration of how to make a nearside stop.Illustration of how to make an ideal right turn.Illustration of how to make a right turn

with auto near corner.Illustration of right tUrn after passenger stop.1,lustration of pivot right turn.lli,,-1stra,tion of ideal left turn.Illu~tration of left turn lane selection.Illus'.ration of backing movement.Parkil1g buses in division yard.Backing.Summary.

Section III:Equipment Information

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Checking tires.When engine won't start.Engine damper.Master door control switch.Treadle type rear door.Air operated parking and emergency brake

(DD-3 valve).Air conditioning.3 speed super "V" automatic transmissions.Notifying maintenance.Equipment data sheet.

Section IV:Passenger Relations Information

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Appearance.Passengers who don't speak English.Calling stops.How to say, "I don't know."Handling invalid transfers.Unenforced Rule Report. I

Section V:General Information

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Necessary line knowledge.Illustration of work run sheet

(with explanations).Illustration of paddle boards~Illustration of Operator's Daily Report.Illustration of Extra-board.Accident reports.Illustration of accident report and diagram.Illustration of accident report and diagram.Miscellaneous reports.Missouts.Schedule adjustments.Funding of the District.Self critique.Uniform purchase.Watch purchases.Instructions for filing, or accumulating

sick leave allowance.Earthquake instructions. ,Glossary. i

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SECTION

DEFENSES FOR MOST PREVALENTTYPES OF ACCIDENTS

DEFENSES AGAINST ACCIDENTSENTERING AND LEAVING BUS ZONE

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L.Entt1iring Passenger Stops

1. PrepRre for stops by decelerating slowly and brakingsmoothly -remember, passengers are leaving theirseats.

2. Use Signals.3. Approach with proper clearance and observe right

outside mirror to avoid hitting parked vehicles -watch for hazards in the zone.

4. Spot the Bus 6"-12" and parallel or 4' and parallel ifideal spotting isn't possible. When vehicles orobstructions make it impossible to get 4' andparallel, remain in the street and use the vehicle orobstruction in the zone to block traffic on the rightfor passenger safety.

S. Keep doors closed until bus is completely stopped.

Leaving Passenger Stops

1. Check left mirror and look over left shoulder beforepulling away.

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2. Use turn signals, and hand signals if necessary.3. Observe right outside mirror as you pass the first

parked vehicle to check your clearance.4. If a parked vehicle is close to the end of the zone,

allow traffic to clear so both lanes C4 1 be use~ to

clear that vehicle. I. !

5. Don't move the bus iwith the doors ope.

DEFENSES AGAINST ACCIDENTS iIN THE BUS ZONE1. Spot the Bus 6"-12" and parallel to curb.2. Always strive to stop the bus clear of th~ traffic lane

(front and rear).3. Where 6"-12" clearance cannot be achieved, spot

the bus 4' or more from the curb in such a mannerthat parallel parking is possible and passengers boar-ding and alighting are protected from traffic.

4. At farside stops, stop as far forward as possible inthe zone so vehicles turning right from behind maymore easily avoid the left rear comer of the bus.

S. Signal your intention to stop well in advance andafter stopping keep brake lights activated.

6. Encourage tailgaters to pass by slowing the busgradually.

DEFENSES AGAINST ONBOARD FALLS1. Stay aware of passenger movements onboard and ad-

just your operation accordingly.2. Observe traffic closely for sudden deceleration.3. Maintain safe follo~ng distance. J '4. Avoid unnecessary s*dden brake applic tions. :5. Anticipate braking requirements to pe~it a smooth

stop with a single application. '6. Begin stopping sooner.7. Partially release the brake just as the bus stops to

avoid backlash.

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DEFENSES AGAINST ACCIDENTSBETWEEN INTERSECTIONS

.1. ;~egulate your speed to match conditions of

w~ather, traffic, etc.2. Mi\intain proper right side clearance. (41/2 feet if

possible).3. Watch for vehicles entering and leaving driveways,

alleys, etc.4. Watch for "Tip Offs" from parked vehicles: Ex-

haust, lights, wheels turned, person entering or inautos, pedestrians (especially children) near parkedvehicles.

s. If potential hazard is sighted, reduce speed andprepare to stop, don't depend on your horn to stopthem.

6. Signal your intent to change lanes.7. Treat vehicles as if they were going to "Cut In"

after they pass you -many will.8. Avoid unnecessary lane changes.9. Don't allow yourself to be distracted.

10. Maintain safe following distance.11. Keep a firm grip and never use spokes on steering

wheel.

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12. Stop back from vehicles attempting to park -allow for hacking maneuver.

13. Be on guard for drivers looking for a parking place-they may stop suddenly. i

DEFENSES AGAIN~)T ACCIDENTSAT INTERSECTIONS

1. Approach all intersections under control.prepared to stop.

2. Place foot over brake when approaching intersec-tions.

3. Regulate speed to range of vision of cross traffic.4. Observe traffic carefplly before entering and wh~le

crossing intersections. ;s. Don't allow yourself 'to be distracted. I6. Never assume or insist on right of way, iregardless

of what traffic ~ignals indicate.7. Amber signals are not "Go" signals. 18. Make a full stop at stop signs. r

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9. Signal your intentions to turn and keep properright side clearance.

10. Wait for opposing traffic to clear before making aleft turn.

11. When proceeding straight across an intersection,be alert for opposing traffic waiting to make a leftturn. They may not wait.

12. When approaching an intersection, look first to the\ left, then to the right, then left again.

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STEERING

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Every maneuver we make with a bus depends on howwell we can control the wheel. Resting your hand on therear part of the wheel may be the most relaxed positionbut it certainly is not safe. If anything happens to thebus or in front of the bus, chances are you won't be ableto do anything about it quickly enough.

Once you're accustomed to it, the best and most com-fortable method is placing both hands on the wheel, oneon each side, sitting up straight with your weight evenlydistributed.

To begin a left turn, place your right hand abouteleven o'clock on the wheel with your palm down,fingers grasping the rim of the wheel and pull towardyou. When your right hand is about eight o'clock, your]eft should be at eleven and begin pulling. Move yourh~ds in an easy rolling motion hand over hand, palmsdo\vn.

'I'c begin a right turn, place your left hand about oneo'clocik on the wheel with your palm down, fingersgraspin;g the rim of the wheel and pull toward you.When your left hand is at about four o'clock, your rightshould be at one o'clock and begin pulling. Move yourhands in t'n easy rolling motion hand over hand, palmsdown.

Many accidents could be prevented by something assimple to practice as good steering techniques to ma."(-imize control.

LEAVING A BUS STOP

There are certain basic procedures we should follow inorder to leave a bus stop safely. The first thing is tocheck the front door to make sure it's clear, then turn

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the door control handle to the close position (keepingyour attention on the door and your hand on the handleuntil the door is completely closed). Then with a sweep-

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ing eye movement from right to left through' the wind-shield, make sure it's clear ahead. (Be aware that wind-shield posts can sometimes block your view of ahazard). Continue to the left side mirror. Check trafficto the left and rear to make sure it's clear. Glance quick-ly over your left shoulder to see if there's a vehicle inyour blind spot. If it's safe, activate your left turnsignal, move your right foot from the brake to the ac-celerator and move smoothly to the left and forward asyour attention comes back to the windshield area (andright side, when pedestrians are present).

Keep in mind that if you attempt to accelerate tomerging speed before moving the bus to the left, youmay not see hazards such as poles or signs on the righ.tand as a result have an avoidable 45 type accident (Strik-ing a fixed object).

If traffic won't permit you to move left, wait until itclears.NOTE: At nearside stops, be especially waautos making a right turrl in front of the bu~

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FRONT DOOR MIRRORS

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These mirrors should be used to make certain that thedoors are clear and ready to be closed. By ntaking it ahabit to check these mirrors before closing: the door,regardless of whether your direct view of the door isblocked, you may be able to avoid a boarding accidentcaused by your timing being thrown off due to apassenger blocking your view of the door at a criticalmoment.

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SPEED

Regulating the speed of the bus to fit traffic conditionsis a prime deterrent for accidents. Many times accidentsoccur because someone approached a hazardous condi-tion using excessive speed and then didn't have enoughtime to take evasive action. It's plain hard fact that thebus just won't stop as quickly, maneuver as well or ac-celerate as fast as a car. You, as a professional, have toovercome these differences with knowledge, skill, alert-ness and judgement. For instance: Approaching a con-gested area in the street ahead, your skill may tell youthere's enough room ~o make it, just barely; your judge-ment should tell you there's enough room to make it butnot enough to make it safely so slow down or maybestop; let the situation sort itself out then proceed. It maytake a little longer this way but in the long run, it's reallythe only reasonable solution. Remember, your passen-gers consider you a "Pro" when they get on the bus and~;.nless you do something to change their mind, they willsii~l think that when they get off.

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APPLICATION OF BRAKES

Brake t-.,pplication: it isn't how much you use but howyou use it. Passengers are more likely to fall because ofa' quick shallow application than a smooth medium orheavy application. Keep in mind, you know what you'regoing to do -your passengers have to react afteryou've done it.

In order to make a smooth and safe application, placeyour foot on the brake pedal with your heel directly overthe hinge at the base of the pedal, then rock your footforward into the pedal, using the ankle muscle, ratherthan trying to regulate pedal pressure with your leg.

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Try to bring the bus to a stop with a single, smoothapplication. "Fanning" the brakes decreases availableair pressure and causes brake linings to ~wear morequickly.

Contrary to what. some believe, you cannot "Purftp-up" air brakes. What happens when you "Fan' 1 or"Pump" the brakes is that each time you come up withthe pedal when you're fanning, you lose air pressure, soon the next downward stroke, there's less pressureavailable. In effect, you're not improving the bus' abili-ty to stop, you're making it worse. "Fanning" can alsocause the brakes to overheat and thereby lose some ef-fectiveness.

WET PAVEMENT

Every rainy day a number of us are involved in accidentsbecause we failed to take the wet road surface into con-sideration. We approach an intersection or bus stop inthe normal manner, apply the brakes and suddenly thebus begins to slide. Now ~e have a choice, either get pffthe brake so the bus wil~ straighten out and hopefullys,top with lighter brake pressure, or stay ort the braketaking a chance on sliding into whatever is i!n the way.The first solution is usually the best one. What both ofthem boil down to is making the best of a bad situation.The only good solution is to be aware of road conditionsand slow down before we get into trouble. Be especiallywatchful for streets which have recently been resurfaced-they're extremely slick in rainy weather.NOTE: Heavy fog and tree leaves can also cause slip-pery pavement.

TRAFFIC SIGNALSTo help eliminate entering intersections on stale yellowsor maybe red lights, we can borrow an idea from airline

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pilots. When a plane is taking off, at a certain point onthe runway there is a mark, known as the "DecisionPoint". When the plane goes beyond this point, it'scommitted to taking off because there's not enough run-way left to stop safely. When approaching an intersec-tion, be thinking, "If the light changes to yellow I'llstop". Then at the appropriate distance from the in-tersection (depending on your speed) you'll reach the"Decision Point". Beyond this point, you won't stopbecause .you couldn't stop safely. If the light doeschange, you won't have to decide whether or not to stop-you'll already know. But even after passing the deci-sion point, keep your foot over the brake.

Because buses don't accelerate fast enough to helpmuch when trying to clear an intersection on a late light,you're a lot more likely to benefit from keeping yourfoot over the brake. Remember 1/3 of all accidents oc-cur at intersections.

~~AZARDOUS CON DITIONS

Keep in mind that from the time you leave the Divisionyard '",-mtil you return -you face a certain amount ofdanger-. The only questions are how much and fromwhere. '.~he closer you are to other traffic the greater thedanger, you never know for sure what they're going todo. The greater the number of vehicles around you thegreater the number of potential trouble locations.Remember, each moveable object (vehicles, pedestrians,etc.) you're around is a potential hazard, if for no otherreason than that you can't control it.

SPOTTING THE BUS IN BUS ZONES

It's not always possible to get the bus into the zone6"-12" and parallel and provisions have been made for

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the situation in the rule book. However \to Ijelp you tounderstand why this is so important, you should beaware that stopping the bus in any position, at any time,other than parallel to the curb significantly increases theprobability that the bus will be hit on the left rear. It. ap-parently affects, in some manner, the ability of the autodriver to judge the relative position his or her car shouldtake in relation to the bus. In other words they don't goto the left far enough when they attempt to pass. Know-ing this, if you stop the bus other than parallel, you maynot cause the' accident but you will have greatly con-tributed to it. So stop parallel -always.

PROPER RIGHT SIDE CLEARANCE

Maintaining proper right side clearance isn't alwayseasy, but keep in mind that anytime you drive the buswith less than 4Y2' of clearance on the right YQU are tak-ing a very real risk. If pro:per clearance is unobtainable,reduce your speed and b~ very alert.

Note in your own experience how many times so-meone in a parked vehicle opened the door berore look-ing first, or "nosed" their car partially out into yourlane before they checked for traffic. How ~any timeshave you seen a pedestrian take a couple of isteps intothe street before looking. Consider what could havehappened had you not had the proper clearance or hadbeen a little closer to them when they did it.

For the most part, the reason for keeping the rightside clearance is because the District is aware (as youshould be) that other people make mistakes and that4 Y2' of clearance protects you from those mistakes mostof the time. Remember: We all k!l°w what the other guyshould do, trouble is they don't always do what theyshould. We as professional drivers, must take more than

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our share of responsibility for the safety of the"Amateurs."

PULLING INTO CURB

This maneuver is similar to the straight course, exceptfor the actual turning into the curb and clearing the lastobject. Before commencing the turn, line the center ofthe right front wheel with the front part of the last ob-ject to be cleared (look into your outside right rear viewmirror to check clearance), start the gradual turn intothe c~rb. Just before the right front corner of the bus isgoing to reach the curb, steer to the left and follow thecurb line. Look out for any obstructions or objectsalong the curb. Remember, you need IS feet more thana bus length after the front bumper is at the curb tomake a stop 6 to 12 inches from the curb. Look into theoutside right rearview mirror before you stop, if the busis not parallel, turn the steering wheel to the left abouta quarter of a turn. Open door after completing thestop..When unable to make a normal passenger stop in a

hus zone because of unsafe conditions of gutters, curbs,sidewalks, or obstructions of any kind, stop parallelfour feet from the curb.

Rei~~'ember also that the speed of the bus has a directeffect on the amount of open curb needed to make astop 6"~12" and parallel. The less open curb available,the slower you must go in order to make the stop.

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FARSIDE STOPS::;,~

A common hazard at farside stops is when we're readyto leave, we check the mirror on the left, note that it'sclear and begin to move. About this time an auto makesa right turn from the cross street behind the bus and is

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attempting to' pass. Many times this situation can beavoided by checking the inside rear view mirror andright outside mirror just before we move, to see if anyvehicles are approaching the intersection.

Remember that when leaving farside or midblockstops it's often necessary to use at least part of the #1lane in order to clear an object just beyond the end ofthe Bus zone. Be sure to check your clearance from thatobject as you begin to straighten the bus out in theoperating lane.

When approaching a farside stop, don't activate yourturn signal until you enter the intersection. That way,other drivers won't be confused and think you're aboutto make a right turn onto the cross street. Also, pull allthe way forward in the zone, it lessens the probabilitythat cars making a right turn from the cross street willhit the left rear of the bus. r

FOllOWING DISTA~CE 'r iBecause so many people have difficulty kccuratelyestimating proper following distance by using the' 'onevehicle length for each 10 m.p.h." method, the NationalSafety Council now recommends using the i'2 secondrule" (3 seconds for buses). To use this methbd, watchthe point or fixed object (such as a sign post) that thevehicle ahead of you is passing, then measure how longit takes you to reach that point or object by counting"one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousandthree". If you pass the point or object before you get tothree (three seconds) you're tOQ c.lose.

STOPPING DISTANCE

Just ahead of reaction distance there is an intervalknown as "Perception Time." This is difficult to

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measure as it will vary as to the individual. However, itis the interval during which the driver rea1iz~s that ahazard exists and decides to do something about it.

Perception and reaction time represent the only inter-val during which the driver has any control over howlong it takes to stop. After the brakes are applied, thestopping of the bus is strictly a mechanical operationand is determined by the speed of the vehicle and its rateof deceleration.

*TOTALSTOPPINGDISTANCE

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Panic stops are the major cause of on board falls.When not operating under control you are set up for a(;,ollision-type accident that would force you to make ap~.nic stop. You might have avoided the collision, butusu~lly a passenger falls.

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In case of problems, it's easier and faster to locate thebus if it's on the established route. Many times amechanic must use a route sheet to locate the bus if notfamiliar with the area. Blockades can be allowed forbecause the District is usually notified in advance. Mostof all, because we know the route is safe and clearancesare adequate for the bus. .

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10 15 11 720 30 22 SO30 45 33 6340 60 44 112

.Approximate figures based on fonnulas:1.1 x M.P.H. = Reaction Distance1 Vz x M.P.H. = F.P .S. (feet per second)

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Any unnecessary deviation from the scheduled depal-ture time is a violation. Leaving late from a terminal orlaying back on your schedule can cause heavy loads andthus make you even later. It may cause your follower tohave to drag in order to avoid running sharp anddefinitely causes improper distribution of passengerloads. In fact, running unnecessarily late causes a lot ofthe same problems that running early causes.

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RELAYS

When a bus is running so late that it can't reach its ter-minal and leave on schedule and proyiding it's out ofplace, the Radio Dispatcher or Supervisor may decide toset up a relay for that bus. i

When this happens, anpther bus and Opdrator aresent out from the Division ito the terminal the late bus is

,working toward. The bus from the Division [leaves inservice and on schedule, working toward the'late bus.When the two buses meet, each driver gets Off his bus,walks to the other's bus and continues in sefiVice. TheOperator being relayed is then back on schedule with adifferent bus and the Operator making the relay worksto the terminal and normally pulls in.

By relaying a bus, all trips are completed and no stopsare missed. The six items to remember when making arelay are:1. Bus run number to be relayed (this is the Bus run #

you'll use).2. Destination sign to be used.3. Departure time from terminal.4. Number of bus to be relayed.S. Approximate location where buses will meet.6. What to do after relay has been made.

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ROLLING BACK ON A HILL

To prevent a bus from rolling back on a hill, apply thefoot brake fully, then as quickly as possible, move yourfoot to the accelerator. In most cases, before the brakereleases completely, the engine R~P .M. has increasedenough to begin pulling the bus and prevent it from roll-ing back. To avoid being bumped, always maintain atleast 5 feet clearance in front when stopped on a grade.

LEFT TURN OVER RAILROAD TRACKS

Buses making a left turn across tracks running down themiddle of a divided roadway at intersections controlledby a traffic signal, should wait in the #1 traffic lane,within the intersection, until the amber signal comes onfor the Bus' direction of travel, then begin the turningmovement.

By waiting for the amber signal, during the time thebus is making the turn, the red signal for the cross traf-fic will turn green and the bus will be able to completethe turn and clear the intersection and railroad track inone continuous movement.

RIGHT TURNS

A.pproach right turns in the t.ane closest to' the curb, with4 ~' of clearance and parallel to the curb. Begin turningthe \,-heel when the center of the right front wheel is inline with the curb line of the street you are turning onto.NOTE: On R. T .S. type buses line up the rear of theright front wheel.

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LEFT TURNS

Approach left turns in the lane nearest the ce~ter of theroadway, pull forward until the center of the left front

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wheel is in line with the center of the street you are turTl-ing left onto, wait for opposing traffic to clear thencomplete the left turn. As a "rule of thumb"; left turnsmust be made from the lane farthest to the right, thatit's legal to make the turn. NOTE: The speed of a bushas a direct effect on its turning radius -the slower thespeed, the sharper the turn.

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NEARSIDE STOP

When approaching passenger stop, the bus should beapproximately 4 Yz feet from parked vehicles or obstruc-tions. Pull ahead until the .center of the front wheel iseven with the front of the parked car or any object to becleared. At this point, start the gradual turn into thecurb. The front end of the bus must travel down thecurb line at least 15 feet more than one bus length inorder to bring the rear of the bus into the curb..On RTS II, use rear of front wheel.

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RIGHT TURNUnder ideal conditions, the bus should be parallel 4Yzfeet from the curb. Pull ahead until the .center of thefront wheel is in line with the curb of the street the bus isturning onto (or any object, such as parked cars to becleared). At this point, commence the turn..RTS II use rear of right front wheel.

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RIGHT TURN(With Auto Parked Near Corner)

Under ideal conditions, the bus should be parallel 4Y2feet from the curb. Pull ahead until the *center of thefront wh~el is in line with the left side of the object, suchas parked cars, to be cleared. At this point, commencethe turn.*RTS II use rear of right front wheel.

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PASSENGER STOP BEFORE RIGHT TURNWhen a stop is made before right turn, the stop shouldbe made at least 25 feet before reaching the comer.When pulling away from the curb, the bus must average4Y2 feet from the curb. Pull the front of the bus outseven feet from the curb. The back end will ~ out two

feet. Pull ahead until the .~enter of the front heel is ~t

right angle to the straight part of the curb of he streetthe bus is turning onto. At this point, start the turn.*RTS II use rear of right front wheel.

RIGHT TURNObstructions or Hazards

When conditions i.n the street make it necessary to com-mence a right turn less than 4Y2 feet from the curb, thebus must be pulled far enough ahead before commenc-ing the turn so the rear wheels will miss the curb of thestreet the bus is turning onto.

EXAMPLE: If the bus is only 1 foot from the curb,

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then the bus must be pulled ahead to a point where theright rear wheel is even with the beginning of the curbcurvature before commencing the turn.

When making the rigbt turn, extreme caution must beused to avoid an automobile squeezing in between busand curb and opposing traffic on street you are turningonto.

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LEFT TURN1"0 turn left, the bus should be in the left or center laneand must have the signal displayed at least 100 feetbefo~~e reaching the intersection. The intersection shouldbe approached at a low rate of speed to enable theoperator to be aware of traffic conditions.

Onconrlng traffic must be cleared. sufficiently toavoid danger before commencing the turn. Under idealconditions, the operator will commence the left turn

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LEFT TURN LANE SELECTIONAt a marked location (arrows) or posted location (sign)where a left turn can be made from "Left Turn Only

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Lane" or from No.1 lane, you must make left turnfrom No.1 lane.

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BACKING UP

When backing into a parking space if there is a guideline, the left side of the bus should be parallel to, andapproximately three (3)_inches from the guide line. Thiscan be accomplished by using both outside rear viewmirrors.

PARKING BUSES IN DIVISION YARD

l~he left side of the bus should be approximately 3"from the left lane line. This allows enough room to walkbetw.een rows. When the air in the bellows leaks outoven}jght, the bus usually leans to one side. By parkingthe bu~ properly, two buses can lean toward each otherand not hit at the top. T~e left front wheel should becentered over the "Hash" mark so proper clearance canbe had front and rear.

24,

:f~;

BACKING

1. Avoid backing whenever possible.2. Use both outside mirrors as you back.3. Use guidelines if available.4. Back slowly.5. Never back in traffic unless assisted by someone in

authority.6. Be sure area to rear of bus is clear and remains clear

until backing movem~nt is completed.7. Sound horn intermitt~ntly as you back. I

SUMMARY

The element of surprise is always present whenever abus stops, starts, turns or changes course in any man-ner. The idea is to develop the best defensive ~echniquesfor those maneuvers. Think of defensive techniques forclearance, speed, mirror observation, braking, accelera-tion and how to apply them when using the acceleratorpedal, brake pedal, door controls and steering wheel.

Let us not forget that as professional bus Operatorswe have more knowledge of the relative capabilities,dimensions and limitations of our equipment and moreawareness of the basic principles of defensive drivingthan the" Amateur" driver.

25

EQUIPMENT INFORMATION

CHECKING TIRES

One method for checking air pressure on the rear tires isto check the bottom of the outside dual, if the side wallis straight, both tires probably have adequate pressure.However, if there is a bulge at the bottom of the tire,one of the tires is low or flat. The reason for this is thata single tire cannot support the weight of the rear of thebus without bulging at the bottom. Also a light tap on atire with your punch will reveal a suspected low air orflat tire. Comparison taps on a fully inflated tire willresult in immediate recognition of the condition. If indoubt, go to the mechanical department and have thetire che~ked.

WHEN! ENGINE WON'T START

When y?U press the start button and nothing happens orthe eng;e turns over but won't start, make sure thefra.nsmi sion is in neutral, lfa,:,e the master run c?ntrol~W1tch n and go to the e~gme compartment, lift thecover. qheck the damper, ilien the rear control switchesto make sure they are in the "normal" position. Thereare normally 3 switches, one is labeled compartmentlights, the other two are 3 position switches. One will belabeled "starter" then "normal," "off," and "rearstart." The other will be labeled' 'run control" then"normal," "off," and "rear run." To start .the busfrom the rear, hold the starter switch in the "rear start"position (remember, you left the master run control on)when the engine starts, flip the switch up to normal,lower and secure the engine compartment. Then goahead and complete your pre-pull-out inspection. Alsoremember, don't hold the start switch on more than 15seconds at a time, then wait 15 seconds before you tryagain.

28

Some buses have a "knife switch," toggle switch anda start button. Make sure the "knife switch" is closedand the toggle switch is in normal position.

ENGINE DAMPER

(Emergency Stop Switch) When the engine cannot beshut off in the normal wa~I" the damper i~ usedlto cut °rf

the intake air the engine needs in order to ~n. Onceused, it must be reset manually by pulling up dr pushingdown on the damper reset cam lever locatJd on theengine near the air intake hose and superch~ger.

The engine may not necessarily die if the damp.er isused, but it will not accelerate or pull the bus and willemit excessive amounts of black smoke. At ti~es for noapparent reason it may trip itself. If this happens get thebus to the side of the roadway if possible and go to therear of the bus and reset the damper.

MASTER DOOR CONTROL SWITCH

This switch is located in lower right compartment of thedash or at the right top of the windshield. This switch isused when there is some problem with the rear door andit's necessary to shut it off. When the switch is off, therear door will not work, nor will the interlock. For in-stance: say you have a treadle type rear door and itwon't close, it keeps popping back open. You can shutoff the master door control switch and go back and shutit by hand, then turn the switch back on. Most of thetime, this cures the problem. If not, turn the switch backoff, close the doors, continue in service and call theradio dispatcher. (When y~u get out of the se~t to tUIi"ftoff the switch, don't forgbt to set the hand brake andput the transmission in neutral, because as sobn as youturn off the switch, the brake interlock releas~s).

29

TREADLE TYPE REAR DOOR

This type pf door requires a passenger to stand on therear steps iwhile you push the treadle switch. The doorshould remain open 2 Yz seconds after the passengersteps off tpe bus. This type of door also has a sensor inthe rubbej edge so if it closes on something, it will pop

backope~. I!If you sfe someone who mi~ht have tro.uble wi~ thistype of door because of packages, or phYSICal handIcap,or someone with little children, you can switch on thetreadle by-pass which will open up and hold open therear door until you turn the switch off.

AIR OPERATED PARKING ANDEMERGENCY BRAKE (DD-3 VALVE)

Thj.s brake is actually applied by a spring. When youbuild up air pressure to over 90 lbs., then push down onthe button, air pressure counteracts the spring andcauses the brake to release. When you lose air pressure(at about 40 lbs.) the button automatically "pops" upand the brakes are applied.

AIR CONDITIONING

Most air fonditioned buses recirculate about 75% of theair on the inside of the bus and bring in about 25010 ofthe air from the outside. The system is designed to workin such a way that doors can be opened a certain numberof times

f' er hour, remain o~en a certain length of time

a,t each stop, etc., and stUI work reasonably well.lJowever whe~ a window or! vent is left open too muchair comes in from outside, !the system overloads, thecooling coil gets ice on it (from the moisture in outside

i;

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30

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air) and air can't pass through it and be cooled. So whatyou have is a hot bus. The more sealed off from the out-side you keep the bus, the cooler it will be.

Note: On air conditioned buses with G.M. engines, inorder for the air conditioning to come on : the airpressure must be up to 901Ibs., the generator' must b~charging and the engine must be idling. In oth~r words'the A/C won't come on if you turn it on traveling downthe street or freeway. I

3 SPEED SUPER."V"AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS

In order to shift this transmission into gear, the gear'selector toggle switch is moved to the appropriate posi-tion. A minimum of 90 lbs. of air pressure is required inorder for the gear selector to work. Sometimes, due towear or improper adjustment, 90 lbs. of air pressure isnot enough to cause the transmission to go into gear. Itmay take 100 lbs. or more to activate it.

If, for instance, the air pressure gauge shows 100 lbs.and the transmission won't engage, depress the brake afew times to make the air pressure drop below the' 'CutIn" pressure (usually about 95Ibs.) for the bus' air com~'pressor, then build up the air to the compressor "Cut-Out" pressure (usually 115 lbs.) and try to place thetransmission in gear again. If this doesn't work, notifythe radio dispatcher (or mechanical department in the'Division yard).

Note: This transmission is always in gear, the neutral.setting just disengages the tlutch. :

NOTIFYING MAINTE~ANCE I

Notifying maintenance of a problem as soon as possiblehelps to cut down on service delays. If you have the bus

31

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repaired, don't forget to note the problem you had onthe bus condition report (be specific)before you go tothe mechanical department, and request a new card forthe bus after it's been repaired. This protects you in caseyou're out late and helps the mechanical departmentkeep record of maintenance performed on the bus.

34

:: ..:;~::::;:::::"

,:':,:";"":,:":",,,:,,,':;::,-,,,-,',-,".":;.-~

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APPEARANCE

A neat and professional personal appearance creates agood self image and the better we feel about ourselves,the easier we find it to deal with others. If we want peo-ple to respect us as a professional, we should try ourbest to look like a professional. In fact, don't we alljudge competency in other people, at least partially, bytheir appearance.?

PASSENGERS WHO DON'TSPEAK ENGLISH.

Even though our jobs may be made more difficult attimes by trying to assist passengers who don't speakEngl\1h, keep in mind, it's not easy for the passengereither., Many times, they may speak a little English andif you ;,~eak slowly and in a normal tone, they may beable to l'l1derstand. Many of us will unconsciously raiseour voice trying to make ourselves understood.Loudness does not assist understanding, it only makesthe other person nervous and less likely to understand.Usually the best methods are to speak slowly anddistinctly or request assistance from another passenger.

CALLING STOPS

Some of us have gotten into the habit of not calling ourstops, or maybe just calling requested stops (if weremember). There are some real benefits if we again getin the habit of calling out the stops. There are fewermissed stops (and fewer complaints about it), less dwelltime at each stop because more passengers are preparedto alight, faster familiarity with the stops we make andthus we're more likely to be able to answer questions ac-

36

curately. Passengers really appreciate an operator whocalls the stops. Calling out stops also keeps us more alertand aware of where we are and what we're doing.

HOW TO SAY "I DON'T KNOW"

Many of us are put in the position of having to tell apassenger that we don't know the answer to their ques-tion, due to the fact we're new on the line or new to thearea. Some, in the past have resorted to giving false in-formation in an effort to avoid embarrassment. Whenthe passenger discovers the information to be false theybecome angry, not just at the one operator but alloperators and we have another unhappy and un-cooperative customer.

If you don't know the answer to a question try sayingsomething like: "I'm sorry, I'm new on this line anddon't know where that is yet, if you'll take one of thepassenger timetables and call the information number,they'll be able to help you." In most cases, this willsolve the problem. In answering, try to be sincere andpolite. Ignoring passenger questions or giving curtanswers won't help you or the passenger to make thebest of an unfortunate situation.

HANDLING INVALID TRANSFERS

Passengers at times present transfers which for onereason or another aren't valid. When this happens, thepassenger should be politely informed that the transferis not valid and why, then requested to deposit the cor-rect fare in the farebox. If the passenger refuses to payor becomes belligerent, don't press the point, just notethe time, location, etc. and when you arrive at the ter-minal, fill out an unenforced rule report to accoullt forthat passenger.

37

If each operator working for the District notes one in-valid transfer each day and collects the proper fare, in ayear's time this one procedure could generate more than3/4 of a million dollars in additional revenues, nowfigure how much it would be if we caught the majorityof the bad transfers presented.

Besides being one of our basic responsibilities as anoperator, collecting fares on invalid transfers couldgenerate enough revenue to make a real difference ifgovernment subsidies are reduced and cut backs becomenecessary.

UNENFORCED RULE REPORT

1'here are certain rules we ask our passengers to observewh~n they ride with us. We're also very much aware thatnot -all passengers abide by these rules. In order to re-mind' passengers of what the rules are, the District re-quires t.hat the passengers be asked once to abid.e by therule. Skl,ce we're not expected to "force" passengers,yet must ~ccount for the fact that a passenger has failedto compiy, the unenforced rule report furnishes amethod for reporting the violation and letting the Tran-sit Police know we're having a problem.

By requesting once th.at the passenger comply with therules, and filling out an "Unenforced Rule ReportCard" if they refuse, we will have done all that's ex-pected of us and still avoid confrontations and possiblealtercations with uncooperative passengers.

38

GENERAL INFORMATION

"~'""""'~"

NECESSARY LINE KNOWLEDGE

1. Necessary supplies and where to obtain them.2. When and how to call for a run.3. How to find vehicle in yard and prepare for ser-

vice, and operations within the yard.4. Pull-out and pull-in routes, destination signs, what

to carry, when to change.S. Use of paddle board and special information on

paddle board.6. Relief points, and use of C.E.A. cars_for relief.7. Route of line, Express, Limited routes, and stops.8. Layover zones and turnaround loop operation.9. What to do in case of equipment failure.

'0. Location of District Street telephones and how touse radio dispatcher's telephone number.

11. Telephone and radio reports to radio dispatcher:.A. In case of B. o. equipment B. Delays C. In~:,ase of accidents, etc.

12. Correct use of bus radio, and silent alarm.13. Hl.\W to make a bus change or relay.14. Dal'~ger points along the line and freeway opera-

tion.IS. Location of R.R. crossings, fire stations, police

stations, etc.16. Response to sirens and funeral processions.17. Reading traffic conditions, stopping distance,

potential accident situations, and proper defenses(there is a defense for most accidents).

18. Accident reports, Courtesy cards, andMiscellaneous reports.

19. Location of public parks, buildings, and points ofinterest.

20. Fares and fare zones.21. Transfers issued and how to punch correctly.

40

'.~;-

lorms

of

22. Transfers received.23. Transfer points, nante and number of lines

I

transferred to. I24. District passes, Monthly passes, and other

Ifree transportation.25. School tickets and Student Identification cards and

their value.26. Senior Citizen I.D. Card.27. Fare Refund Receipts and unenforced rul~ reports.28. How to perform clerical work.29. Turning in lost articles.30. Knowledge of all rules.

WORK RUN SHEETS

The work run sheet gives you a breakdown on how yourtime is accounted for. Below is a chart showing whateach column is for. Following the chart is an explana-tion of what each number in the work ru.n numbermeans.

41

""'", SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT pi'...;V_I" i,;'" WORK RUNS

...,~:';~-.:- ~?::~:og~ \t 9 u..EARIZONA AVE.-FREMONT AVE.-ALHAMBRA ""EDULE"D 190110

L"i'\ '..E"ECT 3-11-19.C .EuE' PO'NT FREMONT' HEllMAN AVES. PACt 1

I u / SCHEDULE OAll Y EXCEPT SATURDAY' SUNDAY :,:::~~.,-.I-ofA_. ~ -r4,i W... SHorr-NOE -., ..OTE'.. ..ORTH ~ 'OuT. E EA'T W WEST P PULL'.. a. PUL. auo .aWL ~I_U

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LINE ~'UMBER I I I TYPE OF ASSIGNMENT

25-00LASSIGNMENT NUMBER

All nul",bers to the left of the hyphen are the line number.The rIrst n\.,mber to the right tells you what kind of assignmentit is. For iri~tance, the "0" in the above number means it's aregular run. All numbers to right of the rIrst number areassignment number.

If the rIrst number to the right of the hyphen is a:I-Assigned run or tripper2-Unassigned run3-Biddable A.M. tripper4-Biddable P.M. tripper5-Non-biddable A.M. tripper6-Non-biddable P.M. tripper8-Relief Run9-Extra or non-scheduled runs

or trippers on Pink sheetNote: On relief runs, the numbers to the left of the hyphen isthe Division number.

42

PADDLEBOARDS I

The following is an examp~e ,and explanation d, f paddle

~oards and symbols:

~~~~

Legend for syinbols used in paddles, schedule letters, ex-clusive of those applying to routes and owl connections.

.A-Alternate route .E-Except cF-Frida y I ; i

I I

a-Fuel bus iH-School holiday iL-Limited iM-MondayN-Note

NR-Non-raceP-Pull-out Pull-inR-Race dayS-School dayT -Tuesday

TH- Thursday

43

PADDLEBOARDS (Cont'd)

W-WednesdayX-ExpressY -Remain in layover zone to allow

follower to pull-inZ-ReliefO-Indicates accessible Bus Trip

*-Deadheadby driving assigned vehicle)% -Deadhead by assigned vehicle )- Work runs only@-Deadhead by deadhead bus )

#- Deadhead by line service )

$-Regular schedule (or no change)ct-Change in mileage )-Schedule letters only

EXAMPLE OF OPERATOR'SDAILY REPORT (FORM 32-124)

44

EXTR~.BOARD

,

1. Assignments are matkedearliest to latest. r

2. The Extra-board is posted each day at 3:00 p.m.3. The Board rotates 1 to 3 operators per day (depen-

ding on Division) !..Each operator is responsible for checking i for their

assignment for the next day.S. Days off are by seniority choice.6. Extra-board operators are guaranteed 8 hrs. pay

within an 11 hr. spread.

chronologicallY from

4

45

,':;

'",

ACCIDENT REPORTS

Probably no other report you write is as important as anAccident Report. Many of us feel that .the AccidentReport is used only for the purpose of determiningwhether or not we are to be charged with the accident.

In reality the Accident Report is used for many pur-poses. One use is for gaining information statistically tohelp learn what types of accidents are increasing in fre-quency so we can determine what areas we should con-centrate on to help avoid those accidents.

Each year many millions of dollars are paid out foraccident claims. We all know some of that money wascollected falsely by people trying to take advantage ofus. That money could be better spent on holding downfares or better service or better benefits for employees.

So another very important us~ is to determinewhether a claim against us is valid. The Accident Reportc~n, in many cases, tell us that the claim should be set-tle\.1 right away rather than waste our time -and yours-fighting a losing battle that may go on for years.With\.)ut accurate information it's very difficult todetermine which claims are valid and which are not.(Courte~y Cards are helpful in this area, too).

When ,ve whiz through an Accident Report because inour mind it's clearly unavoidable, we leave open thepossibility that we might be charged with an accidentbecause we didn't provide enough information for theDivision Manager to understand exactly what hap-pened. Keep in mind that of the 68 different types oftraffic accidents, none are automatically chargeable.They all depend on circumstance.

We've included in this book some examples of acci-dent reports which may help you to figure out what in-formation is important to include in your report. There

46

are also examples of properly drawn and labbled acci-dent diagrams.

Another hint you might want to keep in mind is thatwhen you report what happened, if you didn't see itwith your own eyes, it's an allegation (Claim)J In otherwords, if a person tells you that when you made thatstop 2 blocks back, they bumped their head, don't say inyour report, "A passenger bumped his head," say in.-stead, "A passenger claims to have bumped his head,"there's a difference.Tips to remember when making out an Accident.Report:

1. Include all relevant information.2. Try to get Courtesy Cards from persons not on the

bus, (be sure to note on the card that they weren't,. on the bus).

3. Have someone read your report, then tell you whathappened. If their description doesn't match whathappened, re-write the report, you weren't clear.

4. Don't put in a lot of details that aren't related tothe accident. In other words, confine it to adescription of what happened immediately beforeand during the accident, and possibly S! e pert~-nent details after the ~ccident. i

5. Use the "accident kit.' described in the e book.In that way you don't have to remember what tonote down, just fill in all the blanks that apply.

6. If there's injury or serious damage, or maybe someproblem you are not sure how to handle~ call theradio dispatcher and ask for help.

7. Don't let yourself be baited into an argument at thescene, that's not the place to settle it. When we getangry, it's easier to lead us into saying somethingwe regret later.

8. When you hand out your Courtesy Cards, you'll

47

9.

10.

11.

get a better response if you give them a pencil withit.Don't ask if they'll fill the card out, give it to themand ask them to fill it out.Start handing them out at the back of the bus andwork your way forward, then after a couple ofminutes, go to the rear and begin collecting them.(Note on the card if it belongs to a passenger claim-ing injury).Try to be as accurate as possible, including the sec-tion on the back of the report that asks aboutspeeds and distances.Take your time and do it right. Once you turn it inyou won't get a second chance.

12.

48

ASSISTANCE BY EMPLOYEE

In case of an accident, any properly identified Districtemployee should render all possible assistance to theother District employee involved.

49

MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS

Miscellaneous reports are your official method of tellingyour Division Manager what your problems are. Whendetails of your job are not correct, use the report. Forinstance, say there is a problem with your schedule. Youwrite the report to the Manager, (including all pertinentdetails). He or she in turn forwards the report toSchedule Department. In the Schedule Departmentthere are 5 teams and each team is assigned a certainnumber of lines they are responsible for.

Your Miscellaneous is given to the team handlingyour line. You will get an answer to your complaint. Itmay not be a solution and you may not like the answer,(not all schedule problems are solvable) but you'll get anexplanation.

Be patient, before you get an answer, your problemwill have to be investigated. It may take several weeksand in most instances, if there is a solution, it will not beimplemented until the next shake-up. Taking time to'Nrite the Miscellaneous Report may solve the problem.Si~t.ing around the train room griping to one anothernev,,'r will. -

MISSOUTS

One of ),he .reasons that missouts are such a problem(besides the problems involved if there's no operator onreport to work the assignment) is that when the reportoperator gets the assignment, it's usually late getting outand the operator may try to make up the time by rushingand could be involved in an accident, or at least will belate leaving on that trip. To avoid missing out, allowyourself enough travel time to have a problem on theway to work, take care of it and still arrive on time.

50

:~i~~;~::

Many operators set two alarms, one electri~ and onewind-up clock in case of a power failure. '

Setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier may make allthe difference if you have a flat tire on the way to work.

SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS

Many of us don't understand the circumstances underwhich the Radio Dispatcher or Supervisor will deadheada bus to get it back on schedule. Many feel that ifthey're going to be late leaving the terminal, the busshould be deadheaded from the terminal to get back ontime.

Let's examine a situation to see why in most cases theRadio Dispatcher tells us to "work it out." Let's say theline has a 20 minute headway, you're scheduled to havea 15 minute layover when you arrive at the terminal,you're now running 25 minutes late and your follower is5 minutes ahead of you. You arrive at the te~inal ~Ominutes after you were sc~eduled to leave. I 4-1 I

Some may feel, under these circumstances. that theSupervisor or radio dispatcher should deadhead the busto get it back on schedule. Let's see what would happenif he did.

Since you're 10 minutes late, you would have to bedeadheaded about 20 minutes down the line, now you'reback on schedule but what about your follower?

For the first 20 minutes of their trip, it's a doubleheadway.. All the passengers who were waiting for yourbus will now get on his and be 20 minutes late instead of10. On some heavy lines (especially if you're going topull in when you get to the other end), the Supervisormay have you "Work it out" even though your followermay have already left, just because we need the service.When you consider deadheading, consider that the only

51

reason we're out there is to transport people, on time ifpossible, but transport them on time or not. If you werea passenger, would you rather ride a bus that's 10minutes late or wait 10 extra minutes for a bus that's ontime?

If a line is running late, like so many do duringChristmas season, in most cases the Radio Dispa!cherwill wait until the rush period is over before attemptingto adjust the service and get everyone back on time.Keep in mind that if the line has a 10 minute headwayand all the buses are running 40 minutes late, the serviceis still OK, as long as the buses are 10 minutes apart.

FUNDING OF THE DISTRICT

Many of us are not aware of how and where the Districtgets the money to operate and acquire equipment. Cur-rently, revenue comes from basically 3 sources, thefarebox, the Federal government (UMT A) and State (V4of 1 cent of the gasoline tax).

What some don't understand is that many subsidies1.re given only for a specific purpose, and cannot bel.1:3~d for anything but the stated purpose.

fiederal funds are usually given with these "Strings"attat:hed. Such as for acquisition of property or equip-ment, and no part of those funds can be used to pay ourwages" or fuel costs or any other operating expense. Ifthe money given is not spent for the stated purpose, itmust be returned. State subsidies are allocated by theL.A.C.T.C. (Los Angeles County TransitCommission). The District receives approximately 85%of the funds for Los Angeles County and we provideabout 90% of the service. Other agencies provide about10070 of the service but receive about 15070 of the funds(ever wonder why their fares are lower? Now youknow).

52

Some transit properties generate as little as 10% oftheir operating costs from the farebox and make up therest from subsidies. Maybe you've noticed other agen-cies have-lately raised their fares. In some cases, this wasa result of a regulation which was passed that requiredtransit agencies to pay at least 20% of their operatingcosts out of farebox revenue. Currently. the Districtpays over 40% of its operating costs out of the farebox,which makes us one of the most self sufficient proper-ties in the country.

SE:LF CRITIQUE

What profession can you think of that requires skill,judgment, alertness and knowledge yet doesn't requirepractice in the basics of the, job? Doctors, lawyers, pro-fessional athletes and more, all practice their ~kill andconstantly examine and 6valuate their ownl. perfor-mance. Objective self appraisal is probably !the bestmethod for obtaining a high level of performance. Thekey word here is "Objective." If we constantly blameothers for what happens, or make excuses for ourselves,we never learn from our mistakes. If, on the other hand,we ask ourselves what we can do in the future to preventit from happening again, we're on the road to being atrue professional. We can apply this to any incident or"Close Call" we avoided by "Good Fortune."

U"~IFORM PURCHASE

Operators who do not wish to pay cash at the time theuniform is purchased, may arrange through their Divi-sion Manager to purchase uniforms and watches onpayroll deduction, subject to the following conditions:

53

:.;

A. An Operator, after having completed ninety (90)days or more of service with the District, may pur-chase through payroll deduction, only the requiredand specified uniform items authorized for anamount not to exceed $225. Any amount exceeding$225 must be paid in cash to the vendor by theOperator. Uniform purchases by payroll deductioncan only be made at the following contract vendors:

Sam Cook Long Beach Uniform Co.114 W. Ninth St. 200 Long Beach BI.Los Angeles, Calif. Long Beach, Calif.Mr. Man Uniforms Becnel Uniforms11126 E. Ramona BI. 224 E. Sixth St.EI Monte, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif.

Official Uniforms Merchandise Center15329 Parthenia St. 7720 Lankershim BI.Sepulveda, Calif. No. Hollywood, Calif.English Civil Service Tom's Mens WearUniforms & Uniforms2350 W. Washington BI. 3031 E. Main St.Los Angeles, Calif. Alhambra, Calif.

Sidney's Uniforms Uniforms, Inc.1956 S. La Cienega BI. 8146 Van Nuys BI.Los Angeles, Calif. Panorama City, Calif.

Uniforms, Inc. California Uniforms, Inc.

2889 W. Olympic BI. 5774 Rodeo Rd.

~,os Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif.

B. Student operators who have been in training fortwelve (12) days and are assured of being assigned toa regular assignment must wear a regulation shirtand dark trousers while on duty.

C. Subsequent uniform orders may be issued whilethere is an unpaid balance remaining on the previousorder, provided that the unpaid balance and thenewly requested order amount, do not exceed the$225 amount allowed for a specific Operator. A new

54

,

:;::. ;.;

'. .',""

:-;i

',':

.:

~ :; ':. ~.::::~:._:.~: ::::":..:.

:;:!_-

order may be issued directing the Operator to pur-chase the items at the same contract vendor whe!~the previous order was purchased.

'N A TCH PU RCHASES

A. An Operator may purchase through payroll deduc-tion a regulation watch not to exceed an amount of$150 provided he has no previous balance owing on awatch purchased through payroll deduction. Anyamount exceeding $150 must be paid in cash to thevendor by the Operator. Only one (1) watch may beobtained during anyone year, except in the event ofloss or theft of the watch, in which case approvalmust be obtained from the Division Manager beforean additional watch order may be issued. Watchespurchased by payroll ~eduction can only be madd atthe following contract vendors: I

I

Merit Watch Shop Ted's Clock Elhporium610 S. Main Street 143 Glendale GalleriaLos Angeles, Calif. Glendale, Calif.Phone: 622-6517 Phone: 956-10~6J. J. Tholt Ted's Clock Emporium598 W. Avenue 28 9301 Tampa AvenueLos Angeles, Calif. Northridge, Calif.Phone: 225-8274 Phone: 885-5721Mission Jewelers Fred Myer Jewelers1019 San Fernando Rd. 8917 Santa Monica BI.San Fernando, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif.Phone: 361-5128 Phone: 652-7407Lee's Jewelers Bennett Jewelers14421 E. Ramona Blvd. 8416 Van Nuys Blvd.Baldwin Park, Calif. Panorama City, Calif.Phone: 337-0333 Phone: 891-2500

B. When a Student Operator has been qualified to beplaced in service, he may purchase a regulation

55

watch through payroll deduction upon approval ofthe Division Manager, subject to the same condi-tions outlined in section A above. The watch must becertified by the Instruction Department.

C. A Payroll Deduction Authorization form issued forthe purpose of obtaining a watch cannot be used forthe purchase of jewelry or miscellaneous items.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILINGOR ACCUMULATING SICK LEAVEALLOWANCE

Article 47 of the Labor Contract between the SouthernCalifornia Rapid Transit District and the UnitedTransportation Union provides for the method of com-putation and the payment of compensable sick leave.The following is the method to be used in claiming paidsick leave which you may be entitled to receive.A. Filing Procedure During Illness

An Operator who wishes to file for part of the sickleave to which he is entitled while still off work onaccount of illness or off-duty injury, must turn in hisdoctor's report form as required by the Labor Con-tract. This form may be filed with the DivisionManager at any time during the period of illness.Payment for this sick leave will be made not later~han the following payroll period. A claim cannot befiled for less than one week and weekly claims mustencompass an entire week.

This procedure of filing for a week or more of sickleave may be repeated, if desired, in the same man-ner as related in paragraph above, until compensabledays have been used up. A separate doctor's reportform must be submitted for each period for whichclaim is filed.

An Operator who wishes to claim all of the paid

56

sick leave to which he is entitled may wait until suchtime as he has been off work long enough to collectall compensable sick leave time and then file the doc-tor's report, Form 32-3 for all of his sick leave.

B. Filing Procedure Upon Return to DutyAn Operator who desires to file for sick leave pay forwhich he is eligible must secure a "Doctor's ReportForm" (Form 32-3). This form is to be completed bythe employee's attending physician and submitted bythe employee to his Division office no later thantwenty (20) days after his return to work.

Payment for all of the sick leave pay due theemployee will be made not later than the payrollperiod following the one in which he; filesl is clai~.

C. Failure to Comply I !

Employees failing to cbmply with the pro edures asoutlined in A and B will not receive paymertt for sickleave for the current illness.

D. Procedure for Accumulation of Sick Pay IAn employee returning from sick leave who is eligi-ble to claim sick leave pay for the illness just con-cluded, who does not wish to claim sick pay at thistime, is not required to notify his Division Managerof this intention. In this event, the employee's sickleaye pay will be aUowed to accumulate and becredited to his account for future use.

Under the State Disability Insurance Act, when anOperator becomes ill, the first full day off work isthe determining factor for a waiting period of seven(7) days before drawing State Disability; however,when hospitalized, these benefits become payableimmediately. District sick leave may be claimed afterone (1) full work day off, unless hospitalized inwhich event it may be claimed on the first work dayof hospitalization.

57

, (~~~.;

','.,..

In all instances, the District will take credit forState Disability Insurance allowance due from theState, whether the Operator files for the allowanceor not. Only the difference between the amount paidby S.D.I. and an eight (8) hour day will be chargedto the Operator's sick leave account.

EARTHQUAKE I~STRUCTIONS

These guidelines are intended to assist our Operators inprotecting their passengers and themselves if a majorearthquake occurs in our area.A. You and your passengers remain in the bus. Be calm

and tell them that they are safer in the bus than beingoutside and unprotected.

B. Instruct the passengers to move away from the win-dows to the extent possible.

C. Drive away from high buildings if possible. Also,unless the streets are blocked, attempt to drive awayfrom power poles and other objects which could fallon the bus.

D. If it is not possible to move the bus or if you are safe-ly in an open area, shut off the motor, because itwould be a fire hazard in the event of leaking gas.This same hazard would require that all passengersbe instructed not to smoke.

E. If the bus is on a freeway or in an open area, pullover to the side and follow the above instructions.Do not stop under or on a bridge or overpass.

r. After the quake has ended, passengers may be al-lowed to get off the bus if there are no dangerousconditions on the outside. If there are electric wiresn~ar the bus, announce that fact and do not allowan).one to leave. If the bus cannot be moved and isneaT a fire and might burn, evacuate the passengers

58

I!'

in an orderly fashion and direct them according towhat the conditions are outside the bus.

G. If possible remain in the bus. Instructions as to howto proceed will be broadcast by the Dispatchers tothose buses having radios.

H. Do not transmit over your radio unless you have asevere emergency situation such as passengers whoare very badly injured and need immediate help.

I. If you are in an area that has been hard hit by theearthquake, all power lines may be down E' d yoQr

bus radio may be the o~IY means of comm nicatio~out of the area. Transmit emergency mes ages for

.I 'anyone in authority that requests same. :J. Follow the directions of those in authority and be

guided by their instructions.K. After the earthquake is over and there are passengers

desiring transportation, unless otherwise ibstructedby proper authority, the Operator should, if he hasno radio, continue on his route if in his judgment itis safe to do so.

Those with radios should be governed by instruc-tions from the Radio Dispatcher or by properauthority.

AD B:

APTA:

Advanced Design Bus -The latest modelof standard bus. The A D B offersgreater passenger comfort as well asincreased accessibility for elderly andhandicapped patrons.American Public Transit Association -An association whose members includetransit properties throughout the Uniteo.States and 1anada. : I

59

Articu~ated A two part bus which bends in theBus: middle and is designed for high

occupancy.AT U: Amalgamated Transit Union -The

union to which the Distrjct's mechanicsand maintenance workers belong.

A V M: Automatic Vehicle Monitoring -Afederally funded demonstration projectdesigned to automate data collection onthe bus operations and passenger board-ing or alighting. Enables better responsetimes in SAS situations.

Badge: An employee's number assigned forrecord keeping and identificationpurposes.

Barn: See Division.Base Refers to bus service operated between

Period: the peak periods. (See Peak Period).In Los Angeles, the base period runsfrom 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Basic Fare: The regular charge for local bus service.Beep: "Bus Employee Express Program" -A

demonstration program operated by theDistrict in cooperation with EI SegundoEmployee Centers. The Beep experimentis designed to test the attractivenessof a bus service specifically tailored forcommuters having a commondestination.

Bellows: Rubber Air Bags -Suspension systemused in place of springs to improve rideand enable the bus to level itself.

B~ddable A short driving assignment which can beafripper: bid by an operator in addition to

his regular assignment.

60

.;::i:::.';';

';

,; -:~.

B. O. Bus: Bad order Bus -One with a mechanicaldefect. .

Bulletin A location in the train room whereBoard: various notices are placed for operator's

information.B 0 L: Bus Over Line -A method used by the

instruction qepartment to qualifvoperators on a line.

B R Bus assignm~nt number placedNumber: windshield area of the bus.

Bus An exchange of one bus for anotherChange: on the road. Bus changes are usually

made in response to reported m~chanicaldefects. i

BllJsway: Exclusive freeway lane for buses andcarpools.

Cialtrans: State of California Department ofTransportation.

C B D: Central Business District.C E A Company Equipment Assigned -Refers

Unit: to a District owned automobile (or unit)used by an operator to go from the divi-sion to the relief point. It is returned by

CElntral the operator being relieved.Cash The location where all farebox vaultsCounting are emptied and the money countedRoom: and prepared for bank deposit.

Contra-Flow Reserved lane for buses which runsLane: opposite to the general flow of traffic

on a one-way street. R. T .D. operates acontra-flow lane on Spring street in LosAngeles. LCards passe~ out to passengers [0record their presence at accidenl:s orother incidents requiring witnesses.

:~ .

.n

the

[Hi

CourtesyCard:

61

;:.~

:

":::

Damp~r: An emergency switch which stops a busengine by cutting off its air supply.

Dashsign: A large card placed in bus windshield, inaddition to or instead of a headsign,denoting type of service or destination.

Dead Not in service movement of operatorsHeading: or equipment.

Division: The location at which operators receivetheir assignments and buses. The Districthas eleven operating divisions.

Detour (Salmon Color): Notification of tem-Notice porary changes of regular routes.

DOT: Department of Transportation.Dog House: See Train Room.Down Time: That period when a bus is out of ser-

vice, usually because of a mechanicaldefect.

Dragging Improperly distributing scheduled run-the Line: ning time. Operating slow to avoid early

arrival at the next scheduled time point.Dwell Time: Time spent at bus stops loading and

unloading passengers.Early Runs: A regular run that signs off before eight

P.M.Eight within Eight hours pay within an eleven hour

Eleven: spread.Express A bus which operates via the freeway

Bus: a,nd makes only designated stops to pickup or discharge.

Extra -A pool of operators maintained to fillBoard: assignments and vacancies caused by

sickness, missouts, vacations, leaves, etc.FI\~ld Drive: Transmission gear range before it, changes into direct drive normally at

speeds below twenty-two miles per hour.

62

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"

~

Free The specific portion of a trip (usuallyRunning the last). where there are no fixedTime: times at which an operator must be at a

certain time point.Headsign: Destination sign located above the wind-

shield.Headway: The amount lof time between twb ;~t

scheduled bJses on the same rortte. i\C,.cHeavy Rail: Subway, surface, or elevated tYt>e of rail

transit operating over its own right ofway.

Hlold Down: Temporary vacancies bid by operators.House The internal newsletter of the District.

Organ: It is called the "Headway."Idiot Indicator lights that warn of problems

Lights: in the mechanical or electrical systems ofthe bus.

Inbound: A direction of travel from an outlyingarea toward the Central BusinessDistrict.

Late Run: A regular run that signs off at eightP.M. or later.A designated stopover point for a bus,at or near the end of the line.Modern-day term for a street car typetransit operation.

Lim it Line: A line painted on the pavement justprior to a crosswalk beyond which avehicle must not be stopped.Line service with some restrictions onj I boarding and alighting. ; i

Scheduled ddwntown connectio s bet- ! iween two or 'more lines with all-hight(owl) service.

..

LayoverZone:

Light Rail:

,..":..

LimitedService:

Line Up:

63

Loca~Ser,Iice:

Matinee:

Mini Bus:

Mark-Up:

M issout:

MonthlyPass:

Non.Bid.dableTripper:

N.S.R.B.:

0 B D:

0 C B:

Off Route:

Regular line service which stops at anydesignated bus stop for passengers toboard or alight.An assignment that signs on after noon-time.Small bus usually operated as a circula-tion vehicle in downtown, airport andother population dense areas.Extra board operator's assignment forthe day as specified when the extra-board is posted.Failure of an operator to report forwork at the designated time.A prepaid fare card, valid for unlimitedriding within designated zones. R. T .D.offers special monthly passes at reducedrates for students, handicapped andelderly patrons.A driving assignment from the extraboard, usually more than two hourslong, during either the morning or even-ing peak periods.New Services Review Board -Composedof representatives from the District'smajor departments. Reviews all pro-posed service and fare changes.Off Balance of Day -Laying off the lat-ter part of an assignment.Off-called back-An operator who has been directed towork on his day off. 0 C B's are calledonly after the regular work force andthe volunteers have been used.An out of service prescribed route thatbuses follow to get from one point on

64

;.:;';::;,'{;

;i..!:..

, ."~.::

Outbound:

:.::~':

Owl:Paddle

Board:Park'n

Ride:

the line to another.A direction of travel from the CentralBusiness District toward an outlyingarea.All night service. tAn individual bus schedule s pplied toan operatbr for his use.A line which serves a parkin facilityand provides either express or limitedservice from that facility to a selecteddestination.

PassengerMiles:

PeakPeriod:

PinkLetter:

PremiumTime:

Property:

Pull.ln:

Pull.inRoute:

Pullout:

Miles operated in revenue service.Periods of the day when the greatestnumber of passengers are traveling.These peaks are governed by work andschool hours. The peak periods are 6 to9 A.M. and 3 to 6 P.M. in the LosAngeles area.Bulletin issued on pink paper by theschedule department regarding schedulechanges or extra work.Make-up time to comply with guaranteesand minimum allowances provided tooperators.A public transit agency or private transitcompany with responsibility for bus,trolley or rail service.The trip from end of revenue service.back to the division. ~i

An out-or-service prescrir~d r?ute be-tween the end of revenue se I Ice and thedivision. :

The trip from the division to the pointwhere revenue services begins.

65

Pullout An out-of-service prescribed route be-Route: tween the division and the point where

revenue service begins.Regular An established driving assignment which

Run: usually totals 7 hours or more within aprescribed period.

Relief-Run: A driving assignment which covers thescheduled days off of other operators'regular assignments.

Ride the An operator riding to his assignmentCushions:on in or out of service bus.

Route A set of street by street directions forSheets: a particular line.

Route Sign: Designates line number bus is operatingon.Failure to mark extra-board in propersign on order.The process of scheduling individual

-assignments (or "Runs") on a particularline.

Run.Around:

RunCutting:

RunningHot orRunningSharp: A bus operating ahead of schedule.Schedule Structuring bus service for an entire

Building: line.Shake-up: The time when operators pick their work

assignments based upon their seniority.Shine Time Time spent by an operator waiting for

or Report an assignment or protecting service inTime: event of absence of another operator.

Set it To stop the bus in a safe place untilDown: supervisor or mechanic arrives.

Se~ Back: Instructions to leave later than the timeindicated on the paddle board.

66

\

Set up:

Split:

Split Run:

Instructions to leave earlier than thetime indicated on the paddle board.Time not on duty bet~een Wlork iassignmebts in a single day. [A regular driving assignmen, consisqngof two separate parts which pay at least8 hours a day within a prescribedperiod.

Spotting !Bus: Parking a bus at a particulat location.

Spread The period of time in a particular dayTime: from the moment an operator initially

signs on until he finally signs off. In ad-dition to driving time, spread time in-cludes time between runs, travel timeand dead-heading.

Starter The First Rail Rapid Transit line in aLine: system planned for the Los Angeles

area. The proposed subway line is toconnect Union Station in downtown LosAngeles with North Hollywood.

Straight An operator's regular work consisting ofRun: one uninterrupted assignment paying

eight hours or more.Subscrip. Commuter express service operated for

tion a guaranteed number of patrons fromService: a given area on a prepaid, r~serve-seat

basis. 1 '

Terminal: The startIng or ending point on a lirie.T .D. (Transportation bepartment)Notice Colors: !

Blue-Refers to Fares and Transfers.Green-Refers to Routing Changes.Orange-Refers to General ~otices.Red-Refers to Operating Orders.

67

TrainRoon~:

TransferPoints:

Treadle:

Tripper:

U M T A:

Unit:U. T .U.:

Vault:

v C B:

The area provided at each Division foruse by the operators (also known as theready room or dog house).Where bus routes intersect, join, ordivert.A device placed in the rear doorstairwell of a bus which, when activatedby the weight of the passenger, enablesoperator to open the door.A driving assignment which is shorterthan a run.Urban Mass Transit Administration -Abranch of the U .8. Department ofTransportation.A District-owned automobile.United Transportation Union; The laborunion which represents the District'soperators, traffic loaders and schedulecheckers.The part of the farebox that holds themoney.Voluntary Call Back -An operatorworking on his day off at his own re-quest.The time a bus is in service from. pull-out time to pull-in time.Tickets issued by an operator as proofof extra express fare paid. Zone checksare issued only when a line providesboth local and express service.

VehicleTime:

ZoneChecksor HatChecks:

68