Touring San Francisco's Double-Decker Bus

The upper deck, in VistaVision

A few weeks back Telstar Logistics mentioned that Muni, San Francisco's transit agency, may soon add London-style double-decker buses to its fleet.  Capacity is the driving motivation: The 60-foot articulated buses Muni now operates seat 55 people, compared to 83 seats on the double-deckers.  To evaluate the idea, Muni has been taking an Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 for an extended test drive on the streets of San Francisco, putting the double-decker through its paces on many of the city's most crowded routes. 

This week we encountered the big bus while it was waiting between runs at San Francisco's Transbay Terminal. The bus was basically empty, so it provided a good opportunity to go on a little self-guided tour to check out the fittings and accommodations and snap a few photos. Front to back and top to bottom, from the driver's seat to the exotic stairway. And because there were no passengers on board, there was no one around to hog the good seats or steal our lunch money.

Alas, we couldn't go for a ride. But the views were excellent, and the bus looked eminently comfortable -- especially compared to a typically austere Muni ride. It'd be swell if some of these double-deckers find a permanent home in San Francisco.

LINK:
Muni's Double-Decker Bus (Flickr photoset by Telstar Logistics)

PREVIOUSLY:
London Comes to SF: Double-Decker Buses Tested On City Streets

(IMAGES: Photos by Telstar Logistics)

Comments

[Are they green?]

Berlin is working on fuel cell buses.