#shuttle train

The Unforgettable First Ride When did you first get on a bus, rickshaw, taxi, or boat? Can you remember? I can’t. The memories of my first rides on various modes of transportation are lost to time. However, I vividly remember my first train ride in 2006 to Chittagong University. The shuttle train was unlike any other train. It was a magic vehicle, where sitting at the door, in front of the…

The Unforgettable First Ride When did you first get on a bus, rickshaw, taxi, or boat? Can you remember? I can’t. The memories of my first rides on various modes of transportation are lost to time. However, I vividly remember my first train ride in 2006 to Chittagong University. The shuttle train was unlike any other train. It was a magic vehicle, where sitting at the door, in front of the…

Deck The Trains

One of the things I have noticed as a New Yorker for the past 3 years is the various advertisements on the shuttle train in the form of fully wrapped cars. This holiday season, Brooks Brothers Holiday Express has taken over the shuttle train with their signature tartan print, similar to their holiday packaging. The cars are designed to look like a holiday themed living room featuring Brooks Brothers merchandise. There is shelving with picture frames and ornaments alongside cozy sweaters and other men’s gift ideas. The train seats are “upholstered couches” decorated with accent pillows. The Brooks Brothers Holiday Express also advertises their affiliation with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Their shuttle advertising runs until the end of December. I saw this when I rode the shuttle a few weeks ago and it is one of the best ones I have seen. Although I knew the seats were hard, it gave me the illusion that it was a comfy couch. I always thought this idea was a very cool form of advertising. I would love to see the fully wrapped subway cars on more trains than just the shuttle. It would make me look forward to riding the train because of how visually appealing the cars look and because it brightens up the daily commute.

Hoodline decided to check in on how those N-Judah morning shuttle trains are working out.

Between 8 and 9 am, the SFMTA has been running empty cars from Embarcadero station to the intersection of Carl and Hillway, where a switchback lets them turn around so riders in Cole Valley can board more easily.

So, how's it working?

"It's done what we hoped it would do," said John Haley, Muni's director of transit. "Since the shuttle started the day after Labor Day, we've reduced the number of pass-ups that occurred in Cole Valley, particularly around Carl and Cole." ("Pass-ups" are the number of people left behind after a vehicle that's too crowded to board departs.)