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Transit Times Volume 5, Number 1
Transit Times Volume 5, Number 1
Transit Times Volume 5, Number 1
As the "nerve center" of AC Transit Similarly, it's the dispatcher who han-
operations throughout the district, Cen- dles other problems which may disrupt ran after him, pulled him off the bus
tral Dispatch handles everything that service and when Transit Information and turned him over to police.
might affect bus service-with one pos- closes down its switchboard at midnight, Helping to carry out the assignment
sible exception. it's Central Dispatch that answers ques-
It hasn't yet (fingers crossed) been tions and occasional complaints. I of Central Dispatch-keep the buses roll-
ing- are R. E. Hawes, L. L. McDonald,
called upon to direct the delivery of a Along with its own radio and telephone
new-born passenger.
But fires, accidents, "stalls," bus break-
system, Central Dispatch monitors Oak-
land and Berkeley police calls and the
/ L. H. Minear, B. C. Walden and Bennett,
manning different shifts.
downs - and complaints - are part of
round-the-clock operations at Central
Dispatch. And the air waves and phone
state highway patrol. When something
occurs which might involve the buses,
// On the other end of the mike are the
supervisors, cruising in seven radio cars.
Five superintendents' cars are also radio
the word goes out to the supervisors. with a mike can probably be credited equipped, along with a fleet of tow cars
wires are perpetually humming in vicin- Or sometimes they star on their own.
ity of the center's small, but efficient to "show biz". and maintenance equipment. They go to
headquarters on the second floor of the Bennett, handling the mike now, Bennett played the theater circuit as make up the field team that can take
Emeryville division offices. jumped into a cops and robbers chase the "boy called Useless" in the give-away any situation in hand to keep transit
Donald Bennett, one of the five reg- in his supervisor days, capturing a flee- program of "Shanny Advershow". After moving.
ular dispatchers who keep the coaches ing thug. He also had the horrifying ex- handing out prizes for a spell and an- There are always problems, but in the
moving, estimates the center-one man perience of seeing the chasing police other period as assistant manager of the memory of general superintendent Don-
to a shift, usually- handles 250 radio calls car go speeding right by, while he held Granada Theater, Bennett changed roles ald J. Potter, there's been nothing in AC
and between 300 and 400 telephone calls the captive, armed only with conviction. and followed his father into the Kev Transit regime to match the horrifying
in a normal 24 hours. A loud shout - from Bennett - brought System. . time a 22nd St. train derailed at Grand
It's the dispatcher who gets the word back the cops in time to take possession. Another supervisor, Fred H y m e s , Ave. and Broadway,just after the break
from bus drivers needing some kind of Service with the combat engineers found his experience as a tough Marine of a UC-St. Mary's football game.
assistance, and it's the dispatcher who overseas in World War II may have sergeant a help when he spotted an Both streets were blocked, traffic was
sends out help, usually by radio call to helped Bennett with some of his super- armed kidnaper and robber hotfooting tied up for five hours and Potter isn't
a supervisor or maintenance vehicle. visor activities, but his imperturbability it through the former Piedmont station sure either he-or Central Dispatch-will
to jump on a Grand Ave. bus. Hymes ever be the same again.
TRANSIT TIMES
BULK .RATE
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
U.S. POSTAGE
1106 Broadway
Oakland 7, California PAID
Return Requested Oakland, Calif.
Permit No. 2105