San Francisco Commuters Cozy Up To Double-Decker Buses

"Muni will be running the double-decker bus, on loan to the city by a British company, on various routes through Jan. 8 to test public reaction, which will help agency officials decide whether to put the buses on their wish list for future purchase."

"If the first day of the pilot project was any indication, Muni will be adding double-deckers to its fleet, and the fact that rides on the 83-seat bus are free during the test phase isn't hurting."

"Double-decker buses, which are part of the public transit systems in London, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Washington state's Snohomish County and closer to home in Davis, have several benefits."

"They can transport a lot of people without taking up too much space on some of San Francisco's notoriously congested streets, and they're easier to maneuver than the double-jointed articulated buses used on the busiest corridors. They also will take up less floor space in the maintenance yards, which already are jam packed."

"On the downside, they have a reputation of taking longer for passengers to get on and off. And that's not good news, considering that Muni buses travel at an average speed of 8 mph, already making it one of the slowest transit systems in the nation."