The Trolleybus of Happy Destiny

By Douglas Meriwether

This is the Third Installment of Getting Around in San Francisco Public Transit: The Dao of Doug 3, The Trolleybus of Happy (not crappy) Destiny--Dao roughly translated as a way or manner of living, following the path of transit operator Driver Doug for his 19 years at Muni. There is so much to know about how to ride a bus, a streetcar, a cable car in San Francisco! Come take a vicarious journey with Driver Doug and get in the Zen about how to move about our world class transit system. Indeed, there are some horror stories to be told about not knowing how to ask the right question in getting to your bed and breakfast or Air bnb host. No longer constrained to the boutique hotels by Union Square or the Post and Sutter Street corridor, visitors are now free-range 'chickens,' clucking up in Ashbury Heights, above the Castro, or even in the Visitation Valley.

Going in the wrong direction for twenty minutes, or taking the wrong bus can mean missing sunset on the Golden Gate Bridge or being stuck in commute traffic on the freeway instead of whooshing down the peninsula to Silicon Valley. We are surrounded by water on all three sides of our compact city border, so asking, "Do you go to the bay?" is answered in the affirmative, but you could end up at Land's End, not Fisherman's Wharf.

Ocean Beach is a good five miles from North Beach, and 'the terminal' is lost upon many without saying, 'The Transbay,' 'The Ferry,' or 'CalTrain Terminal.' Come take a ride in Driver Doug's trolleybus, (don't be taken on one) and get there faster and funnier than being blocked in the turn lane facing Compulsive Honking Syndrome from a clueless motorist unable to look up from his device!

We transit operators know how to sit back and watch the show, and not get trapped. The signals pre-empt green for our coaches and we can blaze a trail at a smooth pace, knowing not to speed up and get trapped at a red light. Meet strange and wonderful bozos (or boas) onboard our service animal policy. Black ducks, birds of paradise, all creatures great and small, and animals too! Put your tongue in cheek, at the sweet spot, and know how to get the answer, not the Muni stare unto that far off place not unlike Hell in a hand basket; Chinatown, or a rock and a hard place----Make the Alcatraz Rock tour on time!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Douglas Meriwether
• Release date: Jul 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463232965

Douglas Meriwether

Douglas GriggsTransit Operator at [e-mail], "Finding Zen in San Francisco Transit" at Balboa PressSeptember 2016 - Present (2 months)Re-created 206 page 55,000 word book with 12 illustrations, highlighting being a transit operator in SanFrancisco as a new updated edition from first publication in January of 2013.The Dao of Doug 2: The Art of Driving a Bus: Keeping Zen in San Francisco Transit: A Line Trainer's Guide. Balboa Press: 186 pages, copyright January 21, 2015 Continues exposition about issues in San Francisco Transit. Chapters include Island versus Curb stops on Market Street, reducing transfer cost, Scheduling and Range Sheets, Tips on passing air brake test and choosing a run. One key to a smooth ride: knowing that it is not a bus, but a person driving a bus.Keeping Zen in San Francisco TransitMembers:Douglas Griggs, Jackie Cohen, John Jeffrey McGinnis, Mark ArellanesBroadcastingAnnouncer, KBIA-FM - National Public Radio, Columbia, MO 1980 - 1985 Part-time positions hosting shows for the Curators of the University of Missouri. 100,000 watt NPR affiliate with the Journalism School at UMCAll Things Considered - NPR delayed broadcast with three segment format clock and two local pitches to local newsroom.Last Radio Show - Late night jazz show. Programmed and selected music, timed airplay lengths, delivered weather an ad-libbed introductions.Adventures in Good Music - with NPR host, Karl Haas, Accent on Music; World of Music - Segued and back-announced classical albums, announced weather, community billboards, PSA's, Pitched to newsroom live, on the hour with :30 and :60 dead-roll themed music beds.Created audio voice overs for PSA's, telephone greeting message systems, radio ID's, character voices.Extensive editing of Hourly seminars for non-profits and 12 step recovery programs.ProjectsSpecialties: Commissioned Officer 1982 Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, VA 1981 BA University of Missouri - Econ minor Dean's Honor RollSkills & ExpertisePublic Speaking Public Relations EditingSocial Media Customer Service BudgetsStrategic Planning TrainingMicrosoft Word Event Planning Creative Writing Marketing Copywriting TeachingMarketing Strategy Copy EditingEvent Management Fundraising Facebook Community Outreach ManagementPhotography NonprofitsSocial Media Marketing Social Networking BroadcastTransit Operations TransportationEducationUniversity of Missouri-ColumbiaBA English, Econ English, 1979 - 1981 Grade: Dean's Honor RollActivities and Societies: Marching MizzouWashington University in St. LouisAssociate of Arts (A.A.), Concurrent with Broadcast Center, Clayton, MO, 1977 - 1979Activities and Societies: Kappa Sigma FraternityInterestsmountain bike riding, photography, swimming, movie going, day hikesCertificationsClass B California Driver's License with Airbrake Endorsement and VTTCalifornia Department of Motor Vehicles