Individual route maps are now available for viewing at this link.  I feel like I’m complaining that I’m confused, but even from this, I still don’t know if I will have bus service.  My route mentions that it will have two variants, but there are no variations on the map.  Maybe we’ll be getting full schedules, that would clear up all the confusion.

Just a note, the routes are listed by their current number, generally.

Also put up between yesterday and today is an interesting article on Rapid Bus Service, as well as a the proposed weekend bus schedules.  Those are available at the main TDP site, here.

Information is trickling in about the TDP.  A big change from last week’s post is that the ‘large’ proposed system map is now bigger, and is now encompassing the entire area the Port Authority covers.  From this, it looks like I’ll still have service to my neighborhood, but I don’t know for sure yet. 

However, a word of warning, the map shows the proposed routes, but with the old numbers (corresponding as best they can to the new lines), but with the new color scheme.  The trick is to not think about it too much.  Same with when you read the document outlining the new downtown routes.  There are colors, but not the ones that match up with the new color system (bonus point: look for the barge on the Mon!).

Speaking of the downtown routes, I found myself answering questions this morning better than some of the newspapers.  There will not be only 9 routes going into downtown; only nine different routes for the buses coming into downtown to stay on.  And unless you’re riding a bus from Oakland, you’ll be able to transfer to any other line at the Wood Street T Station.  That would be a good change to make, seems a bit strange why one set of buses isn’t able to connect with the rest.  Granted, the connection wouldn’t be far, maybe two blocks max depending on where the stops are, but it seems strange to me, that’s all.

So, as the information keeps coming in, I’ll be checking it out:

• TDP Website
• Port Authority Twitter (previously focused on service changes and disruptions, but for now, fielding discussions on the TDP)
• Port Authority Blog (who knew?)

The draft recommendations of the TDP have been released.  I’ll be working my way through it (all 230 pages of it) over the weekend, but check it out in the meantime to see how your route will be affected.

Individual route maps aren’t up yet won’t be posted until sometime next week, but the document goes over (somewhat cryptically) changes to be made to each line.  I haven’t been able to tell if I’m going to have bus access in my neighborhood or not, reading it could go either way and the map, even though it is marked as “large” does not cover the entire area.  But we’ll see, it is such a process.  And besides, this give me more time to start saving money for the fee increase (or possibly decrease if you used to live in the soon-to-no-longer-exist Zone 3).

I’m not a huge fan of twitter.  Most of it has to due with my cell phone plan without free text messages, but besides that, I find them a bit unwieldy and not the most convenient.

That being said, I do check in on the Port Authority’s twitter page (from a computer) to check out the latest happenings, since much more appears there than on their website.  And it looks like the proposed final version of the TDP is going to be released on Friday.

Suddenly I feel like I should be taking bets…