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City looks to detour party-bus problems from its streets
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Related Topics: SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - The party buses rolling through San Francisco carry more than good times.
The growing industry is also wheeling in headaches for neighbors and police, according to San Francisco Entertainment Commission President Audrey Joseph, who wants the city attorney to examine how the party-bus business could be regulated.
The for-hire buses carry groups of revelers from club to club, boosting business for clubs, while also keeping drinkers from driving.
Joseph and other city officials said the party buses bring people mostly to clubs in North Beach and the South of Market area and come with numerous concerns, including violence, public urination and double- and triple-parking.
About two weeks ago, a brawl outside a SoMa dance club “spilled out of the [party] bus and into the street,” said Joseph, who added, “People were hurt. A cop was hurt.”
The California Public Utilities Commission issues operating authority to charter buses after a safety check and proof of insurance is provided, but does not get involved in specific guidelines for how a “party bus” must operate, according to spokeswoman Susan Carothers.
A spokesman for Bauer’s Worldwide Transportation, Mark Jarrell, said the company hasn’t had a problem with their party buses.
Up to 20 party buses are out on San Francisco streets on some nights, carrying up to 40 people each, said Bob Davis, executive director of the Entertainment Commission.
Today, the Entertainment Commission is expected to vote on a resolution to direct the city attorney to work with the CPUC on regulations.
Comments from Examiner Readers
10:30 AM MST on Sat., May. 3, 2008 re: "City looks to detour party-bus problems from its streets"
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9:29 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008
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10:43 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008
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Examiner Reader said:
In recent years there has been a major movement by law officials to cut DUIs in California. We have all seen the television commercials, the bilboards and the entire campaign. If party buses are trasporting 800 people (40 passengers x 2 buses) around the city on any weekend night then I feel that they are providing a tremendously helpful service to its passengers and the community of San Francisco. Imagine all of those people driving around the city! That would be 200 ( four passengers each) regular automobiles driving on the streets from 10pm to 3am! The reality is that a numerous amount of these 200 drivers would have been at the bars and had a few drinks before hopping behind the wheel and driving their friends home. If you eliminate party buses from the City then I feel that DUIs and DUI related accidents would rise dramatically. A couple of fights and some broken bottles is no reason to banish the sober driver for 800 people.
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Examiner Reader said:
What's next for the Entertainment Commission? Regulating people who pub-crawl by walking from bar to bar or taking taxis from bar to bar? How is this different, just because there are more people on a bus. The Entertainment Commission is stupid and needs to be dissolved if they're going to be doing beyond-useless crap like this.
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Examiner Reader said:
Let the club owners take responsibility for there actions. If they dont then shut them down. Club owners can't just take then have to give to the community. I have hear over and over that clubs bring money into the City but what do they do for the neighborhoods, nothing!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
"Up to 20 party buses are out on San Francisco streets on some nights, carrying up to 40 people each, said Bob Davis, executive director of the Entertainment Commission." It seems that all 800 people and 20 buses land on the SOMA 11th Street Coorridor. From Mission to Harrison this place at times resembles a war zone (last year 3 people were killed and lots of late night gunfire). Forget about the next day leftovers that us neighborhood deal with like the broken bottles, cans, trash, graffiti, oh and those little nightclub advertising cards by the thousands (wonder if that ink is soy since these get into out waste water drains). Yes we pick it all up and paint it all out cause most of the club owners (at least Slims will meet with us and acknowledges concern) could care less!! Yes the next day stuff we deal with. Its the violence that no one (neighbor or visitor) should have to deal with. Violence has no place in SOMA, period.
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Examiner Reader said:
Fights at bars happen all the time. It's unfortunate that a cop was recently hurt as the result of a party bus fight, but if the buses keep people out of cars, then I'm for 'em.
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