In the summer, I add an item to my long list of reasons to avoid the 4: Trolleys don’t have AC. Apparently, neither do most of Metro’s “wireless” coaches.

I’ve spent the last decade believing that all of Metro’s diesel buses were equipped with air conditioning. I’ve spent the last couple of months believing that all of my drivers were either mean; abiding by some official recession fuel-savings policy; or really, really cold natured. What I learned today, my friends, is that only 30% of Metro’s fleet is air conditioned. (Wonder if a perk of being OOY is driving a bus with AC?)

I’ve ridden on about five air conditioned buses (out of a zillion) since mid-June, and I’m starting to get a little cranky. I’m not mad at Metro for not investing in buses with AC*; we don’t (or at least, we didn’t) need it much in Seattle. I’m just hot.** Hot walking to buses. Hot waiting for buses. Hot riding on buses. Hot walking from buses. And, like almost everyone else in the city, hot at home.

Thank God for the library.

* I am, however, a bit curious about where else these older coaches were sold. Alaska perhaps?
**For those who are interested, the agency has a few (rather obvious) beat-the-heat tips on its website.