Yes, we’re a little behind on this piece of news, but we’ve just confirmed from an anonymous Apple employee that on Monday on this week, the company launched its first two employee bus lines from San Francisco to the company’s corporate headquarter in Cupertino, a 44 mile one-way journey. (Of course, Google’s already had one for years.)
In the morning, one bus makes pickups along a major San Francisco north-south street, Van Ness Ave., while another does the same thing along another main drag, Divisadero Blvd. Along each street, there are several stops, and two different pickup times/drop-off times each day.
Our source reports that the silver bus has black tinted windows and runs on bio-diesel. Naturally, there’s WiFi coverage the whole way (we’re guessing via an EVDO modem), power plugs at every seat, and an airplane-style audio entertainment setup as well, which includes XM radio. The leather seats also have flaps, so employees can lean their heads to one side without accidentally fall asleep on a co-worker’s shoulder.
The front of the bus sports a pair of GPS-based maps to show how far along the bus is on its hour and 20 minute trip. The back, meanwhile, has a small four-person table for on-the-road meetings, and a restroom.
“I like it a lot,” our source says. “It’s like you don’t really notice the traffic. You just get in your own little world.”
If you spot it on the road, be sure to send us some snaps.
Given all the on-board gadgetry, perhaps Google and Apple could have a shuttle-off? That’d be sorta like a drag-race, but way geekier.
Shuttle launches FTW!
Oh wrong shuttle, sorry.