Well, that's what one bus rider is thinking now that she's tagged on an extra 45 minutes to her commute since the downtown community buses replaced the larger and less used buses on July 4.

"I used to only take one bus home. Now I have to take three. I'm not satisfied," said Fanta Mengesha, who rides the bus almost daily from her home near San José City College to work in downtown Los Gatos.

However, other residents and riders are happy with the switch.

"The seats are comfy, the air conditioner works. I think its great. It's the best thing they could have done," said Janet Nickson, a Campbell resident who rides the shuttle weekly.

Bernice Alaniz, VTA deputy director for marketing and public affairs, said the route and shuttles were changed for two reasons.

"The route is now incorporated with the new light rail service, and the community bus was picked because of its size and maneuverability in the downtown," she said, adding that the Vasona Light Rail Extension is scheduled to open in early fall.

The new lines, 48 and 49, head south into town via Winchester and Los Gatos boulevards. Route 60, which began July 4, comes as far south as Winchester Boulevard and Knowles Drive. The free shuttles run every 30 minutes.

While the buses are comfortable and cool, the drivers have received mixed reviews from riders, ranging from compliments on their personalities to complaints about tardiness.

"The drivers are real courteous. These guys are doing a great job," said Harold Frigz, who took the bus into Campbell from downtown Los Gatos on July 25.

As of July 4, instead of VTA bus drivers, East Palo Alto-based Parking Company of America employees now drive the community shuttles.

So far, residents seem generally impressed with the company, but there were several calls about drivers who didn't speak English.

"There was some concern about a language barrier, and when that was brought to our attention, we ensured that all drivers assigned are proficient in English," Alaniz said.

Parking Company of America driver Frances Rios said so far, when she has received feedback, it's been mostly positive.

"People are usually just glad that it's free," she said while driving the community bus, line 48.

One complaint she has received was that sometimes the shuttles are behind schedule. Rios attributes that to unpredictable heavy traffic, and to the new traffic lights installed across from the Winchester Light Rail station.

Until the recently installed traffic lights are working, shuttles heading south will run between two to five minutes behind because drivers have to take a slight detour, Rios said. The lights should be working by mid-August, Alaniz said.

Regardless of the service, resident Tom Wayne was just glad to escape the heat.

"This is a great thing to do on a hot day," Wayne said. He and his wife, Earleene, opted for the shuttle after dropping their car off at a mechanic's.

"We figured, what the heck, we'll give it a shot," Wayne said.