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Cable Car 53 Climbs Halfway to the Stars in Honor of Tony Bennett

Cable Car 53 Climbs Halfway to the Stars in Honor of Tony Bennett

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Cable Car 53 Climbs Halfway to the Stars in Honor of Tony Bennett
By Jeremy Menzies

On Feb. 14, Cable Car 53 was dedicated to Tony Bennett. Valentine’s Day was a fitting day, despite overcast skies and a chill in the air. After all, Bennett famously immortalized the city and its cable cars in his rendition of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”.  

To mark the occasion, we take a brief look back at the history of Car 53 and how it was chosen to be the Tony Bennett car. 

Cable Car 53 climbs up Nob Hill on California street; riders in business clothing hold as the car climbs. Bay bridge is seen in the backgroundCable Car 53 climbing halfway up Nob Hill on California Street in 1967. 

Cable Car 53 was originally built in 1907 by the San Francisco-based W.L. Holman Car Company for the California Street Cable Railroad Company. It initially ran on the O’Farrell, Jones and Hyde Line. 

Muni acquired the car from the Cal Cable Company in 1952. Around this time, Muni also reconfigured the entire cable car system into the three lines we have today. All but 12 of the cars from Cal Cable were auctioned off. Those that remained, including Car 53, ran along a shortened line on California Street. 

Black and white photo featuring Cable Car 53 moving on Market Street. People walk in the background, where we also see the Ferry Building.Car 53 at Market Street in 1960 before receiving a new paint job.

Tony Bennett debuted “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” just under a decade later at the Fairmont Hotel. That 1961 performance and the subsequent popularity of the song forever tied Bennett to the City by the Bay.  

When the cable system was rebuilt in the early 80s, Bennett appeared at parades held before the project began in 1982 and after it was finished in 1984. Support from celebrities like him highlighted the need to save this National Historic Landmark.

Cable Car 53 paused on California Street. The car is red and gold with fresh paint. A woman walks by.Car 53 on California Street in 2023 after frame repairs and repainting.

When the call came to dedicate a car to Bennett after he passed away in 2023, Car 53 was a natural choice. It recently had returned to service after nearly a decade off the rails. During major frame repairs and a complete repaint, the ends of the car were left blank. This gave us the opportunity to place a special ribbon-like banner commemorating Bennet’s love song to our city in that space. 

Crowd gathers around Cable Car 53, holding a sign saying the car honors Tony Bennett. The front of the cable car says Halfway to the Stars.Unveiling the special ribbon design reading, ”Halfway to the Stars Since 1873” on Car 53 during dedication to Tony Bennett on February 14, 2024.

That banner was unveiled during a ceremony held next to the Tony Bennett statue at the Fairmont Hotel. The unique design commemorates both the words sung by Bennett and the 150-year legacy of the cable cars. Also on the car are plaques for Bennett and the duo who wrote the song, George Cory and Douglass Cross.  



Published February 15, 2024 at 09:33PM
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Muni Love: How Your Praise Reaches Our Teams

Muni Love: How Your Praise Reaches Our Teams

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Muni Love: How Your Praise Reaches Our Teams
By Glennis Markison

Four Muni operators stand, holding framed certificates with transit vehicles in the distant background.Celebrating our operators at an awards ceremony. 

This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating Muni love.   

We all know it when we feel it. An ordinary trip takes a turn. Something wonderful happens, and you’re suddenly filled with hope and gratitude. You just can’t wait to tell somebody.  

Today, we’ll share what happens when you tell us!  

We'll explore how positive feedback reaches our teams and the impact it makes. We’ll also reveal what kind of praise we got the most in 2023. And, in case you have a story of Muni love to share down the line? We'll cover how to get in touch. 

A Muni operator smiles while sitting in the driver seat of a bus.
Getting positive feedback means a lot to our staff.

When you submit praise for Muni staff, our customer service team works hard to route your message. 

  • They tag the note as “praise” and use vehicle numbers and other info to identify who earned it.   

  • They send the note to the employee's manager, who writes the staffer a congratulatory letter. 

  • This commendation goes into the employee's file. In other words: Muni love makes an impact! 

Two Muni custodians wearing masks and yellow vests mop the floor of a station. Notice our stations and buses are in great condition? Feel free to share positive feedback for our custodians.

“It’s so important to let the operators and other staff know that they’re recognized for their good work,” said Yusmine Holloway with Muni customer service. “They put in a lot of effort and sometimes deal with tough situations. So, it’s really meaningful for them.” 

Holloway knows firsthand. She used to be an operator and drove the 30 Stockton and 45 Union/Stockton through Chinatown for years.  

“Some of my regulars would come on the bus and give me fruit or dim sum that they bought from the shops. They’d hand me a little bag of pork buns, and it would make my day,” she said. “We didn’t always speak the same language, but their generosity, their way of showing ‘I appreciate you’ – it warmed my heart.”   

Vanessa Rubio with Muni customer service loves it when she can pass along praise to a whole project team. “We had one message recently where the person complimented our Livable Streets division,” she said. “They said, ‘thank you for adding speedbumps to my street – you've made it so much safer!’"  

A Muni inspector holds a clipboard next to an operator who's sitting behind the wheel of a Muni vehicle.Operators and inspectors work together to help our system run smoothly.

Throughout 2023, we were moved to read so many stories of Muni love. Here are the top reasons our staff earned praise:  

Great ambassadors of San Francisco 

  • “He told us the best places in the city and left us a very good impression of the city, the inhabitants and your company. He promoted the city of San Francisco.”  

Helpful to riders in a rush  

  • "The driver was super welcoming and patient. Waited for me to run across the street to hop on and even waited five seconds more for an elderly lady to get on. He welcomed her too with a smile.”  

Positive attitude  

  • “I met the best Muni driver this morning. She was very pleasant and friendly and greeted every passenger with a warm ’good morning.’ At every stop when passengers were getting off, she reminded us to watch our step and to have a good day.” 

Excellent driving 

  • “Legend has it the song “Smooth Operator” was written about you, sir. Thank you for the safe and efficient ride!”  

Welcoming to seniors and people with disabilities 

  • “I’m deaf and blind and I just had been to Trader Joe’s, so I had groceries and my walker, and she was very patient, kind, lowered steps on and off for me and made sure I had place to sit and had all my groceries.” 

Our acting director of accessible services is always pleased to hear about that last type of feedback. “It can be frustrating for older adults and people with disabilities if they feel like they always have to ask others for help,” Erin McAuliff said. “So, to have Muni – a transit system that is accessible and provides riders with that sense of confidence to get around on their own – is really important.”

A person in a wheelchair on a bus ramp. We welcome feedback about the accessibility of our service, whether you’re using a stroller or a mobility device. 

We’re always happy to hear stories of Muni love. If you have one to share with us, please try to include: 

  • Vehicle number (see our Muni feedback webpage for images that show how to find this info) 

  • Time, date, and location of your experience 

Here’s how you can get in touch: 

  • Call 3.1.1 – you can use this line to praise any SFMTA staff member, including taxi drivers. 

  • Call the Mobility Management Center at 415.351.7053 to praise paratransit drivers. 

  • Open our online Muni feedback form and choose the “Praise” option. 

  • Share a post on social media – tag our account on the platform and use the hashtag #MuniLove. 

Thank you for joining us this Valentine’s Day to celebrate Muni love! 



Published February 14, 2024 at 08:36PM
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New Chapter for Community Green Space in the Tenderloin

New Chapter for Community Green Space in the Tenderloin

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New Chapter for Community Green Space in the Tenderloin
By

Image shows a person using a crosswalk in front of barricades that block off the street for the Golden Gate GreenwayThe Golden Gate Greenway taking shape in the Tenderloin.

An expanded community green space on Golden Gate Avenue between Leavenworth and Jones streets will remain in place for another year. 

The SFMTA Board of Directors approved the extension at its Jan. 16 meeting. For another year, residents and visitors will be able to easily access:  

  • Free community services and activities 

  • Additional recreational green space 

The Golden Gate Greenway community space opened in April 2020. It started as part of the multi-agency, pandemic-era Roadway Shared Spaces program. The goal: provide accessible essential services and more safe gathering space in the Tenderloin. The St. Anthony Foundation applied for a permit through the program to temporarily close the roadway of the 100 block of Golden Gate Ave. every day for nine hours, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

Last April, the Shared Spaces program was made permanent, and the hours of the street closure were extended to 6 p.m. The Board’s latest vote extends that daily street closure into the beginning of 2025 and maintains this safe green space for the entire community. 

The Tenderloin is home to more than 30,000 people, including 3,500 children. But it’s also one of the city's densest neighborhoods with minimal space for playgrounds, sports and relaxation. Additionally, most neighborhood streets are on the SFMTA’s High Injury Network. We are addressing these issues with new street designs and calming treatments. Finally, a high number of individuals experiencing housing insecurity or in need of supportive services also live in the area. 

Image features a bike lane on Golden Gate Ave. The bikeway is painted green and separated from cars with plastic posts.Bikeway infrastructure along the Golden Gate Greenway. 

This shared space extension benefits the community in a number of ways. It will help the city, the St. Anthony Foundation and its community partners provide space for: 

  • Neighborhood food pantry distribution 

  • Children’s play areas 

  • Voter registration drives 

  • Gentle movement classes  

  • Free pet food and veterinary care 

  • A pop-up library 

  • Bicycle repair pop-ups and bike riding classes 

However, their work for the community is not complete yet. They’re striving to increase this critical programming.  

"St. Anthony's is proud to lead the way by working together with our neighbors and the SFMTA to deliver a safer and more welcoming street for those who already share it daily: children, seniors, residents, congregants, staff, volunteers, and guests who are accessing our life-changing services,” said St. Anthony Foundation interim CEO Bryan Young. “We are grateful to the SFMTA for their commitment to this project and for their collaboration with our coalition as we continue to pursue a long-term vision for a shared, safer street that connects, renews and uplifts.” 

Next up, the Golden Gate Greenway Coalition, led by the St. Anthony Foundation, aims to create more seating, foliage and family play areas. We have been proud to work with this group and engage multiple city agencies to ensure the success of the project. Already, our efforts have led to an $8 million Safe Streets for All grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation to support this project and other traffic safety improvements in the Tenderloin. 

“The Golden Gate Greenway extension demonstrates our team’s continued commitment to building diverse and thriving communities across San Francisco through better transportation system design,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation Jeffrey Tumlin. “Thanks to the great vision of the St. Anthony Foundation and its community partners, Tenderloin residents will continue to have access to more green space, safer sidewalks and roadways, and many community services and events. I look forward to seeing what’s in store on the Greenway.” 

The St. Anthony Foundation and its community partners provide many supportive services, and this project supports our mission to make communities more livable for all. 

For more information, visit the SFMTA’s Share Spaces program page (SFMTA.com/SharedSpaces) or the St. Anthony Foundation Golden Gate Greenway project page.  



Published February 14, 2024 at 03:22AM
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Janet Tarlov Joins SFMTA Board of Directors

Janet Tarlov Joins SFMTA Board of Directors

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Janet Tarlov Joins SFMTA Board of Directors
By Madhu Unnikrishnan

New SFMTA Board Director Janet Tarlov participates in a nomination ceremony with San Francisco Mayor London Breed. San Francisco Mayor London Breed swearing in Janet Tarlov as a new member of the SFMTA Board of Directors.

The SFMTA is excited to welcome Janet Tarlov, a longtime small business owner, to its Board of Directors. Tarlov was nominated by Mayor London Breed in November. The Board of Supervisors voted to approve her appointment on Jan. 23.  

Tarlov currently serves as the president of the Glen Park Merchants Association. Previously, she was vice president of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations, which advocates for measures to improve the business climate in the city. Her work with the merchants associations and her experience running a small business have deepened her understanding of the many challenges businesses in San Francisco face.  

Tarlov and her husband, Richard, founded Glen Park’s popular Canyon Market in 2006. They operated it for 16 years before selling it to Gus’s Community Markets in 2022. At the time of her nomination, Tarlov said running a small business in transit-rich Glen Park will inform her work on the SFMTA Board of Directors.  

Before opening Canyon Market, Tarlov managed procurement and distribution for independent food stores. A Pennsylvania native, Tarlov graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio. She currently lives in Eureka Valley. 

SFMTA Boad of Directors 

The SFMTA is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The SFMTA Board of Directors provides policy oversight in accordance with the San Francisco Charter and the Transit-First Policy and serves as members of the San Francisco Parking Authority. The SFMTA Board of Directors generally meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. Meetings are open to everyone and are streamed live through SFGovTV. Additional information such as agendas, resolutions and legislation passed by the Board can be accessed at SFMTA Board page (SFMTA.com/Board).   



Published February 09, 2024 at 11:08PM
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Friedel Klussmann and the Fight to Save the Cable Cars

Friedel Klussmann and the Fight to Save the Cable Cars

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Friedel Klussmann and the Fight to Save the Cable Cars
By Kelley Trahan

A black and white photo of Friedel Klussman, an activist who fought to save the cable cars. She smiles from a couch in a living room.Friedel Klussman, an activist who fought to save San Francisco's cable cars. She's seen here in 1981. 

San Francisco nearly lost its cable cars in 1947, but thanks to the Citizens’ Committee to Save the Cable Cars, these landmarks are forever part of how we navigate and experience our dynamic city. Here’s how a woman named Friedel Klussman helped the committee wage – and win – an uphill battle against city leaders. 

After World War II, San Francisco experienced many changes. The city faced a population boom, housing shortages, financial deficits and blight. The Municipal Railway was no exception to the challenges facing the city. After heavy use during the war and a lack of maintenance, the aging cable cars had become rickety and old.  

Mayor Roger Lapham was focused on progress and renewal, and that included modernizing the city’s “old, outmoded and inefficient” transit system. The cable cars were at risk of being replaced. 

In a black and white photo, two men shake hands in front of a bus. A sign offers free bus rides for the day.Mayor Roger Lapham and Muni Inspector with Fageol Twin Motor Coach. May 8, 1947.

In a black and white photo, cable car repairers work together to splice a cable Cable Repairers Splicing Cables at Washington and Mason Cable Car House. April 21, 1947.

Unexpected pushback came from a women’s group called the San Francisco Federation of the Arts which created the Citizens’ Committee to Save the Cable Cars. Friedel Klussmann steered the committee, which earned her the nickname “the Cable Car Lady.”  

Soon, a vicious and very public fight began. Klussman and the committee launched a resolution, petitions and contests. They even received celebrity endorsements to save the cable cars. All of this public debate only seemed to elevate the cable cars ever higher into icon status.  

The matter was put to a public vote on Nov. 4, 1947. Proposition 10 would require the Public Utilities Commission to maintain and operate the present cable car system. It passed by a generous margin, with 77% support. 

Actress Irene Dunne and activist Friedel Klussman smile with the Bay Bridge behind them; Irene holds a miniature cable car and Friedel holds a flyer
Actress Irene Dunne (left) receiving a certificate from Friedel Klussmann in recognition of her contribution to the "Save the Cable Cars" campaign. Aug. 26, 1947. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

A campaign flyer with information on why to vote yes on Prop. 10 to save the cable cars
Vote YES on No. 10 voter outreach flyer

Saving the cable cars was a great feat, not only for the cars but for women. Klussman and the committee demonstrated the power of organizing around a civic and political cause in an era ruled by men. Friedel Klussmann went on to found the nonprofit San Francisco Beautiful, which is still active today. She died in 1986 at the age of 90.  

In 1997, the City of San Francisco dedicated the cable car turntable at the northern end of the Powell-Hyde line to Klussmann. 

Cover of a story called Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton; images features a yellow border and a cable car in the middle

Published in 1952, Maybelle the Cable Car, by Virgina Lee Burton, tells the story of the 1947 fight to save the cable cars in San Francisco. Cover shown.

Image from a story called Maybelle the Cable Car; features a parade with attendees holding a sign that says Save the Cable Cars
Published in 1952, Maybelle the Cable Car, by Virgina Lee Burton, tells the story of the 1947
fight to save the cable cars in San Francisco. p. 29 shown.



Published February 08, 2024 at 12:59AM
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Weigh in on the SFMTA’s FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026 Budget

Weigh in on the SFMTA’s FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026 Budget

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Weigh in on the SFMTA’s FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026 Budget
By Andrea Buffa

Image shows a train paused at a station platform; some customers enter and others exit

This week, the SFMTA Board of Directors discussed the agency’s upcoming two-year budget, which must be submitted to the Mayor’s Office before May 1.  

The budget will cover two fiscal years: 

  • FY 2024-2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) 

  • FY 2025-2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) 

Transportation is vital to San Francisco’s livability and vitality, as well as to the city’s economic recovery, equity and environmental goals. The next two-year budget will fund a variety of programs and services, including: 

  • Muni service on 72 routes supported by operators, maintenance staff, station agents, car cleaners, transit planners, engineers and more. 

  • Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, Vision Zero, traffic calming measures, major street infrastructure improvements and parking curb and traffic management. 

  • Mobility services including paratransit, accessibility improvements, taxis and powered scooter share and commuter shuttle program enforcement.  

Community Engagement 

As we develop this two-year budget, we will provide regular updates and hold formal hearings at the SFMTA Board of Directors meetings. You can watch these on SFGOVTV.  

We will also host two budget listening sessions for the public. One will be a virtual meeting, and the other will be an in-person open house. At these events, you can meet staff, ask questions, provide suggestions and learn how the agency is funded and allocates its resources. 

  • Virtual Meeting (via Zoom): Thursday, Feb. 22. 2024, from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. 

  • In-person Open House: Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the Richmond branch of the San Francisco Public Library (351 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA), from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm  

Additionally, we will present our budget proposal at neighborhood group, merchant association and community-based organization meetings.  

How we propose to balance the budget 

As we develop the two-year budget, we are focused on how we can best use our limited resources to keep San Francisco moving. We anticipate a $12.7 million deficit during the FY 24-25 and FY 25-26 budget cycle. This is because we are still recovering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Muni revenue is 56% of pre-pandemic levels and parking revenue is 12%. This decrease in revenue makes our long-standing structural deficit worse. Even before the pandemic, our revenues were less than what we needed. They were not enough to meet the increasing demand for our programs and services. 

To close the budget gap, we’ve restricted our hiring to key positions and made Muni service more efficient. Because service is faster and more reliable, we can deliver more service for the same amount of money. We’ve also limited Muni service changes to ones that are “cost neutral.” We are doing this by shifting vehicles and operators from less crowded Muni routes to routes where the demand is high. 

But these changes aren’t sufficient to balance our budget. So, we’re proposing modest increases to Muni fares, parking fees and fines and taxi fees. These are the changes our staff have proposed to the agency’s Board of Directors to bridge the $12.7 million gap: 

Muni fares: Eliminate Clipper discount over two years (to generate $5.2M in revenue) 

Currently, people who use Clipper cards pay $.50 less per Muni trip than people who pay cash. We propose reducing the Clipper discount by $.25 per trip in FY 2025 and an additional $.25 per trip in FY 2026. This would create a consistent fare for all customers. The Clipper card discount was implemented 10 years ago to get Muni riders to switch to Clipper. Data shows that most riders have already switched to Clipper. The discount is no longer needed and should now be the same as the cash fare. The SF Paratransit one-way fare is indexed to the Muni Clipper fare and would increase to $2.75 in FY 2025 and $3.00 in FY 2026. 

Parking fines: Increase by 5% (to generate $3.7M in revenue) 

We propose increasing parking fines by 5%. For example, a street cleaning parking ticket would increase by $9 over two years.  A parking meter violation downtown would increase by $7 over two years.  

Residential parking permits: Implement automatic inflation indexing and recover additional expenses (to generate $2.9M in revenue) 

We propose adjusting Residential Parking Permit fees to account for inflation and include additional related program costs not previously included when RPP fees were set. The cost of a residential parking permit would increase by $20 the first year of the budget and an additional $25 the second year.   

Taxi fees: Reinstate taxi fees and apply automatic inflation indexing (to generate $1.2M in revenue) 

From July 2020 through June 2024, the SFMTA Board waived all taxi fees. This was in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, it was critical that taxis could help respond to and serve both vulnerable riders and essential workers.  Additionally, the SFMTA Board has approved numerous fee reductions, waivers and eliminations since 2014. This was in response to the rise of underregulated competitors (Transportation Network Companies). They had significantly impacted the financial health of the taxi industry. We propose to reinstate these fees and apply inflation indexing consistent with SFMTA policy.   

Beginning in FY 2026-2027, we expect a far larger deficit of $240 million. That’s because federal, state and regional emergency relief provided to the SFMTA and other transportation agencies will run out.  We’ll come back to community members in the future with proposals to bridge that sizable gap. 

Where to find additional information 

Please check SFMTA.com/budget for upcoming SFMTA Board meetings and community meetings. Here is the full presentation we made to the Board of Directors on January 30.  

For more information or to offer feedback about the budget proposal, please call 415.646.2299 or email budget@sfmta.com. 



Published February 03, 2024 at 02:38AM
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Last Year Made It Clear: Muni is Back, and Better

Last Year Made It Clear: Muni is Back, and Better

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Last Year Made It Clear: Muni is Back, and Better
By Edward Wright

Image features a Muni bus driving down a red transit lane near street sculptures. Text on image reads: Muni is Back, and Better: 2023 Ridership Recap

On an average weekday last year, 433,000 people rode Muni. They know something those who aren’t riding Muni don’t: it’s faster and more reliable than it’s been in years. 

We wanted to look back at the last year of Muni ridership to share how – with limited resources – we’re making targeted investments to improve our service and your experience as a customer. As a result, our ridership is growing. 

People took 142 million trips on Muni in 2023, a 25% increase from 2022 

Chart showing total boardings in millions for Muni, between years 2021 and 2023. Boardings increased each year, with 142 million trips in 2023.

Since the pandemic, we’re more nimble in how we plan and provide Muni service. After decades of focusing on downtown commutes, today we focus on connecting neighborhoods. We can’t add service without more funding. But we can still make improvements – and we are. We’re pinpointing the exact times lines are crowded and refining our service schedules to address it.

Before the pandemic, we looked at crowding data in two-hour windows. Today, our transit planners do it in 15-minute increments. The outcome is a better experience for our customers, whether you’re riding Muni to school, work, parks or any of the destinations that make our city so vibrant.  

We ended the year with a 71% ridership recovery rate compared to 2019. 

Line chart shows total ridership recovery on Muni is 71%, with 86% on weekends and 68% on weekdays.

Our 75 miles of transit lanes and Quick Build projects are speeding up buses and trains. Our transit operators now have real time information about how close they are to the bus in front of them. With this, they work to keep vehicles evenly spaced and shorten wait times. They have also all completed customer service training to help visitors and locals alike navigate our system and our city. 

We increased our shelter cleanings by 50% last year. Our car cleaners and custodians raised our cleaning standard for Covid and have kept it up ever since. Our mechanics have dramatically improved our fleet management by embracing preventative maintenance, using data to fix things before they break.  

The teams that maintain our subway are more efficient and effective, using Fix It Weeks to do hundreds of hours of extra maintenance. Thanks to their work and our new Muni Metro fleet, subway service is more reliable than it’s been in decades: 

  • Major subway delays have fallen 76% since 2019, and short delays are down 89% 

  • Across all our vehicles, the distance between mechanical failures is up 10% since 2022 

  • Headway adherence – evenly spaced buses and trains – is up 6% since 2022 

But if you haven’t ridden transit lately, you’re not alone. Downtown commute trips were once the backbone of Muni’s ridership. They continue to lag with a shift to remote work, and downtown’s recovery has been slower than we hoped. Transit agencies across the region and world are facing these challenges, and Muni is meeting them head-on. The SFMTA has been a national leader in adapting our service to changing ridership patterns. We are working to ensure you can continue to count on Muni – and our ridership shows it. 

Nearly half of all transit rides in the entire Bay Area were on Muni  

Charts shows 2023 passenger trips across Bay Area transit agencies. Nearly half of all transit rides in the region were on Muni.

We’re seeing the greatest ridership growth where we’ve made the biggest investments in reliability and travel times. Thanks to Muni Forward improvements, ridership on the 14R Mission Rapid is up to 106% of 2019 levels on weekdays and 117% on weekends. It’s one of five lines now exceeding their pre-pandemic ridership, along with the 22 Fillmore.  

The 22 Fillmore has more riders today than before the pandemic

Our growing ridership reflects our commitment to delivering an excellent customer experience – from our shelters to our stations, from our vehicles to our service planning. We can see this not just in how many people are riding Muni, but how people feel about it. 

  • Two-thirds of respondents (66%) rated Muni service as “good” or “excellent” in our most recent rider survey. That’s a 9-point increase from 2021. 

  • 71% of Muni riders approve of the job the SFMTA is doing, according to our 2023 community survey. 

Muni is back, and it’s better. So, if you haven’t boarded a bus or taken a train lately, here’s what you’ve been missing:  

  • Shorter waits and faster trips 

  • Better neighborhood connections 

  • Cleaner and better shelters 

  • Serious improvements in overall service reliability and rider satisfaction 

We know Muni isn’t perfect, and we’re committed to keep improving. We’re trying new things, learning from them, and always working to serve you better with the limited resources we have. And if we can secure more resources, we can keep Muni growing and improving for years to come.  

 



Published February 02, 2024 at 12:10AM
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Photo Exhibit Event: Vintage Bus Display and Tour

Photo Exhibit Event: Vintage Bus Display and Tour

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Photo Exhibit Event: Vintage Bus Display and Tour
By Jeremy Menzies

Join us Saturday, Jan. 27 at a special event for our exhibit, "120 years: SFMTA Photo Archive 1903-2023."

Based at the Harvey Milk Photo Center, the exhibit showcases the last 120 years of San Francisco's transportation history. 

This Saturday, we hope you'll join us at a two-part event as the exhibit nears its final week. Hop inside a restored vintage Mack bus to experience a beautiful piece of our transit history. Then, take a tour of the photo exhibit with the curators. Learn the details below. 

Vintage black and white photo of a cable car traveling past tracks under constructionOne of the 52 images featured in the ”120 years: SFMTA Photo Archive 1903-2023” exhibit.

Vintage Bus Display  

Where: Duboce Park, by the outbound N Judah stop on Duboce Avenue and Noe Street 

When: Saturday, Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

A striking Mack bus, featuring its original green and cream paint scheme, will be parked at Duboce Park. You’ll have a chance to learn about the bus’s history and restoration. Then, climb on board and get your camera ready, because this one is dazzling! 

A vintage Muni bus that's green and cream in color passing under a bridge Mack bus 2230 in service during Muni Heritage Weekend 2023. The coach features period-correct advertisements inside and out.

Photo Exhibit Tour 

When: Saturday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m.  

Where: Tour meets where the vintage Mack bus will be parked – by the outbound N Judah stop on Duboce Avenue and Noe Street. If you're running late, join the tour inside the Harvey Milk Photo Center on 50 Scott Street. 

Exhibit curators will host a brief walkthrough of the photo exhibit. After the tour, feel free to ask questions during an open Q&A session that runs until 1 p.m.  

The first 50 visitors to the exhibit will receive a special commemorative poster featuring images from the 120-year-old SFMTA Photo Archive collection. Posters are one per person. 

If you can’t make it on Jan. 27, you can still stop by the exhibit through Feb. 3.  

See the Harvey Milk Photo Center web page for gallery hours and contact information. 



Published January 26, 2024 at 01:42AM
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The SFMTA’s Year in Numbers

The SFMTA’s Year in Numbers

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The SFMTA’s Year in Numbers
By Madhu Unnikrishnan

A picture of a San Francisco neighborhood with houses and trees lining the streets and a Muni bus making a turn.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way transit systems – and cities – across the country function, but with the worst of the pandemic now behind us, the SFMTA is focused on the future. In our latest annual report, we announced that Muni ridership had recovered to 63% of pre-pandemic levels, but our ridership has continued to recover, ending 2023 at 71% of its pre-pandemic level. 

The reason for the discrepancy? Our annual report, Moving San Francisco Forward, reflects the fiscal year, which ends on June 30. So, our most recent annual report covers the period from July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023. In the six months since the data for the SFMTA annual report was collected, ridership has continued to recover. 

Where we have made transit priority investments, the numbers are even better. Ridership on the new Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit corridor is exceeding pre-pandemic levels, at 131% of 2019 ridership. Similarly, the 22 Fillmore is at 138% of its 2019 ridership on weekends, and the 14R on Mission has seen ridership reach 117% of its 2019 weekend levels. That’s in addition to the 2,700 weekday boardings reported at the four new stations on the T Third line in the Central Subway, which opened last year. Look out for more details in an upcoming blog diving deeper into 2023 Muni ridership. 

Beyond ridership numbers, we saw significant improvements in street safety. In case you aren’t familiar with it, Vision Zero is San Francisco’s policy to eliminate traffic fatalities. Seniors and people walking and using scooters make up the highest percentage of traffic deaths on our streets. It is a moral goal that no one should die on the streets of San Francisco. In 2014, San Francisco and New York were the first U.S. cities to adopt Vision Zero principles and set a goal of zero. Since then, about 50 other cities in the United States, as well as the state of California and the federal government, have also set zero deaths as their transportation safety goals.  

While there were 39 traffic fatalities in 2022, that number fell to 26 in 2023, a 33% decrease. Bicycle-related fatalities have also decreased — they have gone down by 50% in the last four years. Even one fatality on our streets is too many, so we’re focused on bringing those numbers down further, and we are seeing signs of improvement.  

One of the primary areas of focus for Vision Zero is to reduce speeding, as speed can increase the severity of crashes, particularly for vulnerable road users like pedestrians. We’re taking many steps to reduce speed, including installing what we call “traffic-calming devices” such as speed humps, raised crosswalks, median islands and traffic circles, among other measures.  By the end of last year, we had installed about 250 traffic-calming devices. We have also installed Quick-Build pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements on 32 corridors since 2019, resulting in 50 miles of traffic safety improvements for San Franciscans who choose to walk or bike. We’re currently in the planning phase for several more corridors this year. 

Another way we’re making the streets of our city safer is by reducing the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on select streets. The data shows that slowing vehicle speeds is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent traffic deaths. By the end of last year, the SFMTA had reduced the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on 43 miles of city streets, up from 25.5 street miles at the end of June 2023. 

We’re also working to educate some of our most underserved communities on the services we provide. Last year, we opened a new Transportation Resource Center in the Bayview, historically one of San Francisco’s most under-resourced neighborhoods. Staff at the center help people sign up for Clipper cards and Muni Transit Passes, access paratransit services, learn how to use the MuniMobile app and find out how to access micromobility programs, like Scootershare and Bikeshare services. To better serve the Bayview-Hunter’s Point neighborhood, the SFMTA plans to launch a new Bayview Community Shuttle later this year.   

The SFMTA has been hard at work on improving the transit system, roads and bikeways we all depend on. Here are some of the statistics from the end of calendar year 2023: 

  • Provided more than 500,000 paratransit trips. 

  • Made more than 3,900 repairs to transit shelter glass and seats. 

  • Increased transit stop cleaning by 50% compared with previous years. 

  • Offered 467 miles of bikeways, with 45 miles of protected bikeways (compared with 43 miles at the end of the fiscal year).  

You can learn more about these accomplishments and others in our annual report (SFMTA.com/AnnualReport). 

We’d like to thank our employees for the tremendous amount of work and dedication it took to achieve these milestones and to help us continue on this upward trajectory. And, we’d like to hear from you!  Some of these projects – bikeways and increased service on heavily traveled bus lines, among others – stemmed from what we heard from our city. Please comment below or email us at InsideSFMTA@SFMTA.com. 



Published January 25, 2024 at 03:34AM
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Taken with Transportation Podcast: Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars

Taken with Transportation Podcast: Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars

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Taken with Transportation Podcast: Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars
By

People celebrating in front of a San Francisco Cable Car holding up signs with a woman holding her fist in the air.Fannie Mae Barnes smiles at the crowd while being recognized at a cable car 150th anniversary event in August 2023.

Fannie Mae Barnes made history in January 1998 when she became San Francisco’s first female cable car grip. We hear her story in the latest episode of Taken with Transportation, “Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars.” 

“I started working at Muni as a bus operator in 1981,” Barnes tells Taken with Transportation host Melissa Culross. “[But] I was kind of getting tired of the bus situation because it’s pretty difficult operating a bus in San Francisco because you have to deal with a lot of hazardous situations, people as well as the traffic. And so, I was about to quit my job.” 

Instead of quitting, Barnes moved to the cable car division where she worked as a conductor for about six years before training to become a grip. The grip heaves the lever that grabs hold of the cable to propel the cars. The job takes strength, mental and physical coordination, confidence and determination. Many potential grips, including men, don’t finish the training. Barnes did. 

“When I made it, everybody was excited,” she says. 

Barnes may have been the first female cable car grip, but she wasn’t the last. The second, Willa Johnson, is also featured in the episode. 

“For me, it’s important that I’m doing it, and that I’m still doing it,” says Johnson, who became a grip in 2010. “It takes a while for, I guess, for some of the men that really felt like ‘This is not a woman’s job’ to warm up to you and say, ‘You know, I really doubted you, but you are really doing a good job.’” 

Two more women became cable car grips after Johnson, and she teases that a fifth is coming.  

Listen to “Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars” for more about what Barnes and Johnson experienced when they became grips. You can find it and all the episodes of Taken with Transportation on our podcast page (SFMTA.com/Podcast).



Published January 24, 2024 at 10:06PM
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New State Laws Are Coming to the Streets of San Francisco

New State Laws Are Coming to the Streets of San Francisco

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New State Laws Are Coming to the Streets of San Francisco
By Melissa Culross

People walking and on bicycles in the street and crosswalk. As of Jan. 1, 2024, bicyclists in California legally can cross a street on a pedestrian walk signal, instead of waiting for a traffic light.

Several new state laws that took effect on Jan. 1, 2024, will have an impact on transportation in San Francisco. Some of these impacts will be more widespread and immediately felt than others, but all are expected to make San Francisco streets safer.  

Street Safety and Vision Zero

AB 251 (Ward) - This law requires the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to study the relationship between vehicle weight and injuries to vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. Vehicles have been increasing in size and weight in recent years, while pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. reached a four-decade high in 2021. The CTC will also study the possible costs and benefits of a passenger vehicle weight fee and how the funds created by such a fee might be used to improve road safety.  

AB 361 (Ward) - This law authorizes local agencies to install forward-facing cameras on city-owned or district-owned vehicles to enforce bicycle lane violations. AB 361 gives the agency another tool to support the safety of bicyclists by expanding our capacity to enforce regulations against cars blocking bike lanes. The legislation allows our enforcement officers to take still photos of bike lane parking violations until Jan. 1, 2030. The SFMTA plans to take the opportunity this legislation affords us, but a technology review will be necessary before cameras can be installed. 

AB 413 (Lee) - This new law prohibits the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle within 20 feet of any crosswalk, whether it’s marked or not, and within 15 feet of a crosswalk with a curb extension. This change, known as “daylighting,” will only apply to the approach side of an intersection, and cities will have the ability to allow parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk that has clear signage or a painted curb. The legislation requires warnings to be issued until the beginning of next year, unless a violation occurs in an area marked with paint or a sign. The SFMTA has been a strong proponent of daylighting to increase pedestrian safety. Keeping the area next to crosswalks clear of parked vehicles allows pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists and anyone else rolling down the street to see each other more clearly. We are reviewing AB 413 and how it will be implemented in San Francisco, including how we can work with safety advocates, other cities and the DMV to increase awareness about the law.  

AB 645 (Friedman) - This law gives San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach and Glendale the authority to implement a five-year speed safety camera pilot program. The speed cameras will be used on San Francisco’s High Injury Network, the 12% of streets where more than 68% of severe and fatal traffic crashes occur, and possibly at other locations where speeding is a known issue. Unsafe speed is the number one factor in fatal traffic crashes in San Francisco. We are working to identify potential locations for the speed cameras and developing a plan for outreach and engagement with local stakeholder organizations, including racial equity, privacy protection and economic justice groups.  

AB 1909 (Friedman) – Most of this law, an omnibus bicycle bill, went into effect last year, but an important provision took effect on Jan. 1, 2024. AB 1909 amends the vehicle code to make it legal for people riding bikes to cross the street on a pedestrian walk signal, unless otherwise directed by a bicycle control signal. Previously it was only legal for bikes to cross the street on a green traffic light with automobile traffic. 

Transit Safety 

SB 434 (Min) - This law is intended to reduce the harassment of women and other vulnerable groups on public transit by collecting better data on these incidents. It requires the state’s ten largest transit agencies by ridership, including the SFMTA, to conduct public outreach and survey riders about their experiences with safety while waiting for or riding on transit. This legislation builds upon the SFMTA’s Safety Equity Initiative that is currently underway. Last year we launched MuniSafe, a campaign to enhance security and increase the reporting, investigation and prevention of harassment and assaults on Muni.  



Published January 09, 2024 at 09:18PM
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It’s Time to Modernize the Technology that Keeps Muni Metro Moving

It’s Time to Modernize the Technology that Keeps Muni Metro Moving

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It’s Time to Modernize the Technology that Keeps Muni Metro Moving
By Mariana Maguire

Two light-rail trains pass each other on a busy street in San Francisco with cars on the street and a bridge in the background along with tall buildings.

Upgrades will replace the current train control system in the subway and extend the modern system to street-level Metro operation for faster, more reliable service. 

Muni Metro, San Francisco’s light rail system, serves hundreds of thousands of people daily throughout the city. Since 2019, we have greatly reduced the delays and subway congestion that had plagued the Metro in the past. This success is due to a combination of advances in how we manage service and conduct ongoing maintenance.  

But we need to fundamentally modernize to overcome Metro’s structural and technological limitations. With San Francisco projected to grow significantly in the next decade, there’s no better time to invest in the future of Muni Metro. 

Current Automatic Train Control System (ATCS) Limitations 

Despite being third busiest light rail system in the U.S., Muni Metro is the last to funnel five lines onto one path --- under Market Street. This structural challenge requires a combination of careful service planning and a highly effective train control system to keep trains moving efficiently and prevent delays.  

But our current Automatic Train Control System (ATCS) has many challenges. The ATCS provides much greater Metro safety and reliability than manual operation, but it runs on 1980s technology and can experience equipment failures that cause Metro delays impacting riders’ commutes to work, school, appointments and other destinations. 

As some customers experienced in October 2023, the computers that run the system crashed, automatically halting all service in the Muni Metro subway. Our staff immediately responded by rebooting the system and safely guiding train operators through the subway in manual mode. Within about an hour, the computers were back online, vehicles returned to automatic train control and subway service returned to normal. Meanwhile, bus shuttles were sent to provide service between West Portal and Embarcadero stations, Church Street and Duboce Avenue during the closure. 

Our staff are experienced at working with this decades-old technology to prevent or quickly respond to incidents like this. But their best efforts can’t solve the underlying problem of decades of deferred Muni Metro capital improvements. The impacts are frustrating for both riders and staff, and unacceptable for a modern Metro system.  

We must invest in modern train control and bring the Market Street subway tunnel into a state of good repair to make Muni Metro fast, frequent, and reliable for people throughout the Bay Area who count on this service. 

Modernizing Muni Metro: Train Control Upgrade Project (TCUP) 

The need is critical to modernize our train control system to a state-of-the-art Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system. CBTC uses the latest technology to:

  • Maintain constant communication with all trains in the rail network from the moment they go into service, both in the subway and on the street. 

  • Communicate with and help prioritize signals - the CBTC system will tell signals a train is coming well in advance. 

  • Automatically push software updates to keep the system current – no more floppy disks! 

  • Keep trains evenly spaced to prevent bunching and gaps for more consistent wait times and travel times that match the advertised frequency and make trip planning more reliable, among many other benefits. 

CBTC is expected to reduce Metro delays by 20-25% on top of the reductions we’ve already achieved. In turn, this will allow us to run more trains through the whole Metro network, making travel faster and more efficient. Customers will no longer be “stuck” on trains between stations due to subway congestion or slow-moving trains with a communication failure. 

We are already on track to start building out the pilot phase of the new system by 2025. Learn more about this exciting Muni Metro modernization project on the Train Control Upgrade Project page.  

Fix It! Weeks help maximize the Muni Metro of Today 

As we pursue long-term innovations like the Train Control Upgrade Project, we are also taking important steps to maximize the Muni Metro improvements we can make today to help the system function better. And we’ve seen great success. 

Fix It Week is one example of our success reducing long Muni Metro delays by about 70% compared to 2019. Prior to launching Fix It Week, maintenance windows were short, and it was difficult for crews to complete work efficiently, leading to ongoing maintenance challenges. This is because Metro maintenance can only take place when service is not running.  

By closing the Muni Metro early for a few days every few months during the quarterly Fix It Week, our Maintenance of Way (MOW) teams can optimize work time for critical maintenance, preventing potential breakdowns. During Fix It Week, maintenance crews have an extended window to perform underground infrastructure improvement work that cannot be completed during the usual overnight windows.  

The goal of Fix It Week is to make Muni Metro subway operations more reliable, ensure safety and improve the customer experience. Nine MOW teams (Track, Cable Car, Motive Power, Maintenance Engineering, Mechanical Systems, Overhead Lines, Underground, Paint Shop and Signal) are involved in the maintenance work, including custodial staff cleaning metro stations. 

Buses provide substitute service for Muni Metro during Fix It! Week and connect all stops on Market Street. Muni ambassadors help riders navigate to their destination at the busy transfer stops. 

Learn more about our subway maintenance work. 

We’re proud of the strides we’ve made to improve Muni Metro service. Today, a trip on the N Judah from the Outer Sunset to Embarcadero is faster and more reliable than it was in 2019. We are committed to making Muni Metro a hallmark of our transit system. 



Published January 04, 2024 at 08:03PM
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Jan. 20 Muni Service Changes Add New Caltrain Connection, Service on School Routes

Jan. 20 Muni Service Changes Add New Caltrain Connection, Service on School Routes

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Jan. 20 Muni Service Changes Add New Caltrain Connection, Service on School Routes
By Brian Haagsman

A 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express bus rides down a tree-lined street in San Francisco.The 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express route will add new stops in Hunters Point and SoMa. 

Beginning Saturday, Jan. 20, the SFMTA will be adjusting Muni service on some routes to address crowding, including for school travel times. We’re also making several stop changes based on rider feedback and our own observations to add new connections and make Muni more reliable. 

New Connections on the 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express 

Since it launched in early 2021, the 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express route has been a key connector between neighborhoods. Connecting Bayview-Hunters Point, Dogpatch, Mission Bay, SoMa and the Financial District, the route was initially designed based on community input. Now we’re adding stops at two locations based on feedback from riders and operators: 

  • Hudson Avenue and Cashmere Street will have new stops for both inbound and outbound trips. We’ve heard from residents in Hunters Point that the 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express fills a unique need, but existing stops are spaced far apart. 

  • Near the 4th and King Caltrain Station, new stops are being added at 3rd and Brannan streets (inbound) and 4th and Berry streets (outbound) to create a new connection for riders looking to transfer between Muni and Caltrain. As part of this change, the stop nearby at 4th & King streets served by the T Third bus and 91 Third Street bus will be relocated a half-block south to help with congestion at the 4th and King streets intersection. 

To reflect the travel time of the route more accurately, we are updating the weekday frequency from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes. We will still be dedicating the same resources to this route, but this frequency reflects the actual travel time along the route and is expected to improve reliability for 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express riders. 

Balancing Service to Address Crowding 

Since the 2023-2024 school year started in August, we’ve heard from families and observed crowding on some lines that serve schools, especially during morning commute times. At times the bus is so full that it must pass up waiting riders. We’ve also noticed that some popular routes are crowded throughout the day. As a result, we are making small frequency increases.  

Increased frequency at select weekday times: 

Increased frequency on weekends: 

The SFMTA continues to face financial constraints that limit our ability to expand service. That means that adding service on any route requires taking it from another route. As a result, we are monitoring ridership across routes to address changing travel patterns and only adding service where crowding is an issue. To increase frequency on the above routes, we must decrease weekday frequency on others.

Decreased weekday frequency: 

  • 5 Fulton and 5 Fulton Rapid with combined local and rapid frequency will change from every 4.5 minutes to every six minutes. Additionally, the 5 Fulton will change from every nine minutes to every 10 minutes on weekends. 

  • 9 San Bruno with combined local and rapid frequency will change from every 5.5 minutes to every six minutes. 

  • 33 Ashbury/18th Street frequency will change from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes. 

Other Stop Changes 

  • As part of the 16th Street Improvement Project, the 22 Fillmore stop at 16th and Dolores streets will move from the nearside of the intersection to the far side. This move will be made in both directions to improve reliability and travel times. Existing shelters will be relocated to the new stop locations. 

  • The 58 Lake Merced stop at Sunset Boulevard and Lake Merced Boulevard will be removed in both directions to improve reliability and travel time. This low-ridership stop has poor connectivity to nearby streets and is just a two-minute walk or roll (less than 500 feet) from stops at Sunset Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, which are wheelchair accessible and include seating.

Safety is always a priority on Muni. If you experience or witness customer or operator harassment on Muni, report it directly to the SFMTA by calling 311 or using the 311 mobile app or the Muni Feedback form (SFMTA.com/MuniFeedback).



Published January 03, 2024 at 11:22PM
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Celebrate the Holidays at Union Square with Muni

Celebrate the Holidays at Union Square with Muni

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Celebrate the Holidays at Union Square with Muni
By Che Harmon

Picture of Christmas Tree and Ice-Skating Rink in Union Square.Holiday Scenes in Union Square.

As 2023 comes to an end, the holiday festivities in San Francisco are just beginning. Muni is your ride to the Union Square Christmas Tree, Ice Skating Rink and the return of Winter Walk.  

The holidays at Union Square are a San Francisco tradition, and all of its festive attractions are easily accessible by Muni. Take Muni to Union Square to enjoy the iconic Christmas tree and ice-skating rink through Jan. 15 or take a stroll through Winter Walk and its wonderland design through Dec. 24. Enjoy Winter Walk's entertaining shows, food trucks, shopping booths and more, all making their festive return from a 5-year-break. Union Square is accessible through the Union Square/Market Street and Powell stations, as well as many other Muni lines that make it easy to get to.  

We are also excited to continue our tradition of free Muni rides on New Year’s Eve starting from 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31 through 5 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1. Clipper Card customers should NOT tap their cards to make sure they don’t get charged a fare, and Muni Mobile passes will not be necessary. We are happy to provide this free Muni service as part of our ongoing commitment to Vision Zero. Plan your travel to ring in 2023 at our New Year’s Eve Travel & Transit webpage (SFMTA.com/NYE). 

Riding transit is the safest way to enjoy the holiday season and its events. Taking Muni lets you and your loved ones celebrate without the hassles of traffic and parking. 

Plan your Holiday adventures at our website SFMTA.com. 



Published December 22, 2023 at 09:12PM
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How Your Feedback is Shaping the Bayview Community Shuttle

How Your Feedback is Shaping the Bayview Community Shuttle

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How Your Feedback is Shaping the Bayview Community Shuttle
By Hana O’Neill

A new community shuttle is coming to Bayview-Hunters Point in 2024, and we need your help designing it! The SFMTA is partnering with the California Air Resources Board and nine community-based organizations to launch a dynamic service community shuttle that truly meets your needs. The shuttle is funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. 

A “dynamic service” shuttle is one that doesn’t have a fixed route like a bus line, but instead operates in a “service area.” The shuttle will pick up and drop off riders throughout the service area, which can help you reach destinations that were previously hard to get to. The Bayview is a geographically isolated community and the community identified the need for a shuttle like this in the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan. 

We’re currently working on defining that service area. We’ve held 28 events where we talked to almost 2,000 residents, but we know not everyone can come to community meetings or other events. So we also conducted a survey that residents filled out online or on paper at outreach events. We surveyed 629 residents, who gave us 1,060 places they wanted to take a shuttle to. Here’s a summary of the results: 

Many people wanted to take short trips that start and end within the Bayview. 76 people told us that they wanted connections to specific transit lines, such as to the T Third. Others gave destinations that are easily accessible via already-existing Muni lines, such as Chinatown. While a shuttle may not be able to take you all the way to that destination, a direct lift to the T Third would make that trip much easier. 

A legend for a map of San Francisco displaying Muni Routes that serve the Bayview and frequency of survey responses. Most survey responses are in the Bayview or along Muni routes. Frequently requested destinations include Chinatown, Downtown, 24th St BART, the San Bruno Ave commercial corridor, and SF General Hospital.A map of San Francisco displaying Muni Routes that serve the bayview and frequency of survey responses. Most survey responses are in the Bayview or along Muni routes. Frequently requested destinations include Chinatown, Downtown, 24th St BART, the San Bruno Ave commercial corridor, and SF General Hospital.

Desired destination of survey respondents.

 

Initial Service Plan/Alternative A: 

The initial service plan that we presented to residents included service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Riders would wait up to 15 minutes for a ride to Bayview destinations, as well as a few others outside of the neighborhood, such as the 22nd Street Caltrain station, 24th Street BART station and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.  

The initial concept shows a map of the service area including the Bayview itself, and 3 potential external destinations: 24th St BART, 22nd St Caltrain, and SF General Hospital. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 7 days a week, a moderately large service area, and moderate wait timesA chart depicting the service hours related to the Alternative A map: this alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 7 days a week, a moderately large service area, and moderate wait times

Alternative A: Initial conception of service plan.

 

Alternative B: 

How does this plan sound to you? Would you rather have a larger service area for the shuttle so that you could be picked up or dropped off in neighboring areas (shown in gray in the Alternative B map)? This alternative would require running service for a shorter time period – for instance, operating only on weekdays – and with longer wait times. Is this tradeoff worth it? We’d love to hear from you. 

The larger service area alternative B shows a map of the service area including the Bayview itself, and many neighboring areas, potentially including Potrero Hill, the Mission, and parts of the Portola and Visitacion Valley, though exact borders have not been determined. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 5 days a week, a large service area and longer wait times.A graphic chart depicting the service hours related to the Alternative B map. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 5 days a week, a large service area, and longer wait times.

Alternative B: Larger service area and tradeoffs

 

Alternative C: 

We could also run the shuttle for a longer time period, such as from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, with short wait times – but this would require focusing on local neighborhood connections. The shuttle would serve only the Bayview, with no destinations outside of the neighborhood. 

Alternative C shows a map of the service area including immediate neighborhood connections within the Bayview. This alternative would allow us to run approximately 16 hours of service 7 days per week, and allow shorter wait times, but leaves a smaller service area. A chart reflecting the more service hours found in the Alternative C map of the service area including immediate neighborhood connections within the Bayview. This alternative would allow us to run approximately 16 hours of service 7 days per week, and allow shorter wait times, but leaves a smaller service area.

Alternative C: More service hours and tradeoffs

 

Would you rather be able to go more places, even if that means you wait longer, and the shuttle doesn’t run for as many hours of the day? Or would you rather get a ride more quickly, at more times of day, even if it can’t take you directly to as many locations? Please let us know what you think! 

You can sign up for project updates here to learn about upcoming meetings, including our Community Congress on January 24th. You also can email us at BayviewShuttle@sfmta.com.  

As we continue to do outreach to hear about your priorities, we’re also working to select a company to run this shuttle service. When all is said and done, we’re hoping to start service by the middle of 2024. 



Published December 21, 2023 at 10:20PM
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Take Muni for Free on New Year’s Eve 2023

Take Muni for Free on New Year’s Eve 2023

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Take Muni for Free on New Year’s Eve 2023
By Janice Tan

A night time photo of San Francisco's city hall with a Muni bus driving by.Ride Muni for free during New Year's Eve. 

As the year comes to an end, we in San Francisco have a lot to celebrate. To keep that celebration safe, we are offering our 24th consecutive year of free Muni rides for all customers on New Year’s Eve. Let Muni be the designated driver for free from 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31 through 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1.  

Clipper Card customers should NOT tap their cards to make sure they don’t get charged a fare. MuniMobile passes will not be necessary. Metro fare gates will be open on New Year’s Eve starting at 8 p.m. 

Riding transit is the safest way to celebrate New Year’s Eve in San Francisco, and we are happy to provide free Muni service as part of our ongoing commitment to the city’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.  

Whether your New Year’s resolution includes reducing your climate footprint, trying new restaurants or using more active transportation modes for better health, taking Muni on New Year’s Eve is a great choice to start your year with. 

New Year’s Eve Muni Service 

  • Free Muni service from 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31 through 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1 

  • Metro fare gates will be open starting at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve 

  • Do not tag your Clipper Card or activate a MuniMobile ticket 

  • Start planning your trip at SFMTA.com 



Published December 20, 2023 at 08:32PM
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SFMTA Introduces First LRV4s with New Seating Arrangement

SFMTA Introduces First LRV4s with New Seating Arrangement

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SFMTA Introduces First LRV4s with New Seating Arrangement
By Che Harmon

The interior of a train with blue double seats facing forward on one side and a row of red seats facing the aisle on the other.

New seating arrangement in LRV4 vehicles with seats facing the front or rear. 

At the SFMTA, we’re committed to improving service every way we can, and your input is critical to doing it. Our LRV4 Muni fleet is newer and easier to clean and maintain. These state-of-the-art vehicles are helping us make dramatic improvements in Muni reliability, but we’ve heard consistently that passengers want more seating options. We’re listening and putting your feedback into action. 

In early September, we introduced the addition of side-by-side seats facing the front or rear of the vehicle, also known as “transverse” seats. Car #2120 was the first of a hundred LRV4 cars to feature a revamped interior. This seating arrangement lets passengers choose whether they want to face forward or backwards, depending on the direction the train is headed. 

The original interiors in Muni’s LRV4 fleet featured a bench arrangement that ran along the outer walls of the cars, with seats that face inward towards the center aisle of the train and lacked the “butt-dimples” passengers were accustomed to seeing. This layout allowed more people to ride on each train car, which is important, but some passengers found the seating uncomfortable and wanted more places to sit. Your comfort and input are also important, and those older interiors are almost gone now. They’ve been replaced with updated seating featuring the return of the “butt-dimples” for a more comfortable ride. 

While all vehicles are being updated to include transverse seats, only our newer LRV4 vehicles have been equipped with double-transverse seating options, as this change required structural reinforcement to support the extra weight of two passengers.  

The LRV4s with the double-transverse seats will be the final phase of LRV4 vehicles joining the Muni fleet before a preventative brake rebuild. This $20 million overhaul and upgrade will improve reliability and extend the manufacturer’s warranty on our new vehicles. 

As these new LRV4 cars begin rolling out throughout the city, Muni passengers can look forward to a more comfortable ride. We’ll continue to update our fleet to improve your experience on Muni, and it’s your input that makes it possible. Thank you for riding Muni and helping us make it better.    



Published December 19, 2023 at 11:32PM
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Climb Aboard History At Powell Plaza

Climb Aboard History At Powell Plaza

   تعليق   
Climb Aboard History At Powell Plaza
By Edward Wright

A black and white photograph of a historic cable car at Market and Powell from 1945.Powell Street Cable Car 503 at Market and Powell Street Turntable | August 13, 1945 

They’ve been sung about by Judy Garland and saved by Dianne Feinstein, and now you can experience San Francisco’s historic cable cars in a brand-new way at Powell Plaza.  

Starting this Saturday, Dec. 16, a 150-year-old cable car will be stationed at Powell Plaza every Tuesday and Saturday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., weather permitting. Visitors and residents can climb aboard history, take photos and explore this mobile museum up close. 

A true San Francisco original, cable cars were first invented right here in the city in 1873 by Andrew S. Hallidie. Our street-running cable car system is the only one of its kind remaining in the entire world, and San Francisco’s cable cars are a designated National Historic Landmark. 

This pilot activation at Powell Plaza is a unique opportunity to learn about the history of these iconic vehicles and experience them for free and up close. SFMTA’s cable car ambassadors will be on site to share information and answer your questions.  

A cable car is rotated at the Powell Plaza turnaround by SFMTA operators.Cable Car ride to celebrate Filipino American History Month | October 11, 2023

Visitors have flocked to the cable car turnaround at Powell Plaza for generations, and few symbols capture the imagination and magic of San Francisco like our cable cars. Whether you’re visiting the city for the first time, or are a life-long San Franciscan, this pilot activation makes it easier than ever to experience some cable car magic, connect with local history and take a photo souvenir.  

This pilot project is a partnership between the SFMTA and Mayor London Breed, to highlight a piece of our history and support downtown activation -- just in time for the holidays. This pilot is being offered for a limited time only, so don’t wait to climb aboard.  

Can’t get enough of our cable cars? Learn about the cultural connections our cable cars celebrate and support in the latest episode of the SFMTA’s Taken with Transportation podcast on our podcast webpage (SFMTA.com/Podcast). Explore more Muni history at the “120 Years: SFMTA Photo Archive 1903-2023” exhibit at the Harvey Milk Photo Center.  



Published December 16, 2023 at 01:32AM
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We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.

We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.

   تعليق   
We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.
By Amanda Eaken

People bike down a center-running protected bike lane in the middle of a street with motorcycles and cars in the outer traffic lanes.

The center running bikeway installed in 2023 as part of the mid-Valencia pilot.

San Francisco is a high-density city. This helps neighborhoods like the Mission thrive because they are where people live, work, visit restaurants and shop at our small businesses. It’s where different communities intersect with different needs. It’s where we come together. It’s the best of urban living.

When we make decisions about improving our neighborhoods, we have to consider all of this. How can we advance goals that we all share, even when those goals conflict with each other? What’s happening right now on Valencia is a perfect example of this.

Valencia is one of our city’s amazing merchant corridors with incredible restaurants and retailers that draw people from all over San Francisco and beyond. It’s also a key artery for bicycle commuters – with thousands of bicyclists using Valencia every day to avoid the hills to the west and the bus and car traffic to the east. And it’s not particularly safe. Valencia is on our high injury network, which is the 12 percent of streets that account for 68 percent of severe and fatal traffic crashes.

To improve safety, we created a pilot program to use a center-running lane for bicyclists with a goal of advancing safety, but also preserving key support for our small businesses in the neighborhood. This pilot was developed in conversation with the merchants and residents after exploring other alternatives. 

Before the pandemic, our plan had been to create a protected bike lane running along the curb. But Valencia changed during the pandemic. The street now has a plethora of Shared Spaces parklets, which have been a huge benefit for our neighborhoods by creating economic opportunities and more vibrant streets. The merchants asked us to find another option because a curb running bike lane would require many of those parklets – and much of the parking -- to be removed.

As we talked with the community, we realized that the most underutilized part of the street was the median. A bike lane placed in the median would preserve most of the parking and loading spaces and ensure that the business parklets could remain in place.

A FedEx delivery truck pulled to the side of the road with the driver moving boxes on a dolly loader.

Loading zones have been expanded on Valencia to support businesses in the corridor.

When we opened the new bike lane, we also added significantly more space for the loading that’s so important to the businesses – for taxis and ride-hail services and for delivery trucks. We added more than 30 metered spaces on side streets to support customer turnover. In response to merchant concerns that there still wasn’t enough general parking, we recently started to allow customer parking at over one-third of the loading zones at certain times in the afternoons and at most of them in the evenings.

While the pilot looks promising, we’re still analyzing the data we’ve collected to date. Meanwhile, Valencia Street businesses are telling us that the new design isn’t working for them or their customers. We’ve heard mixed reviews from bike lane users – some say they feel much safer than before and enjoy the new protected space, others say that it’s still not safe enough. 

The key point right now is that this is a pilot. We are trying something and seeing how it works. Pilots are meant to be evaluated and either adopted, adjusted, or redone with new information. So let’s look at what the potential options are for Valencia Street.

First, we could go back to the way things were. The problem with that is that it creates an unsafe street for bicyclists and will lead to collisions. Biking and driving on Valencia felt chaotic and unpredictable. Therefore, this option is not what we want to do.

Second, we could stick with the current pilot and keep making changes in response to community concerns. We’ll need to stay in close touch with the Valencia Street merchants and the bicyclists who aren’t excited about the center-running bike lane to make sure we’re being as responsive as they need us to be.

Third, we could go back to our original parking protected bike lane plan – meaning a bike lane running between the sidewalk and parked cars on the street. This design is more familiar to San Franciscans. The trade-off here is that this type of protected bike lane will require the removal of parklets and the loss of more than half of the curbside parking and loading. So that’s a conversation we’re starting to have.

There are no easy decisions when it comes to Valencia Street. So, we need to come together and be open minded as we discuss what’s best for the economic vitality of the neighborhood, for safety, and for the people who live and work on Valencia Street, as well as those who visit. That’s the work we are doing now, and we appreciate everyone who is involved and engaged in these conversations.

By continuing to listen and adjust, we can make sure Valencia succeeds as a place for people to be, to enjoy and to move. 



Published December 15, 2023 at 02:50AM
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We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.

We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.

   تعليق   
We all love Valencia Street. Let’s make sure it works for everyone.
By Jeffrey Tumlin

People bike down a center-running protected bike lane in the middle of a street with motorcycles and cars in the outer traffic lanes.

The center running bikeway installed in 2023 as part of the mid-Valencia pilot.

San Francisco is a high-density city. This helps neighborhoods like the Mission thrive because they are where people live, work, visit restaurants and shop at our small businesses. It’s where different communities intersect with different needs. It’s where we come together. It’s the best of urban living.

When we make decisions about improving our neighborhoods, we have to consider all of this. How can we advance goals that we all share, even when those goals conflict with each other? What’s happening right now on Valencia is a perfect example of this.

Valencia is one of our city’s amazing merchant corridors with incredible restaurants and retailers that draw people from all over San Francisco and beyond. It’s also a key artery for bicycle commuters – with thousands of bicyclists using Valencia every day to avoid the hills to the west and the bus and car traffic to the east. And it’s not particularly safe. Valencia is on our high injury network, which is the 12 percent of streets that account for 68 percent of severe and fatal traffic crashes.

To improve safety, we created a pilot program to use a center-running lane for bicyclists with a goal of advancing safety, but also preserving key support for our small businesses in the neighborhood. This pilot was developed in conversation with the merchants and residents after exploring other alternatives. 

Before the pandemic, our plan had been to create a protected bike lane running along the curb. But Valencia changed during the pandemic. The street now has a plethora of Shared Spaces parklets, which have been a huge benefit for our neighborhoods by creating economic opportunities and more vibrant streets. The merchants asked us to find another option because a curb running bike lane would require many of those parklets – and much of the parking -- to be removed.

As we talked with the community, we realized that the most underutilized part of the street was the median. A bike lane placed in the median would preserve most of the parking and loading spaces and ensure that the business parklets could remain in place.

A FedEx delivery truck pulled to the side of the road with the driver moving boxes on a dolly loader.

Loading zones have been expanded on Valencia to support businesses in the corridor.

When we opened the new bike lane, we also added significantly more space for the loading that’s so important to the businesses – for taxis and ride-hail services and for delivery trucks. We added more than 30 metered spaces on side streets to support customer turnover. In response to merchant concerns that there still wasn’t enough general parking, we recently started to allow customer parking at over one-third of the loading zones at certain times in the afternoons and at most of them in the evenings.

While the pilot looks promising, we’re still analyzing the data we’ve collected to date. Meanwhile, Valencia Street businesses are telling us that the new design isn’t working for them or their customers. We’ve heard mixed reviews from bike lane users – some say they feel much safer than before and enjoy the new protected space, others say that it’s still not safe enough. 

The key point right now is that this is a pilot. We are trying something and seeing how it works. Pilots are meant to be evaluated and either adopted, adjusted, or redone with new information. So let’s look at what the potential options are for Valencia Street.

First, we could go back to the way things were. The problem with that is that it creates an unsafe street for bicyclists and will lead to collisions. Biking and driving on Valencia felt chaotic and unpredictable. Therefore, this option is not what we want to do.

Second, we could stick with the current pilot and keep making changes in response to community concerns. We’ll need to stay in close touch with the Valencia Street merchants and the bicyclists who aren’t excited about the center-running bike lane to make sure we’re being as responsive as they need us to be.

Third, we could go back to our original parking protected bike lane plan – meaning a bike lane running between the sidewalk and parked cars on the street. This design is more familiar to San Franciscans. The trade-off here is that this type of protected bike lane will require the removal of parklets and the loss of more than half of the curbside parking and loading. So that’s a conversation we’re starting to have.

There are no easy decisions when it comes to Valencia Street. So, we need to come together and be open minded as we discuss what’s best for the economic vitality of the neighborhood, for safety, and for the people who live and work on Valencia Street, as well as those who visit. That’s the work we are doing now, and we appreciate everyone who is involved and engaged in these conversations.

By continuing to listen and adjust, we can make sure Valencia succeeds as a place for people to be, to enjoy and to move. 



Published December 15, 2023 at 02:50AM
https://ift.tt/pDrq3dj
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