The City still waiting on Muni plan
By: Mike Aldax
Examiner Staff Writer
January 6, 2009
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| S.F. transit agency’s on-time performance slipped last year amid cries for better service. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Chances are you’re still waiting just as long for streetcars and buses to arrive in San Francisco, despite efforts by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to keep routes on schedule.
After years of criticism about Muni’s reliability, the transit agency’s ability to get vehicles to arrive at stops on time showed little to no improvement last fiscal year, according to its latest data.
That’s even after Muni added more buses and streetcars in recent years to its 80-route system.
In 1999, voters at the ballot box demanded that Muni, which carries more than 700,000 riders daily, increase its on-time performance to 85 percent — meaning buses would show up on time at least that often. Buses and streetcars are considered off-schedule if they are more than one minute early or four minutes late.
In 2008, the numbers averaged 70.6 percent, the transit agency said. That was only slightly better than 2004’s tally of 69 percent. In 2007, it was 70.8 percent.
Furthermore, eight of The City’s most heavily used lines — including the N-Judah, 38-Geary and M-Ocean View — showed slightly lower on-time percentages in 2008 than in 2007, data showed.
The reason for the less-than-stellar grades, spokesman Judson True said, is a “significant shortage of operators and street inspectors,” along with planned service improvements that have been in the works.
“We’re working on a wide variety of fronts to make improvements,” True said.
That includes the Transit Effectiveness Project, or TEP, which is the first major overhaul of San Francisco’s transit system in two decades. The TEP, expected to begin implementation this year, aims to slash wait times and relieve congestion on the busiest lines, while adding some service to underserved and developing neighborhoods.
Muni is also trying to fill up a 159-strong roster of frontline employees, such as custodians, fare inspectors and transit supervisors charged with reporting and correcting service hiccups.
But improving on-time performance, and even safety and cleanliness on buses and streetcars, will prove difficult as the agency faces a burgeoning budget deficit and continued cuts in state funding.
“All of our efforts [to improve service] are ongoing,” True said. “And while our resources and financial limitations will make these challenges even harder, all of our employees will continue our efforts to improve service for our customers.”
Dave Snyder, transportation policy director for the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, said a big reason why Muni is still late is its ancient control center, which struggles to correct snags in the system.
“It’s literally like the IBM 286 computers,” he said. “When a part breaks down, they have to drive down to Los Angles to get a replacement part.”
Snyder said he hopes federal stimulus money being requested for transit agencies will go through, which would provide some funding for Muni’s aging infrastructure.
“They really need to bring in a new control center, and we hope we can get that out of the federal stimulus package,” he said.
Ebb and flow
Muni’s on-time performance through the years. Its goal for the entire system is 85 percent.
68.8%: Fiscal year 2004
71%: FY 2005
69.2%: FY 2006
70.8%: FY 2007
70.6%: FY 2008
Transit times
Muni’s on-time performance suffered in 2008, but it plans to improve service this year.
| Line | Fiscal 2008 | Fiscal 2007 | Five-year average |
| N-Judah | 66.9% | 72.6% | 70.6% |
| 38-Geary | 72.7% | 75.1% | 73.3% |
| 14-Mission | 77.5% | 71.2% | 73.3% |
| L-Taraval | 74.6% | 73.1% | 73.3% |
| M-Ocean View | 65.8% | 72.2% | 66.5% |
| 49-Van Ness-Mission | 68.6% | 73.0% | 70.2% |
| 30-Stockton | 73.6% | 75.6% | 74.3% |
| 1-California | 84.9% | 83.2% | 80.6% |
| 22-Fillmore | 72.9% | 69.8% | 71.2% |
| F-Market | 68.9% | 71.3% | 67.6% |
| K-Ingleside/T-Third | 74.5% | 74.6% | 73.3% |
| 9-San Bruno | 67.7% | 68.3% | 70.6% |
| J-Church | 67.1% | 66.1% | 64.9% |
| 29-Sunset | 68.4% | 58.7% | 60.6% |
| 5-Fulton | 77.2% | 76.1% | 74.9% |
| 44-O’Shaughnessy | 66.0% | 70.4% | 67.4% |
| 47-Van Ness | 76.9% | 73.4% | 71.5% |
| 43-Masonic | 69.4% | 63.5% | 68.8% |
| 24-Divisadero | 72.5% | 69.1% | 70.2% |
| 71-Haight-Noriega | 66.7% | 64.1% | 65.3% |
Source: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
