Help Make Muni Safe for Everyone

Help Make Muni Safe for Everyone
By Mariana Maguire

New Muni “no harassment” symbol

The safety of our customers and staff is a top priority for the SFMTA. That is why we are launching MuniSafe – a campaign to increase reporting of gender-based harassment through recently expanded incident reporting options.

If you experience or witness an incident, help us make MuniSafe by reporting it using the Muni Feedback form at SFMTA.com/MuniFeedback, the 311 mobile app or by calling 311.

Non-English speakers should call 311 for language-assisted reporting.

Gender-based harassment takes many forms, affects many people and is absolutely not tolerated on Muni. Survivors should report incidents to the San Francisco Police Department if they feel comfortable doing so. By also reporting incidents directly to the SFMTA, you will help us track events that occur in our system so we can build better safety responses and direct resources to reduce gender-based harassment.

New car cards that will be installed soon in vehicles system-wide with information about gender-based harassment reporting.

Use the Muni Feedback Form at SFMTA.com/MuniFeedback

People should use the Muni Feedback form to report incidents at SFMTA.com/MuniFeedback. Under “Type of Feedback,” select “Complaint,” related to “Muni Service” to access the “Safety and security” topic and the specific topic of “Gender-based harassment.” You have the option to remain anonymous, or to request a follow up.

Your reports made on the form or by contacting 311 go directly to the SFMTA’s Security and Investigations Division. Information is confidential, but descriptions of incidents and behaviors may be shared with the San Francisco Police Department as necessary to support investigation and improve Muni safety.

Our staff will use the information provided in the report to internally investigate the incident, support the survivor and cooperate with law enforcement as needed. Staff will also analyze data from reports to identify and track trends and develop better safety approaches.

Personal Safety and Bystander Tips

• Always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.
• When traveling late at night or alone, sit close to the operator.
• If someone is making you feel uncomfortable, move to a different part of the vehicle.
• Ask for bystander assistance or call the operator for assistance when necessary.
• If you see someone in a vulnerable situation or witness a possible incident, ask the individual if they are ok or need assistance. Offer to stay nearby.

The MuniSafe campaign is a multi-functional effort led by SFMTA’s Security Division to improve safety systems, processes and outcomes. SFMTA’s Safety Equity Initiative, announced in April 2022, is an integral part of the MuniSafe campaign. Learn more at SFMTA.com/SafetyEquity. If you have questions about this initiative, please email MuniSafe@SFMTA.com.

Published August 30, 2022 at 11:36PM
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Muni Color Schemes Through the Years

Muni Color Schemes Through the Years
By Jeremy Menzies

Over the 110-year history of the SF Municipal Railway, our transit vehicles have been painted in six main color schemes (known as “liveries”). Here’s a short look at those paint jobs, from the oldest streetcars to our newest buses. 

The timelines of these liveries overlapped and old colors were not always phased out even after a new color was introduced. Not included here are the many colors of cable cars, historic vehicles, variations on the main colors, or any special paint jobs used.

The Original Grey and Red: 1912-1939

When Muni started in 1912, vehicle paint colors were used to distinguish one transit service from another. Muni’s very first streetcars were painted grey with red windows and roof. Gold was used for lettering, vehicle numbers, and decorative lines. This combination gave the cars a simple yet elegant look.

Seen here at Green Division rail yard around 1980, Streetcar 1 was built in San Francisco in 1912. It has been restored and operates today during special events.

Magic Carpet Cars Bring “Blue & Gold”: 1939-1946

In 1939, five special new streetcars arrived in the city wearing the second major color scheme for Muni. These cars came painted in a deep blue with bright yellow windows and roof. A small red pinstripe ran along the edge of the roof above the windows. Many older streetcars and buses were re-painted in these colors to help unify the look of the system.

Today, Streetcar 1010 is painted with Muni’s blue and gold colors. The Western Railway Museum has the only surviving streetcar that originally had this paint scheme.

Muni Gets its “Wings”: 1946-1975

A short time after the blue and gold colors came out, a new paint job was launched in 1946. After merging with the Market Street Railway company in 1944, Muni needed a way to unify the two organizations. The new color scheme was a good way to show the public there was no longer two competing transit systems. Known as the green and cream “wings” livery, it used green on the body, windows, and roof of vehicles. Cream was used for the front, stripes above and below the windows, and a decorative design reminiscent of wing tips on the sides. This livery is perhaps one of the most well-known among older-generation San Franciscans and could even be seen on some vehicles into the early 1980s.

This photo taken in the mid 1970s shows the “green and cream wings” livery once worn by hundreds of Muni vehicles. This car was delivered to Muni in 1948 and still operates today.

A New Look in “Maroon and Gold”: 1969-1975

Following the green and cream colors came a short-lived but notable paint scheme came in 1969. Muni was trying to revamp its look and introduced the “Maroon and Gold” paint job with a new logo and driver uniforms. The styling of the new logo and maroon color were borrowed from the California Street Cable Cars but first used on brand new buses from General Motors.

This photo from 1969 shows a new GM bus with Muni’s fresh logo and paint job. Today, Muni has one of this type of bus in its vintage bus fleet.

“Sunset” Livery Rebrands Muni: 1975-1995

Perhaps one of the most well-known paint schemes was the “Sunset” livery unveiled in 1975. This time, Muni contracted with the world-famous advertising company Walter Landor & Associates for a complete branding package. The new look included everything from a squiggly “Worm” logo, vehicles painted white with “California Poppy” and “Sunset Glow” stripes, new bus stop signage, and matching brown driver uniforms. The new brand was launched at a perfect time. Hundreds of new buses and trains were coming in and Muni was about to open the Muni Metro subway system. Together, these changes really gave riders a fresh, modern transit system.

Muni’s new 1975 colors were meant to provide a clean look for the system.  Today, many riders remember this paint scheme and logo with nostalgia.

Returning to the Roots with “Silver & Red”: 1995-Present

Starting in 1995, Muni returned to its roots with a revised version of the original grey and red color scheme. First used on new light rail vehicles known as “Breda” cars, the new paint features silver with red striping. These colors were phased in over nearly two decades in three variations, depending on the type of vehicle. Today, every bus and rail car in the system, excluding historic vehicles, uses the silver and red look.

While the colors today fit right in with the modern era, they harken back to the original grey and red of Muni’s very first streetcar.

Aside from the six major color combinations listed here, there were at least five more that have been used at one time or another. Some of these were variations on the main color theme and others were used only on certain vehicles.

Published August 30, 2022 at 12:42AM
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How Improving Muni Also Makes Life Better for Drivers

How Improving Muni Also Makes Life Better for Drivers
By Andrea Buffa

Photo credit: We Ride Australia

If you mostly drive to get around San Francisco, you may be wondering, “what has the SFMTA done for me lately?” San Francisco is a “transit first” city, so at the SFMTA we focus our resources on making it easier for San Franciscans to get around by public transit as well as by biking, walking and personal mobility device. While it may seem like adding transit lanes and protected bike lanes doesn’t have anything to do with driving, in fact, it does. 

Since San Francisco doesn’t have room to give more space to roads, we have to change the way we use the limited space on our existing streets. (Not that adding more roads reduces traffic anyway – check out this article.) City Traffic Engineer Ricardo Oleo puts it this way: “When you have a city like San Francisco that was built with density in mind, having everyone drive is not a viable option. There’s not enough room to have that happen. It’s not geometrically possible. You’d have debilitating amounts of congestion without Muni.” 

A well-designed city gives people choices. The many San Franciscans who already do choose to take Muni, walk or bike to get around are taking some pressure off the city's roadways. Imagine if everyone on the 49 Van Ness/Mission that’s zipping down the new Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit corridor were instead driving on Franklin and Gough. That would translate into another 21,000 cars in traffic on a typical day! And think about what congestion would look like on Fell Street if the hundreds of people who use the protected bike lanes there were behind the wheel of a car? 

Every person who takes Muni to get to the Chase Center, their workplace or their doctor’s appointment is one fewer car on the road. So, everything we do to make Muni more appealing—whether it’s transit lanes, new buses or smart traffic signals that give transit priority —is also good for drivers.  

Every person who walks, bikes or hops on an electric scooter to get to Golden Gate Park or pick up something at the local pharmacy is one fewer car that needs a parking space. So, everything we do to make it safer and more appealing to use active forms of transportation is also beneficial for the people who do need to drive to those destinations. 

Bikes take up far less space on the road than cars, and Muni buses and trains can transport a significant number of people in a compact space. 100 people traveling in personal vehicles take up 4,500 square feet. The same 100 people on bikes takes up about 1,200 square feet. And if they were all in a bus? They would take up only 520 square feet. They would also be responsible for far fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for the SFMTA and the city of San Francisco. But we realize most people make travel decisions based on their personal lives – not on San Francisco’s climate action plan. As a transportation agency, our job is to make transit, walking and rolling the best travel options for more people. If we’re able to do that, we’ll help fight the climate crisis and simultaneously improve the driving experience for people who still need to drive.  

 

Published August 12, 2022 at 11:16PM
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Bayshore Boulevard Quick-Build Project Update

Bayshore Boulevard Quick-Build Project Update
By Adrienne Heim

Bayshore Boulevard is a mixture of industrial and commercial ruggedness mixed with historic and family run small business charm. Bayshore Boulevard is also a busy street that runs parallel to Highway 101 and is nestled between Bayview, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill and Mission neighborhoods. Interestingly enough, one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco, The Old Clam House, built in 1861 and recently re-opened after two years of closure due to the pandemic and management changes. As you begin to walk Bayshore and Oakdale heading south towards Silver Avenue, you’ll see workers grabbing food and saying hi to owner Tarik at Bayshore Taqueria, you’ll notice parents dropping off their children at the family run business American Gymnastics Club and folks walking to catch the 9 or 9R Bayshore or 23 Monterey Muni bus. For over 30 years, people have been visiting legacy business Flowercraft Garden Center, near Bayshore and Cortland to decorate their homes, patios and backyards with native plants and its sister business Floorcraft, who’ve been in business since 1941. Not only that, but you’ll also see people walking their carts or crates filled with aluminum and glass bottles to family run business Our Planet Recycling Center or folks biking around Bayshore and Industrial.

Bayshore Boulevard has a lot of vehicle/pedestrian/bike activity given all the small and big box businesses sprinkled along the corridor and its important role as a major connector to the north and south sections of San Francisco. The corridor is on the Vision Zero SF High Injury Network, which means 75% of the city’s traffic injuries and fatalities occur on just 13% of San Francisco streets. From 2015 to 2021, 98 traffic collisions have been reported on Bayshore Boulevard between Silver and Jerrold avenues. A total of 11 bicycle-vehicle collisions resulted in four severe injuries and 10 total pedestrian-vehicle collisions resulted in two severe injuries. A few months ago, a fatality occurred between a motorcyclist and another vehicle near Bayshore and Flower.

Mode	Collisions
Bike	11 total collisions with four severe injuries.
Walk	10 total collisions with two severe injuries.

To improve access and safety for people walking and bicycling on Bayshore Boulevard, the SFMTA is proposing a quick-build project on Bayshore Boulevard from Silver to Oakdale avenues (Section 1) and potentially improvements in the future on Bayshore Boulevard from Oakdale to Jerrold avenues (Section 2).

A quick-build project increases safety for all users of Bayshore Boulevard by implementing relatively fast improvements with inexpensive treatments within months, such as: 

• Paint
• Traffic delineators
• Street signs
• Parking and loading adjustments 

The project is then evaluated within 24 months after construction is completed through the Safe Streets Evaluation Program to understand whether the transportation safety treatments are working, need to be revised or removed.   

In May and June, the Bayshore Quick-Build team connected with businesses and stakeholders who use the corridor and there were several takeaways:

• Unsafe vehicle speeds on the Bayshore 
• Need for greater protection between the vehicle travel lane and bike lane
• Need for improved pedestrian and bike safety 
• Need for improved neighborhood connections by bike

Comments from our survey include:

“Walking in that area is awful today and generally I just feel unsafe if I am not in a car.”

"This is not supposed to be a freeway! It is not safe as it is now and inspires unsafe driving and speeding.”

“I am more concerned about the bike connections north to south. I would love to be able to bike on Bayshore more, but the connections are horrible.”

Based on the feedback received, the project team is considering refinements to the project proposal and will continue to provide updates to all project stakeholders.

The current project timeline includes:

Section 1 (Bayshore Blvd. from Silver to Oakdale Avenues)

• July to August 2022 – Round 2 Community Outreach and Final Design (showcase the final proposed project design and answer questions). 
• Summer/Fall 2022 – Approvals/ Legislation for Section 1 – Bayshore Boulevard from Silver to Oakdale avenues (Public Hearing anticipated in late September)
• Fall 2022 – Construction begins on Section 1 – Bayshore Boulevard from Silver to Oakdale avenues 

Section 2 (Bayshore Blvd. from Oakdale to Jerrold Avenues)

Section 2 will be further analyzed and potentially become part of a future project where the needs of the roadway can be better met through longer-term, capital construction work. 
Stay tuned to see what is in store for a safer Bayshore Boulevard for all users. 
Learn more about the project and subscribe to project updates by visiting the Bayshore Boulevard Quick-Build Project.

 

Published August 05, 2022 at 11:36PM
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Keeping Muni Riders Safe

Keeping Muni Riders Safe
By Andrea Buffa

After several years without a major violent incident on Muni, we’ve recently experienced two tragic shootings. On June 22, two passengers got into an altercation, and one of the passengers fatally shot another passenger and injured a bystander. The shooter was quickly apprehended by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) thanks to our collaboration and use of clear, state-of-the-art surveillance cameras on board our vehicles. On August 3, there was a targeted shooting on a Muni vehicle driving through the Sunnydale neighborhood; one passenger was killed, and a bystander sustained a minor injury. SFPD’s Homicide Detail is investigating the incident, and we are fully cooperating by providing the SFPD with onboard and street-facing video data. 

We offer our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families who are suffering right now.  

While these recent incidents appear to be an anomaly and instances of isolated, targeted confrontations, we are working resolutely to make sure all Muni riders are safe and can be confident riding our buses and trains. We were already increasing security and safety across our system and are taking additional steps in response to the recent incidents. 

• Increased staff presence on our vehicles:
  Having uniformed personnel present on Muni vehicles is a visual deterrent against crime and other problematic behavior. 
  • Our Muni Transit Ambassadors are San Francisco community members with deep ties to their neighborhoods. Many of them grew up riding Muni. They ride specific Muni routes to assist customers, defuse and deter any conflicts, prevent acts of vandalism and assist bus operators. We currently have 21 Muni Transit Ambassadors in the field and are hiring an additional 20 ambassadors. 
  • Our Transit Fare Inspectors also ride Muni routes, and they do more than make sure our riders comply with our fare policies. They also provide riders with service information and information about fare programs and kiosk locations.  
  • We’ve been informed by the SFPD that they will be providing an increased presence on Muni in the coming weeks. 
  • At Muni stations, station agents are monitoring video footage from cameras that are set up throughout the station and will take action if there’s an emergency, either by going to the scene or by contacting emergency personnel. Any time you’re concerned about a safety issue or have a question, you can walk up to the booth and talk with the station agent.
• Extensive and effective video surveillance program: 
  • We’ve installed high-quality video cameras throughout our system to be able to document crimes and provide the documentation to the police. In multiple instances, this video footage enabled the police to identify and arrest people who perpetrated crimes.  
  • Each bus is equipped with at least 11 cameras that are recording any time the bus is running. The footage is monitored by staff in our video surveillance unit. 
  • We are constantly upgrading and improving our video system. Currently we are hiring more team members to support this work.
• New Equity Safety Initiative: 
  • All forms of gender-based and race-based harassment, assault and sexual violence are strictly prohibited throughout the SFMTA system including on vehicles and at stops and facilities. Threatening, harming or harassing passengers or SFMTA employees is illegal and will not be tolerated.  
  • We recently implemented an initiative to prevent this type of harassment and violence on Muni. Later in August, announcements will be posted throughout the Muni system making it clear that this behavior is not tolerated. Riders can now report gender-based harassment and violence using the Muni Feedback form (SFMTA.com/MuniFeedback) or by calling 3-1-1. Non-English speakers should call 3-1-1 for language-assisted reporting.   
  • We will be tracking this data to determine where more resources should be directed to make sure none of our riders ever have to tolerate gender-based harassment or violence. Learn more about our Safety Equity Initiative (SFMTA.com/SafetyEquity) 

The safety of our customers and staff is a top priority for the SFMTA. We will continue our efforts to make sure Muni is a safe and welcoming environment and update you with our progress. In the meantime, if you need to report an incident you see happening on Muni, please follow these steps. 

• What to do in the event of a crime on Muni 
  • First and foremost, stay safe: Try to remain calm and exit the vehicle if necessary and safe to do so. Never put yourself in danger. 
  • Alert authorities and your Muni operator: Call 911 to report the crime as soon as it's safe to do so. Alert the Muni operator if the operator doesn't seem to be aware so they can take steps to keep everyone safe. You can also alert any other SFMTA staff member you see (they’ll be wearing a Muni vest). 
  • Remember and report helpful details: When reporting an incident, accurate details can make all the difference in enabling police and Muni staff to respond effectively. When a crime occurs, note details like the time, location and Muni vehicle number. If safe, also note a physical description of any suspects.  

 

Published August 05, 2022 at 05:36AM
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Muni is Ready to Take Kids Back to School

Muni is Ready to Take Kids Back to School
By Shalon Rogers

Photo caption: Every SFUSD elementary, middle and high school is served by at least one Muni route and are within a five-minute walk of a Muni stop 

As the first day of school for San Francisco students approaches, the SFMTA wants to ensure that families have reliable, efficient transportation to get them to and from school.  

To help determine which bus your child can take to school, the SFMTA has put together a list of Muni routes that serve SFUSD schools. This resource shows the closest transit options for all San Francisco public elementary, middle and high schools. You can also plan your student’s door-to-door trip on Muni, biking or walking with the SFMTA’s trip planner. 

Service changes implemented in July, including the restoration of the 2 Sutter, 6 Parnassus and 21 Hayes, as well as the extension of the 23 Monterey down Sloat Boulevard and the 43 Masonic to the Marina, have ensured that at least one or more Muni routes provides transportation to all SFUSD schools.   

Additionally, Muni school trippers will provide service throughout the school year. School trippers are extra buses on existing routes that meet students after school at some of the city’s largest middle and high schools. They begin their route near a school site to help prevent crowding and pass ups on busy Muni routes after school, and then continue along their regular route. Schools served by a school tripper can be found on the Muni Routes to City Schools page.  

Crossing guards will also have a large presence near school sites to assist families with arriving and departing school safely. As part of the SFMTA’s Crossing Guard Program, 175 crossing guards will cover 106 public and private schools at 154 intersections throughout the city. 

All youth 18 and younger can take advantage of the SFMTA’s Free Muni for Youth program, which no longer requires proof of income to participate. A Clipper Card is not required for buses and trains, however it is needed to receive a free fare on cable cars. For those who ride cable cars regularly, a cable car pass is available for youth 5 to 18 years old; youth four and under always ride for free.  

Following the latest guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), masks are recommended but no longer required in SFMTA facilities or vehicles. However, to help protect those who remain at higher risk to COVID-19, including older adults and some people with disabilities, we recommend that masks continue to be worn on transit.  

With just a few weeks left before school begins, let Muni help you enjoy the remaining days of summer. Ride the 18 46th Avenue to the Legion of Honor or San Francisco Zoo or take the 28 19th Avenue to the Golden Gate Bridge. Head to Ghirardelli Square on the Powell/Hyde Cable Car or, for a faster trip, ride the 49 Van Ness and enjoy San Francisco’s first bus rapid transit corridor. However you spend the remaining days of summer, know that Muni will help get you and your family there.  

 

Published August 02, 2022 at 09:47PM
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