By Erin McMillan
Since April 8, Muni has been operating a COVID-19 Core Service Plan to support essential trips that cannot be made any other way. With fewer operators, car cleaners and maintenance staff available during the shelter-in-place, Muni service has been significantly reduced. Our initial network of 17 key lines was informed by our data on where ridership is highest, our Muni Equity Strategy to provide transportation for those with the fewest options, locations of essential services like hospitals and groceries, and to provide coverage across the city.
Over the past week and a half, SFMTA has seen a small increase in the number of available key personnel, allowing us to expand our service based on ridership trends and public feedback during the pandemic. On April 25, we will be modifying Muni’s Core Service by adding back some modified routes and increasing the frequency of buses on others. This additional bus service was informed by the same criteria as our initial Core network, along with on-the-ground information from operators, riders, and policy makers.
The service additions will increase coverage across the city and connect to additional essential services. To ensure we’re connecting customers who are making essential trips to health care facilities like hospitals, we’re restoring modified service on the 5 Fulton and 28 19th Avenue lines. Segments of the 12 Folsom/Pacific and 54 Felton are also being restored to ensure customers in Chinatown and southeastern neighborhoods have greater access to essential trip locations.
By adding service on heavily used lines of the Core network, it will also help minimize risks to customers and operators by reducing crowding on buses and increasing riders’ ability to physically distance from others.
Muni still serves approximately 100,000 passengers a day – getting nurses, cooks, custodians, and other essential workers to their jobs. We continue to ask San Franciscans’ help by a) complying with the shelter-in-place directive, b) only making essential trips, and c) using alternatives to Muni for essential trips when possible.
In addition to running Core service, the following Muni routes will start service or be adjusted on Saturday, April 25. Please note differences between weekday and weekend service.
5 Fulton
- Local stops between Salesforce Transit Center and Fulton/6th Avenue
- Frequency: approximately every 10-20 minutes (weekdays and weekends)
- Being added to provide connection to St. Mary’s Hospital
9 San Bruno
- Frequency: approximately 6 minutes (weekdays) and 10 minutes (weekends)
- Being added to reduce crowding on buses, increasing riders’ ability to physically distance
12 Folsom
- Shortened route on Pacific between Van Ness Avenue and Battery
- Frequency: approximately every 20 minutes (weekdays and weekends)
- Being added to provide key connections to grocery stores
28 19th Avenue
- Local stops between Geary Boulevard and Daly City
- Frequency: approximately every 20 minutes (weekdays only, no weekend service)
- Being added to provide healthcare worker access between Daly City BART and UCSF Medical Center, Parnassus; creates additional north-south connectivity on west side
38R Geary Rapid
- Weekend service returning (will supplement existing weekday service)
- Frequency: approximately every 10-20 minutes (weekends)
54 Felton
- Adding shortened route between Newhall/Hudson (Bayview/Hunter’s Point) and Balboa Park
- Frequency: approximately every 20 minutes (weekdays only, no weekend service)
- Being added to provide additional east-west connectivity for southeastern neighborhoods
714 BART Early Bird Shuttle
- Shuttle between Salesforce Transit Center and Daly City
- Frequency: one trip departs Daly City at 4:05 a.m. and second trip departs Salesforce Transit Center at 4:45 a.m. (weekdays only)
- Maintaining a connectivity lifeline for early morning service workers
L Bus
- Increasing frequency to 10 minutes or less (weekdays and weekends)
- Being added to reduce crowding on buses, increasing riders’ ability to physically distance
N Bus
- Increasing frequency to 10 minutes or less (weekends)
- Being added to reduce crowding on buses, increasing riders’ ability to physically distance
This modified Core Service Plan is in support of essential trips that cannot be made in other ways. We are asking all San Franciscans to help us maintain adequate space on buses for social distancing by staying at home except for essential trips. Staying home or walking, biking or driving instead saves a seat on Muni for those that don’t have other options. You may see some of our staff at select bus stops helping reinforce this message to our customers.
Still need to travel on Muni? Be sure to plan extra time for your trip which now may include transfers and a longer walk. Remember your fare is good for two hours across multiple buses. We have also updated our predictions software to better account for the changes in service - read this blog post to find out more.
Essential Trip Card - A New Way to Get Around
We also know that the recent temporary transit changes are hard for many people with disabilities and older adults for whom walking farther to an alternate bus or paying for other transportation isn’t possible. To address this need, the SFMTA launched the Essential Trip Card Program to help older adults and people with disabilities take and pay for essential trips in taxis during this crisis.
The Essential Trip Card Program provides two to three round trips per month at 20% of the cost of a regular cab ride fare. If you are a 65+ years old or person with a disability, you can apply for the Essential Trip Card by calling 311 and mentioning the program or visiting the program page to learn more.
Stay tuned for additional details about these service changes. Visit SFMTA.com/COVID-19 for the latest information or to explore other ways to get around.
Published April 20, 2020 at 08:11PM
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