Comment on proposed service cuts TODAY, 6 pm

February 9th, 2010

SFMTAConcerned about proposed service cuts? Do you agree with us that extended meter hours (including enforcing meters on Sundays) are far better than cutting mass transit, and that charging extra for the F line and expresses is a terrible idea? If so, please attend and comment at this SFMTA public meeting:

Town Hall Meeting, One South Van Ness Ave. @ Market St., 2nd Floor Atrium
Tuesday, Feb. 9 – 6 to 8 p.m.
Transit: 6, 71, 47, 49, Metro to Van Ness

Update: We live tweeted the meeting at our Twitter. Follow it!

Comment on proposed service cuts this weekend

February 4th, 2010

Concerned about proposed service cuts? Do you agree with us that extended meter hours (including enforcing meters on Sundays) is far better than cutting mass transit? If so, please attend and comment at one of these SFMTA meetings:

Town Hall Meetings, One South Van Ness Ave. @ Market St., 2nd Floor Atrium
Saturday, Feb. 6 – 10 a.m. to noon
Tuesday, Feb. 9 – 6 to 8 p.m.
Transit: 6, 71, 47, 49, Metro to Van Ness

SFMTA Board Meeting, City Hall Room 400
Tuesday, Feb. 16 – 9 a.m. (public hearing and possible Board action)
Transit: 5, 6, 19, 21, 71, 47, 49, Metro, BART to Civic Center

Rescue Muni opposes $5 F-Market fare, supports parking meter increases

January 19th, 2010

Rescue Muni unequivocally opposes the proposed $5 fare for the F-Market historic streetcar line.  We recognize that this is an extraordinarily difficult budget year, and that despite the recent fare increase, Muni is running short on money from other sources.  But the F-Market is one of the most cost-effective lines in the city, and other, better revenue options exist, not least of which are extending parking meter hours into Sundays and evenings.  We are unconvinced that these measures will hurt San Francisco’s economy.  Many cities—including cities with fewer transit options than San Francisco—keep their parking meters running on Sundays and weekends, and seem to suffer no ill effects from it.

Singling out a single line for a fare increase—and eliminating 313,000 service hours per year—shouldn’t even be considered in a “Transit First” city until all other options are exhausted.  They haven’t been.

We urge Rescue Muni members to attend today’s meeting of the MTA Board—2:00 p.m. at Room 400, City Hall—and let directors know that this plan is unacceptable, and that better options for closing the short-term revenue gap remain.

Update: Rick Laubscher of Market Street Railway has a very thoughtful letter in opposition to the $5 F-line.

Also: The Bike Coalition has a handy form to tell the Supervisors and the Mayor that you oppose higher fares and service cuts.

More big cuts coming to Muni, including $5 F line fare?

January 15th, 2010

Adult Fast PassSF Streetsblog has a detailed article on proposed mid-year budget cuts to be discussed at the MTA board next week. Among the cuts and fare hikes, none of which are pretty, are some particularly bad ideas: jacking up F-line fares to $5 and requiring express and cable car riders to use the new premium pass, making the citywide network much less useful to the typical rider (and providing a perverse disincentive to riders to take faster, more efficient services).

Some proposals appear to be helpful, like charging employees for parking, but it appears that most of these budget cuts will hit riders, who are already paying more starting this month, square in the face. Meanwhile, MTA operators just received a bonus – not for performance, but because the voters mandated a pay minimum in 2007 Prop A.

You can comment on these proposals at the regularly scheduled MTA Board meeting on Tuesday, January 19, at 2 pm. Of course the meeting is being held during normal business hours, so if you work for a living, you might want to email your comments to the board.

MTA: “No major problems” with new schedule

December 7th, 2009

SFMTAYesterday’s Chronicle reported that the first day of service with Muni’s new schedule and route patterns went largely smoothly, with the MTA claiming that service was running smoothly, at least on Saturday. And Mayor Newsom (or his staff) submitted an item on it to Sunday’s Examiner. SFist also covered this. Any word on how it has been on the first commute day with the new schedule?