Rescue Muni

From Supervisor Scott Wiener’s Facebook page: “This Thursday, come learn about the track replacement and streetscaping project for the Duboce/Church area. This project will greatly improve the transit stops and sidewalks in the area and will enhance pedestrian safety. It covers Duboce Street from Noe to Church and Church Street from Duboce to Market. The meeting is 6-7:30 p.m. at Davies Medical Center, Gazebo Room.”

Please attend this meeting and learn more about this important project – and urge SFMTA to include traffic signals with pre-empts to speed LRVs through this very slow area!

The Planning Commission is considering redevelopment proposals for Treasure Island, the former naval base located in the middle of the bay, this Thursday. One key requirement for any redevelopment is much better public transit – not just the current 108 bus to downtown, but ferry service to downtown, bus service to Oakland, and better transit within the island. This could be paid for by extending the bridge toll to island drivers, eitehr in the morning rush (as proposed) or all day.

If you support better transit for Treasure Island and downtown SF, write the commission before Thursday to have your comments considered.

Peaking at 75% in Q1 2010, Muni’s on time performance continues to fall short of the 85% on time rate which was mandated by San Francisco voters 12 years ago. John Haley, Muni’s operations chief, said that some of the calculations are skewed by lines that have timed transfers, and the lengthy K-T line’s inability to adjust it’s schedule when delays occur. Haley said that he will continue to work on improving on time performance; one of the ways he plans to do so is by focusing more on mechanical and electronic repairs that can prevent vehicles from suddenly failing while in service.

No more need to go all the way down to Van Ness to buy passes. According to the Chronicle, passes will also be available for sale at a new booth at Geary and Masonic starting Dec. 27th. The Powell Cable Car sales booth will also get an overhaul.

The new sales center will be open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm and offer all pass types, including life line passes. The total cost of both booths, including art depicting the city’s iconic cable cars, was $829,000.

The California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) denied a request from the Transport Workers Union Local 250-A to pursue an injunction to block the partial Muni service restoration that went into effect over Labor Day Weekend.  The drivers’ union sought the injunction after SFMTA announced a plan to restore 61% of the service cut in May.

Had an injunction been granted, service would have reverted to the levels in effect after the May service cuts.  In their petition filed with PERB, the union claimed they would suffer immediate and irreparable harm if, among other things, new absenteeism rules went into effect and union chairs at each division were no longer paid full-time salaries by the city to do union work.