Nearly 38,000 citations have been issued since MUNI security chief Lea Militello hit the streets with her new strategy of placing inspectors all over the system, instead of concentrating on the same areas, and by performing more inspection saturation operations. The current fare evasion rate now hangs at 4.7%.
Yesterday morning, a SUV drove into the Muni Metro tunnel at the Duboce and Church portal, delaying AM commute service for more than two and a half hours as police worked to extract the vehicle and Muni workers made minor repairs to the tunnel. This is the second private automobile driver to enter the Duboce and Church portal, halting service; the first was a drunk driver in October 2010.
Yesterday’s driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, failure to obey a stop sign, and driving on train tracks.
In 2008, a private car drove into the Metro tunnel at West Portal, causing a similar disruption.
Update: The N-Judah Chronicles has some thoughts on an appropriate punishment, and asks you for ideas.
“We’re not going to get a better deal than now,” SFMTA CFO Sonali Bose told reporters. 2007’s Prop A allows the SFMTA to issue revenue bonds for “shovel ready” infrastructure upgrades and repairs, and the low interest rates on the bond market make it a once in a lifetime chance for the agency to get a good deal on rates. Out of the $170m the bonds will raise, the agency will buy down existing expensive debt, with the rest of the funds going to help pay for a rehabilitation project at Muni’s Green yard, replacing system radios, replacing the system’s 28 year old digital subway signs, upgrading the sea water damaged Embarcadero MMT, and upgrading rail infrastructure in the Sunset Tunnel (which will be in tandem with the Cole St rail upgrade).
Were you on the 22-Fillmore last night at Haight Street? Then you may have been doused with water due to one of the odder accidents in recent Muni history. The SF Appeal has all the details – and the news even hit the Associated Press.
Clearly some mistakes were made here. But don’t operators get reminded repeatedly not to move the bus when the wheelchair lift is down? Or was there a brake failure? Meanwhile taxpayers and farepayers will once again get stuck with the bills.
Sorry for the late notice: Supervisor Dufty has called a hearing on MTA safety including recent spikes in crime, SFPD patrols of the buses and streetcars, and more, at 11 am at City Hall (room 250) today. Details are at Muni Diaries, SF Gate and Streetsblog.
Update: Greg Dewar of N Judah Chronicles live-tweeted the hearing, and the Chronicle covered it.