Muni boosts service starting this weekend

San Francisco Muni riders are getting a boost in Muni service starting this Saturday.

The Municipal Transportation Agency is increasing frequency on some of Muni’s heaviest lines and adding new amenities to transit shelters. With more than an average of 700,000 daily boardings, the transit agency said this is its biggest service increase in decades.

SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin said as complex as it is running a transit system, it was clear what riders wanted:

“It’s really pretty simple in terms of what they want. What they’re looking for is a bus or a train that’s going to show up with reasonable level of reliability and a vehicle they can actually get on when it does show up.”

SFBay reported earlier this month that Muni lines like the 10-Townsend, 14-Mission, 28-19th Avenue and 38-Geary will have more frequent service during the morning and evening commutes (Full list of service increases and route name changes).

The transit agency will also be introducing a new name for its “Limited” Muni routes starting Saturday and changing the names some of some Muni lines.

Limited routes will be now called “Rapid” with the letter “R.” The new name symbolizing the new faster service being provided by Muni like on the 38R-Geary, which will now be running on Sundays, said Reiskin.

Muni riders should also take note the transit agency is discontinuing several bus stops starting on Saturday, according to the SFMTA’s website.

On Friday, transit officials debuted a new Muni map at the bus stop on Geary and Leavenworth streets along with new decals and a new transit stop pole identifying local and rapid Muni lines.

The new map identifies Muni routes with more frequency by the thickness and color of the route. For example, a dark blue and thicker line would represent a route that comes 10 minutes or less. Muni Metro and rapid routes are in red.

Other new items riders will start seeing at transit shelters include new transit poles identifying local and rapid service. The pole has a solar-powered lantern on top to provide more light at the transit shelter. Bike racks are also being added.

Cheryl Brinkman, a director of the SFMTA board, said that the new changes will not just benefit Muni riders, but everyone on the streets:

“The more people on Muni, the fewer people we having making private automobile trips. The more reliable and efficient we make Muni, the fewer people who need to choose to take a car.”

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.