Muni secures $41 million for new Metro trains

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency was awarded a grant from the California Transportation Agency to help fund the purchase of additional light rail vehicles.

The state transportation agency announced Tuesday that the SFMTA will get $41 million from the state’s cap-and-trade program to eventually pay for 40 of the 64 additional light rail vehicles the SFMTA seeks to purchase from Siemens Industry Inc.

New Muni light rail vehicles are set to arrive by the end of 2016 and be placed in service by the following year. Last year, the SFMTA Board of Directors awarded Siemens a $648 million contract to replace the existing fleet of 151 aging, oft-criticized Breda light rail vehicles.

The purchase of additional of light rail vehicles will help meet future capacity needs said SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin in a statement:

“By the year 2040, it is estimated that Muni will carry over 1 million rides a day. These new vehicles will provide additional capacity to support 250,000 trips and increase transit connectivity for millions of people throughout the Bay Area.”

Two weeks ago, the SFMTA displayed a model of the inside of the new train, which featured a new bench seating configuration, new color schemes and designs and supposed to last longer, according to the transit agency.

Muni riders can check out a video posted by the SFMTA of what the new vehicle will look like.

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.