Muni Metro trains have been cleared to "double stop" in selected downtown stations to allow simultaneous loading and unloading of multiple trains on each platform.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is once again testing a feature that will allow two sets of trains to open it doors for riders to board and disembark the trains at the Civic Center, Powell and Montgomery stations.
Hoodline reports that the SFMTA began testing the feature again called “double-stopping” this week. It previously known as “double-berthing.”
SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin also confirmed the testing at the transit agency’s Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday:
“After quite a while, many months if not years of testing and evaluation and restesting, we put the new software in place last week during non-revenue time overnight.”
Reiskin said the test looked good and tried it out during revenue service and Saturday and left it in place for service on Monday:
“It worked flawlessly.”
Reiskin said the transit agency tested the feature on the outbound platforms on Tuesday as well.
A software glitch previously halted the initial testing last year in May, SFBay reported. Announcements and subway signs were not properly updating during the live test, the transit agency said. Since May, the transit agency has been working trying to figure out the problem and was not sure when it would start back up again.
Board Director Cheryl Brinkman said the double-stopping has been through a long process, but will help with those frustrated riders who have wait for the train to get the front of station to get off:
“I think for the inbound riders, there is nothing more frustrating than being in that station and the doors do not open and you know you still have to move in the front of station.”
Reiskin said the transit agency will continue monitoring the double-stopping of trains and will leave it in place on the inbound side. He said the transit agency will make more public announcements to riders about the new feature as it moves from a soft to a full launch.
Last modified May 9, 2016 4:28 pm
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How about double (or triple) berthing for inbound *and* outbound riders at downtown stations? The front of the platform gets very crowded, and more people could board at once. The signs could update people on where their train is expected to arrive. Takes some planning, but it would really help with capacity issues at rush hour and reduce tunnel delays. I moved out of the city because of how bad the delays were.
There's a reason those stations were built with long platforms and line-specific signage up and down the way. Muni's not using that space to its full potential. If a rider gets on the wrong train at some point along the line they can transfer later (say, at West Portal, or Church).