Operator killed in line of duty to be remembered with cable car dedication

A Muni cable car operator who died in the line of duty in 2016 will be honored with a cable car dedicated to his memory.

Reynaldo V. Morante was struck by a drunk motorist while he was stepping off of his cable car in North Beach. Morante succumbed to his injuries and died six months later. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors Tuesday approved to dedicate Cable Car No. 17 to Morante.

Morante was a 26-year veteran with the SFMTA and the father of two children, said SFMTA Director of Transit Julie Kirschbaum. He had worked Muni’s Green and Kirkland divisions and was certified as a cable car operator in 2014.

Kirschbaum said:

“In dedicating Cable No. 17 to Rey, it will ensure that his service to the people of San Francisco and his sacrifice in the line of duty are never forgotten. Every day, transit operators like Rey as well as our parking control officers, our fare inspectors, our crossing guards and other committed SFMTA employees…put their lives on the line in service to this city.”

President of the Muni union Transport Workers Union Local 250-A Roger Marenco said nothing can change what happened to Morante.

Marenco said:

“However, we can honor the memory, the work, the dedication of Rey Morante by supporting this and indeed honoring him and remembering him as a dedicated operator who served The City and County of San Francisco.”

The plaque on Cable Car No. 17 will read:

“Cable Car #17 is dedicated in memory of Reynaldo V. Morante who lost his life on January 12, 2016 from injuries he sustained from the accident on June 11, 2015 while serving the people of San Francisco. Reynaldo is remembered as a dedicated Operator with a contagious smile.”

SFMTA documents say the cable car that will bear Morante’s name was originally built in 1893 and rebuilt by Muni craftworkers in 1956.