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Happy Lunar New Year 2022: Year of the Tiger  By Pamela Johnson Lunar New Year is one of the biggest holidays celebrated in many Asian communities. Diverse San Franciscan communities including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese people have long celebrated this festive occasion.  For many, the Lunar New Year brings a fresh mindset and resolutions for happiness and health. A zodiac animal with specific traits represents each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years. 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, the third animal in the zodiac. The tiger is considered courageous and adventurous.   The holiday follows the moon's cycles and usually begins in late January or early February. This year Lunar New Year begins February 1.   Fun Fact: In the lunar calendar, the Vietnamese zodiac and the Chinese zodiac are similar, but the Vietnamese zodiac includes a cat while the Chinese zodiac includes a rabbit.  As we enter the Year of the Tiger, join SFMTA in supporting Asian heritage ev

Bus Testing on the New Van Ness BRT Corridor a Success By Nehama Rogozen Muni and Golden Gate Transit staff recently conducted important bus operations testing that is an important step towards the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor opening this spring. This testing included emergency turns and maneuvers, repositioning buses, verifying signals are working, clearances between passing buses and safe turns while bike racks are deployed.   The training also included several staff. Traffic engineers made sure traffic and transit signals were working and reviewed street markings. Transportation planners coordinated closely with operations, training, engineering and construction staff to make necessary adjustments. Outreach staff and ambassadors answered questions and made sure customers knew testing was taking place. Field managers and operators provided suggestions for improvements based on experience.   Since most Muni operators are new to operating a bus on a BRT corridor, oper

Get a Text, Not a Tow By Erica Kato Today we are pleased to announce “Text Before Tow,” a first-of-its-kind program where customers can sign up to receive a text message notification prior to having their vehicle towed. This pilot program applies to four categories of tows: (1) parking more than 72-hours (2) blocked driveways (3) construction zones and (4) temporary no-parking zones such as special event or moving trucks. These categories represent 27% of all vehicles towed in 2020, approximately 12,500. It is important to note that peak-hour tow-away lanes, hazards, yellow or white zones and all other violations are not included.   To enroll a vehicle, customers need to complete a short online form to register their license plate and phone number. When a customer’s vehicle is about to be towed, they will receive a text notifying them that a tow truck has been dispatched. Note: Vehicles will still receive a citation for the violation from Parking Control Officers (PCO). This se

San Francisco Beautiful and the SFMTA Launch the 2022 Muni Art Project By Sophia Scherr We’re partnering with San Francisco Beautiful (SFB) to announce the kick-off of the 2022 Muni Art Project. The annual collaboration features the original work of five new local artists who visually interpret poems and a new theme each year. For the first time, instead of featuring the work of five different local poets, only one local poet was chosen: the late Lawrence Ferlinghetti. The 2022 theme, “Streets of San Francisco” is the seventh year that the SFMTA, San Francisco Beautiful and The Poetry Society of America (sponsors of Poetry in Motion®) have collaborated to bring art and poetry to Muni commuters. The Muni Art Project is the only public art project that exclusively features local, San Francisco artists and poets. The inspiring biographies of the Muni Art 2022 artists, Richard Louis Perri, Sebastian Rafael, Steffan Sanguinetti, Krithika Sengo and Tan Sirinumas are available at: sfbeau

Are Ride-hail Companies Serving Wheelchair Users in San Francisco? By Maddy Ruvolo Since 2013, ride-hail companies, also known as Transportation Network Companies or TNCs, have become increasingly visible on San Francisco’s streets. In the area of disability access and TNCs, while some individuals have reported increased mobility and independence because of TNCs, wheelchair users have largely been unable to use the service. Ride hailing apps generally did not offer wheelchair accessible vehicles—nor were they required to do so by the CPUC. While the SFMTA and our sister agency, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) do not have the authority to regulate these services—a job entrusted statewide to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)—we have worked together to pay close attention to the impact they have on our transportation network and shaped our areas of studies, policies, and programs accordingly. For example, over the years, the City has documente

Omicron Surge Impact on Muni Routes and Schedules By Julie Kirschbaum As has been reported widely in the media, the highly contagious Omicron variant has led to rapid and unprecedented spread of the COVID-19 virus in San Francisco. More than 100 SFMTA staff have contracted COVID since late last month. Combined with pre-existing staffing shortages, this has led to an increase in missed Muni service. We’re also experiencing staffing impacts in other job classifications, including mechanics, car cleaners and transit supervisors.  Currently, we are missing up to 15% of scheduled Muni service , which means that riders may need to wait longer than usual for their bus or train. Our hope is that this will be the extent of our impacts. However, the situation is fluid, and we are monitoring staffing levels on a daily basis. As part of our contingency planning, we are preparing for what might happen if our overall staffing levels drop significantly or if a small, but vital group—such as ou

Grab a Cab and Support a Small Business By Pamela Johnson Taxi drivers are an integral part of what makes San Francisco unique and contribute to the city's economic vitality.  They are essential workers playing a vital role in our transportation network. Each driver works to move people safely and efficiently from one destination to another on their daily journey.  And, importantly, taxis are small businesses. Taxi drivers are trained and experienced professional drivers who obtain a permit to operate and pay taxes.   To promote taxi ridership in San Francisco, the SFMTA launched our Taxi Marketing Campaign on January 3, 2022. The campaign is based on input taxi drivers provided in discussions with the SFMTA and an initial campaign to test key marketing messages. The drivers talked and we listened --doing all we could to increase taxi ridership.   During the Covid-19 Pandemic, taxis got people to their health appointments, the pharmacist, the grocery store to buy food, restaur

Making the JFK Drive Promenade a Space for All By Eillie Anzilotti The JFK Drive Promenade is a place for all—and its new signage reflects that!   Starting January 5, 2022 you’ll find new signage all along the promenade route reminding users to be kind, share the space, move slowly, and say hello to each other.   Through over 50 outreach events held by the  Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program  team throughout the fall and over 10,000 survey responses we received, San Franciscans have overwhelmingly said they appreciate the space for walking and rolling along JFK Drive—but also want to see more guidance on how to use the space.  In response, the SF Recreation & Park Department and SFMTA co-designed this courtesy campaign to encourage park users to put safety and kindness first when navigating the promenade.  A simple reminder to go slow and say hello can go a long way!  Published January 07, 2022 at 12:07AM https://ift.tt/3pZsqxb

Muni Drivers Prove the Perfect Muse for this San Francisco Artist By Jonathan Streeter Muni has long been an enjoyable part of artist Kurt Schwartzmann's life, riding the bus to work, to school and as a sightseer.  Kurt — utilizing his monthly pass  — has ridden countless trains and buses and befriended several operators. Taking the time to learn their names and stories, Kurt envisions both the reality and the dream of navigating a bus through San Francisco streets. Pointing to an image he created (see above photo far right), Kurt noted, "I drew an escape hatch for this driver, so he could get away when he needed a break."  In fact, Kurt’s website " Yellow Line Art ," is named in honor of the demarcation at vehicle entrances behind which passengers are asked to stand.  "Conversation welcome but cannot interfere with safe operation of the bus," has real meaning for Kurt, who sees the yellow line not as a restriction, but an invitation. In his art, Ku