Andrew Sullivan
Rescue Muni
FOR RELEASE 10/28/98, 9:30 A.M.
Muni Metro Survey:
Slightly Better On-Time Service, Unacceptable Crowding
SAN FRANCISCO, October 28 - Muni Metroıs on-time performance has
improved somewhat since February, particularly in the tunnel;
however, riders experience severe levels of crowding and longer-
than-expected travel times, according to the survey released today
by the transit ridersı advocacy group RESCUE MUNI.
This independent survey, the third of its kind, attempts to
measure the Municipal Railwayıs reliability from the perspective
of the average rider. 170 volunteers monitored their Muni lines
from September 22 to October 6, tracking over 1,800 vehicles. The
survey, which covered the Muni Metro exclusively, gave letter
grades to streetcar lines based on how long riders were forced to
wait; for the first time, it also measured crowding and travel
times.
The survey showed a striking difference between on-time
performance in the tunnel and on the streetcar lines throughout
the city. While service between Van Ness and Embarcadero ran on
time 99 percent of the time, earning a grade of Aı, and the
segment between West Portal and Embarcadero was graded Cı, all
above-ground lines were graded Dı or Fı. Muni Metro as a whole
received a grade of Cı, with 28 percent of riders experiencing a
delay; this was better than the Dı it earned this spring but
slightly worse than its grade in 1997.
³If you only ride from Embarcadero to Van Ness, youıll get great
service,² said Andrew Sullivan, chair of the organization and
survey coordinator. ³But if you have to leave the tunnel, youıll
be late at least a third of the time. And youıre likely to be
packed in the car so tightly you can't move.²
As in the spring, the worst line in the Muni Metro system was the
L-Taraval, graded Fı with 47% of riders waiting longer than the
frequency advertised on Muniıs street map and the systemıs worst
rating for average crowding. Poor as this grade was, this did
represent a small improvement (6 percentage points) from February.
Other above-ground streetcar lines (J, K, M, N) were graded Dı.
The most-improved line was the J-Church, graded Dı with riders
delayed 33 percent of the time; this was 10 percentage points
better than in February.
The survey also rated crowding on the streetcars and travel times.
Crowding was particularly pronounced at rush hour and on the
segments in the tunnel; in the evening rush, for example, almost
half of streetcars were crush-loaded. Many participants
commented that they could not board one or several cars due to
crowding. Riders in the tunnel also experienced long and erratic
travel times, with average travel times in the tunnel more than
twice recorded minimums.
³Muni took 20 cars out of service but didnıt change the schedule,²
noted Ken Niemi, co-founder of the organization and L-Taraval
rider. ³Many times I canıt get on the first car that comes by,
and itıs not comfortable at all when I get in. Meanwhile, trains
are still leaving Embarcadero in no order at all.²
The survey shows that while Muniıs $70 million Advanced Train
Control System is in fact improving frequency of service in the
tunnel, the majority of riders are not reaping the benefits. Cars
are still dispatched out of order at Embarcadero; the control
system still experiences errors; many more cars are being sent to
CalTrain than are needed; and the number of cars in use has been
cut by 20%. The result is frequent long waits for individual
lines, particularly the L; long travel times; and unacceptable
levels of crowding.
³Mayor Brown isnıt out of the woods yet,² said survey participant
and N-Judah rider Joan Downey. ³The worst of the Metro Meltdown
may be past us, but itıs still worse than it was back in 1997, and
much worse than it was five years ago.²
RESCUE MUNI, A Transit Ridersı Association for San Francisco, is
an organization of concerned riders who seek to make service
faster, safer, more reliable, and more responsive to ridersı
needs. Founded in 1996, it now has more than 400 members
throughout the city.
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