To: The Honorable Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr.
Room 200, City Hall
1 Dr. Carleton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Dear Mr. Mayor:
I am a Muni operator assigned to the F-Market Streetcar Line. Ever since
the disastrous startup of the new ATCS signal system in the Muni Metro
Subway, the F-Market streetcar service has seen five new runs added to cope
with the strangulation caused by signal and Muni Metro train interruptions.
Even with these five runs, standing loads are carried every weekday on 12
cars in the morning rush hour and 14 in the evening rush hour.
Now Muni management has determined that the subway is running so well now
that the five extra cars are no longer necessary. As of April 3,
management plans to return to the pre-August 22, 1998 schedule and cut
these five extra runs. If that is true, then explain to me, please:
1) Why we still have standing-room-only and sometimes crush loads
on the F-Line cars;
2) Why most trains serving the Castro Area (Lines K, L and M)
still operate with single cars, when previously three- and four-car trains
were the rule;
3) Why (for example) 67 LRVs, both Boeing and Breda, were held out
of service for mechanical, body, structural or ATCS signal system defects;
4) Why, as a result of the new signal system, hundreds of riders
have deserted Muni Metro for the F-Line, their own cars, BART, or other
ways of getting to and from work.
It is my opinion, shared by all of the other operators on the line, and all
of our passengers, that the five runs ARE STILL NEEDED! Furthermore, it
does not make sense to cut the service now, only to restore and expand the
service in FY 1999/2000 when the line is extended to Fisherman's Wharf. If
it is a question of money, PLEASE FIND THE MONEY TO CONTINUE THIS NEEDED
SERVICE. Your passengers and operators--many of whom voted for you in
1995--will thank you profusely.
Please, Mr. Mayor! We need your help to rescind these cuts!
Sincerely yours,
Peter D. Ehrlich
F-Line Operator, Green Light Rail Division
795 8th Avenue #302
San Francisco, CA 94118-3769
(415)876-7245
<norcalrr@sprynet.com>
Peter Ehrlich
F-Line Operator
Green Light Rail Division
<norcalrr@sprynet.com>