RESCUE MUNI transit1@rescuemuni.org RESCUE MUNI Hotline: (415) 273-1558 Archives of RESCUE MUNI's email forum are kept on this Reinhabiting Home web site. Instructions for subscribing are on the RESCUE MUNI web site. From the RESCUE MUNI Web Site: Another day, another Muni mishap. Riding San Francisco's public transit system would test the patience of a saint. Yet the system is potentially one of the best in the country. What went wrong? We're a group of frustrated riders who figure that someone has got to speak up for common sense. We hope you'll join us, share your Muni bloopers, attend one of our meetings, volunteer on one of our many committees, and help out as we call on City Hall to see things from the riders' perspective -- for once. From the September 1996 press release announcing the new organization: "RESCUE MUNI hopes to break the communication barrier so that problems with MUNI finally reach City Hall and are solved". With that statement by co-founder Ken Niemi, RESCUE MUNI officially takes on the challenge of being a grass-roots, pro-transit organization out to help fix MUNI. Customers of San Francisco's troubled MUNI transit system (and former customers who wish it met their needs) finally have an organization they can join to work for a more efficient, more effective transit system in this "Transit First" city. George Musser added "'Transit First' should not be a phrase tossed around lightly but a serious policy. For example, it means a MUNI good enough to attract more riders out of cars and that downtown streets are cleared of double-parkers, which significantly slow-down MUNI, even if that means limiting more meters in some areas to commercial vehicles." Given a 16% loss of ridership in the past five years and a management/labor system which does not reward excellence but often tolerates mediocrity and, worse yet, sometimes even ineptness, MUNI is no longer a source of pride for many San Franciscans. Indeed, it is, sadly, a joke to many who will no longer use it. Steve Marino, the third co-founder of RESCUE MUNI, noted, "MUNI has been declining for a decade and I now have to spend unnecessarily on taxis when I used to be able to rely solely on MUNI." Yet many public officials, i.e., those who do not use it or do not have to depend on it, think it is good enough, even outstanding. For those of us living in the real world, i.e., commuting, shopping, doing errands, going to the doctor, or going to dinner and the movies via MUNI, it is not good enough. Though MUNI is still the major mover of transit riders in the Bay Area, many folks able to afford taxis or daily driving/parking costs, options which increase societal costs of traffic congestion and pollution, have decided it is worth the cost to escape MUNI. Katia Sokoloff, a new member of RESCUE MUNI, related how her sister gave up on MUNI. "She finally had it with a two-hour commute each day, worse when MUNI Metro had problems, from the outer Sunset to Montgomery and back on the N-Judah and now drives the seven miles each way and pays to park downtown. My sister doesn't miss the overcrowded streetcars and the MUNI loonies and thugs that created an uncomfortable and often tense ride" Another cost to San Francisco from a less than adequate MUNI is when many Bay Area consumers stay home instead of visiting and spending money here in San Francisco. An inviting, fast, frequent, and convenient MUNI, in conjunction with other transit systems, is the only responsible and practical way to bring large numbers of visitors to San Francisco from neighboring counties. But MUNI just is not considered by many as a reliable system where one does not have to tolerate an uncivil, often disgusting, and sometimes very intimidating atmosphere. RESCUE MUNI was formed by those dependent upon transit by choice and frustrated at the decline in service. According to RESCUE MUNI co-founder Ken Niemi, "We all know that MUNI's suffered a decline in it's real budget. But the reason we feel the need to form RESCUE MUNI is that we haven't seen a creative response to that decline from MUNI management nor adequate performance by far too many of it employees. Of course, its 2,000 plus operators are among the best paid transit drivers in the country yet few excel in their performance while too many seem to think driving the vehicle is all they need to do. They should be able to answer all questions on transit connections, call out all possible upcoming stops, and be able to make clear, concise announcements as need ed." Steve Marino, a long-time San Francisco resident and MUNI rider adds, "MUNI can and must do better with what it has and RESCUE MUNI is here to suggest how. We're very frustrated by the lack of reasonable standards of performance for MUNI employees, the lack of timely, useful and comprehensible announcements from MUNI, and the continuing atmosphere of intimidation and vulgarity on MUNI not to mention graffiti and smashed windows and bus shelters. There are many times I just get off the bus because of the thugs present. It's either put up with the intimidating atmosphere on the bus or risk a long wait for another bus. This has to stop." RESCUE MUNI wants to work with MUNI and relevant city officials to improve MUNI given current resources by pointing out what members notice MUNI could do differently every day to better serve the transit riders. Only through more efficient and creative service, resulting in improved public opinion of MUNI and confidence in it, can MUNI hope to restore its budget to former real levels and provider greater transit options to San Franciscans and visitors. RESCUE MUNI believes in "More Sense before More Dollars," according to George Musser. "There are so many small things MUNI could do to speed up its service and be more customer-oriented, yet they never bother. For example, if MUNI would always make sure the MUNI Metro platform signs indicated ahead of time the order of cars in the next train, passengers could be where they need to be to catch their car instead of having to run around a crowded platform 20 seconds before the train arrives. The more quickly each train can complete its route, the more times we can run that train each day. That means more seats per day at very little extra cost." To allow the MUNI system to run more efficiently, RESCUE MUNI will not limit itself to changing just MUNI. Ken Niemi explained that "RESCUE MUNI understands it needs to educate riders as to how they can help MUNI move faster. And as George mentioned earlier, we also want to reduce the number of inconsiderate drivers who double park in congested downtown areas and slowdown MUNI. Then there is the matter of students on MUNI. Perhaps the schools should also be reminded to stress the significant subsidy youth receive on MUNI and how disruptive and destructive behavior on it is inexcusable. Perhaps it is time to more closely target that discount to hours schools and libraries are open so that the money saved could be used to repair some of the damage caused by some youth." RESCUE MUNI also hopes to unite the desire by MUNI operators, station agents, and patrons for a civil, non-intimidating, non-violent atmosphere on MUNI. A significant presence of plainclothes police officers and hidden cameras would rid MUNI of those unwilling to allow others their rights to a civil ride on MUNI. RESCUE MUNI's thought here is "Be Cool or Be Gone." With a home page on the Internet, http://www.rescuemuni.org, RESCUE MUNI is just beginning its effort to communicate with the public. Riders on the Net will find useful information on MUNI such as The MTC Planning Assessment of MUNI. The Board of Supervisor's Audit of MUNI and information as to upcoming meetings concerning MUNI will be added soon. During the month of October a general membership drive will be held. Dues: To support RESCUE MUNI activities (web site, voice mail, postal box, printing and mailing, buttons, and informational business cards) those attending the 11/13/96 meeting adopted a basic dues level of $10 per year. We will turn nobody away for lack of income. Please send a check payable to "RESCUE MUNI" to our mailing address: RESCUE MUNI P.O. Box 190966 San Francisco, CA 94119-0966 These dues are not yet tax-deductible, as various legal matters need to be attended to before we can be considered nonprofit and charitable. If you are so inclined and able to support us at a higher level, the following levels are suggested (and will eventually have clever names): $15 (household), $40 (sustaining), $100 (contributing), and $250. There is a membership form on the RESCUE MUNI web site.