Ask a MUNI Driver
We have a Very Special Edition of "Ask a MUNI Driver" today as our driver answers probably the biggest question we could ask of him, mainly what he'd do to fix the system. And remember folks, you too can ask questions. Just drop us a line at editor@sfist.com.
1) Quadruple the fine for double parking, parking at the bus zone, and driving in the bus only zone. Enforcement must be vigorous. This also provides critical extra revenue.
2) Immediately create a MUNI POLICE as a top priority. There must be a will to fund this. Safety for passengers and drivers are a must. Severe prosecution of violators must be standard practice.
3) Quadruple the fine for fare evaders. Triple the number of FARE INSPECTORS. Station FARE INSPECTORS at major bus stops to check passengers as they exit the bus. Make it a zero tolerance policy. Either you have it or you don't. Period.
4) Simplify the fare system and do away with transfer tickets. The abuse has been so pervasive that it is a joke.
5) Allow entry from back door. This helps speed up loading and unloading. But the fine for not having a fare, if caught, should be very stiff and unmistakable. I like the sound of jail time for repeat offenders.
6) Promote and allow convenient venues of purchasing bus passes. There should be available at the Post Office, at banks, at Safeway, at Albertson's, at every corner liquor store, and at every retail stores.
7) Make it an absolute policy of only providing service AT BUS STOPS. If you are not at a bus stop zone proper, you get passed. Period. No more babying and enabling bad habits. You can't have people holding the bus for someone half a block away and still demand on time performance.
8) Baby strollers must be folded subject to fine.
9) Graffiti artists must be tracked down and locked up in jail.
10) Restrooms must be provided to drivers to a greater degree.
11) Allow every bus to be tracked by Central Control via satellite.
12) Impose fines for people who purposely run in front of the bus with the intent to force it to stop.
13) Expedite the TRANSLINK SYSTEM. It allows passengers to transfer from one transit agency to another in a "seamless" manner with less hassle.
14) Remove the chairs in the mid section of buses and install holding bars to hold on to. In effect, this will allow the bus to take more passengers. Standing folks take up less space than sitting ones. The remaining chairs will be for the elderly, mothers with babies and folks with mobility issues. This will also provide space for strollers and people with tons of bags. When you have 20 school kids, the mid section would accommodate 15 of them easily. A standing room area would be good in my opinon.
15) MUNI has to be forced to eliminate bus stops. Instead of having a stop at every block, how about having it about every 1.5 or 2 blocks? The more stops the bus make, the longer it takes for it to move along.
16) Make EVERY stop light give priority to buses. Right now, only a few are set up that way. Synchronize EVEN MORE the flow of traffic with the buses in mind.
17) Ticket J walkers. Also, folks who walk against a 'don't walk' sign. Not only do buses have to obey traffic rules, but pedestrians have responsibility of not impeding traffic. When people walk in front of traffic who has the right of way, service is slowed down. Remember, for every one minute late, it's about 4 minutes cummulative, domino effect delay for the bus schedule. When a bus is forced to wait out another red light, it may take anywhere from 1.5 minutes to 4 minutes!
18) As long as people wait for the bus, many still don't have the proper fare ready. That contributes to making the bus late. Waiting AT the bus stop, with fare in hand, is all that we ask. That will speed up service.
19) Make the use of cell phone prohibited on the bus. I hate it when someone is engaged in a conversation on the cellphone and claim that he/she can't hear me when I ask for the fare. In that case, I would get up from the driver's seat and go to that person for production of a fast pass. I would wait and hold the bus until my duty for fare collection is fulfilled. I also hate it when someone screams "wait" on the cell phone. When I hear someone scream "wait!" or "stop!", I assume that it is directed to the driver.
20) Make it illegal to wear music headphone as you board the bus. So many people play dumb and pretend not to hear the driver as he/she is asking for the fare. I would again stop the bus, get up and wait. Wait... And wait, until they quit the stupid games. You do want me to collect all possible fares, do you? Many people assume that if they ignore the bus driver long enough, that he will give up. It is not fair to those who HAVE PAID their fare. For people who ask for a free ride, I say "ride at your own risk." When the Fare Inspectors ride the bus, they were forewarned.
That is how I WOULD improve MUNI. You may not agree with me but there are no easy answers.