Everyone's favorite transit agency is set to test out another pilot program that will (hopefully) make the lives of thousands of daily commuters slightly more bearable. Starting next month, Muni will allow double-train loading and three-car trains on the Muni Metro light rail system.
Like last year's successful back door boarding experiment, the two programs are such a no-brainer that we can't help but wonder what took them so long to get it moving. According to Muni's Transit Director John Haley, it was a software issue. The computer system that controls Muni trains in the underground wasn't actually equipped for parking two trains on those long station platforms, which explains why 80% of every station feels like such a waste of space. With "double-berthing" two trains can board on the same platform at the same time. (Also: no more of that thing where the train pulls into the station and has to frustratingly wait until it the one in front can pull out in order to let you off.)
As Haley told Streetsblog this week, they've got all the bugs worked out of the software, but they haven't put it to the test with actual trains yet. Live tests are expected to start next week or early October and if everything goes smoothly
Of course, things at Muni hardly ever go smoothly, so now would be a good time to start the betting pool on when we'll see a Muni-on-Muni collision in the underground.
In addition to speeding up things with multiple trains in a station at once, Muni will also be increasing capacity along Market Street by running a three-car shuttle train between Embarcadero Station and West Portal, like a faster F-Market for cave people.
