Muni Introducing New Buses With USB Charging Ports

In a matter of weeks, you will be able to charge your phone while riding a Muni bus, as the SFMTA is getting ready to roll out a new fleet of electric buses that will offer free USB charging ports.

It's a perk BART has refused to offer, but Muni riders will soon find USB charging ports that are free to plug in to on new buses that are set to begin service in the coming months. Details about the new fleet were presented Tuesday to the SFMTA board, as the Chronicle reports, with three manufacturers, Gillig, New Flyer, and Solaris, delivering the buses in batches between this month and January 2028.

A total of 112 new zero-emission buses will be joining the fleet, with 94 of them hybrids and 18 running just on battery power. These are a mix of 40- and 60-foot buses, the first of which will begin servicing routes in October out of the Woods and Islais Creek bus facilities.

In Tuesday's presentation, which is available online, Director of Transit Brent Jones said that he was especially excited to begin rolling out these new buses, which also feature new digital-video side mirrors that act as visual aids for bus operators, in addition to the standard analog mirrors. And the new fleet will offer more space for parking strollers, as well as rear "plug-style" doors, which push out and slide open like on Muni's light-rail fleet, rather than swinging inward to open.

The buses also have new full enclosures to protect bus operators.

It's not clear which bus routes will be the first to see these new buses as they roll out.

Additionally, Jones updated the board on the 550 hybrid buses in the existing fleet that are in the process of being overhauled, over 100 of which have already been completed.

And Muni is beefing up service on some bus and train lines in order to meet demand, Jones said, in response to customer feedback.

The changes all took effect on Sunday, August 29, some of which are meant to address increased demand after the beginning of the new school year.

For instance, during peak hours, N-Judah trains are now running every nine minutes, instead of every ten minutes. The 1-California bus line will also see more frequent bus arrivals, spaced nine minutes apart.

The 5R-Fulton has begun using only the articulated 60-foot buses, instead of a mix of normal 40-foot and 60-foot buses, to address complaints of overcrowding on the line at peak hours.

And added capacity has been added to the 22-Fillmore, 29-Sunset, 38R-Geary Rapid, and 49-Van Ness-Mission.

"We know even small service changes can affect daily routines," the SFMTA said in an announcement. "We will continue monitoring service and adjusting to improve the rider experience."

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