S.F. Muni is rolling out 112 new buses. They come with a perk that BART keeps off limits

By Rachel Swan | San Francisco Chronicle (TNS)

Commuters in San Francisco will get a special perk in the next generation bus fleet that Muni plans to roll out this year: USB ports to charge phones or laptops.

This feature will distinguish Muni from BART, which has outlets on trains that are verboten for public use. Anyone who tries to siphon the rail system’s electric power risks a tense confrontation with a BART police officer. Muni, by contrast, is ready to share electricity with the masses.

And that’s not all. The new 40- and 60-foot vehicles from manufacturers Gillig, New Flyer and Solaris will also include fully enclosed operator cabs, space to park strollers, digital video side mirrors and “plug-style” rear doors that push out and slide, instead of swinging open, allowing passengers to board and disembark more quickly. Stroller parking is a welcome accommodation to parents in San Francisco who have long advocated for transit to be more family-friendly.

These models, unveiled in a slide presentation that went before the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board on Tuesday afternoon, will start operating in a matter of weeks, with the first buses coasting into service in October. The 40-foot coaches will appear on any line operating out of Muni’s Woods division, while their 60-foot counterparts will be imported to lines running from Islais Creek facility.

Officials at Muni have purchased 112 buses in all, 94 of which are hybrids and 18 of which run on battery electricity. Some older buses are set for retirement while others will be kept on as a contingency fleet.

While SFMTA director of transportation Julie Kirschbaum characterized the new bus procurement as an advancement in safety and reliability, she said it came with a warning.

Putting these vehicles on roads “takes more than purchasing the buses. We need the operators, mechanics, and staff to run and maintain them safely and reliably,” Kirschbaum wrote in a statement. It alluded, not so subtly, to two tax bailouts that go before voters in November — a city parcel tax dedicated to Muni, and a regional sales tax for Muni and other transit operators.

“Our ability to deliver on this investment,” Kirschbaum, continued, referring to the bus fleet purchase, “ultimately hinges on having the resources to fund the workforce that makes it possible.”

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