San Francisco Residents campaign to save and expand public transportation

For more info, contact "San Francisco Transit Riders Union (SFTRU)", Mario Tanev [mtanev@sftru.org].

"SFTRU OPPOSES TEMPORARY SERVICE CUTS, ASKS SFMTA TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO CUTS"
SFTRU recognizes that SFMTA should use its resources judiciously and target service to when and where it is needed most. However, SFMTA should provide a baseline level of service that meets the needs of San Franciscans. The fact is that with numerous service cuts during the past decade, peak and off-peak service on almost all lines has been downgraded to unacceptably low levels. When combined with Muni's historic lack of reliability, the proposed reduction in service will frequently result in even higher waiting times than promised.
San Francisco is the only major city in the US which has lost riders in the last decade, even as it has gained population. That is due to a constant cycle of service cuts and fare increases, that force more to drive, then in turn slowing Muni and making service even worse. Cutting any service will further exacerbate this death spiral.
However, due to San Francisco's failure at funding transit, history shows that if Muni doesn't cut service in the way proposed, they will simply find another way to cut service. Neither option is acceptable. We propose that until SFMTA's capital and operational budgets are properly funded, SFMTA uses its existing powers to raise revenue instead to fund service: increase the price of parking, extend parking meter hours in commercial districts to evenings, and add parking meters where demand is high. We have all witnessed how simple common-sense parking changes result only AFTER years of public process, while transit service cuts are done at the blink of an eye, sometimes without even one public meeting.
 This double standard cannot continue. San Francisco's transportation system is interconnected: free or cheap parking for one means slow, less frequent, more expensive transit service for another. This incentivizes driving and makes Muni service worse and worse, year by year. This has to stop.

Upcoming SFTRU Events
The Great Muni Overhaul: How The TEP Is Going To Make Muni Better For All Of Us
Wednesday, July 24, 2013, 6PM
San Francisco LGBT Community Center
1800 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102
Muni Lines: F