Thirty-seven new public buses, anticipated to be more eco-friendly and reliable, will arrive on San Francisco streets in September, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced Friday.
The buses out-shine the traditional diesel propulsion buses and represent a continuation of the complete overhaul of SFMTA fleet.
The first delivery in September will include 30 hybrid motor coaches and seven 60-foot trolley coaches.
Passengers can expect cleaner and larger buses, greater service frequency on nearly a dozen Muni routes, and several redesigned routes to improve travel times and add new connections to more destinations, according to the SFMTA.
Mayor Lee said that “Muni is making good on its promise, having already added 19,850 hours of increased service with 116 new buses on the street, with even more service and new environmentally friendly 60-foot buses on the way.”
The 1AX-California Express, 14-Mission and 14X-Mission Express are among the routes that will receive larger Muni vehicles to accommodate the passengers on those busy lines.
The capacity will increase from 54 to 80 people per bus, allowing more people to move more comfortably, according to SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin.
He said a key goal of the SFMTA “is reducing crowding on Muni’s heaviest used routes.”
Muni has 116 new buses in service, with continued shipments of new vehicles planned every week for the next 18 months, according to the Mayor’s Office.
Hannah Albarazi, Bay City News
