Muni ratings have been slipping in recent months and it’s not very difficult to determine what the cause might be. In August Muni’s on time record was just 57.2%. Let’s face it, when buses are late nearly 1 in every 2 times, people are bound to get frustrated. The decline in services has been drastic and abrupt. In March, Muni’s on-time record was at 63.2%, already well below the 1999 goal of 85%.
For many patrons of the public transit system it’s just more of what they have come to expect. However, Paul Rose, a spokesman for the SFMTA, attributed the recent service shortcomings to a perfect storm of circumstances; the age of the buses which require more maintenance and breakdown more often, the significant shortage of available transit operators, and the high number of employees out on sick leave. In spite of the explanation, Ben Kaufman, a spokesman for San Francisco Transit Riders Union, said that “passengers are just generally frustrated and fed up with the system,” said Kaufman. “It’s going to take a bold vision and a lot of political will to make the changes that will lead to more efficient transit in this city.”
Source:
Reisman, Will. http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/09/muni-service-ratings-slip-fast-buses-slow