Major Muni Service Expansion August 22

Major Muni Service Expansion August 22
By Mariana Maguire

Map: New Muni service map shows bus and rail routes restored August 22 with existing Muni service. This new map also highlights high-frequency corridors.

On Saturday, August 22, the SFMTA will launch our broadest and most complex service changes since the start of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order. This includes the restoration or expansion of 11 bus routes, increased frequencies on 13 bus routes and the return of Muni Metro.

These service changes support the city’s essential workers and economic recovery by providing more connections to neighborhood commercial districts. Adding more service on our high ridership lines and upsizing some lines to larger buses will help relieve crowding on those lines.

Service hours will be approximately 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, unless otherwise noted. Owl network service hours will remain approximately 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily unless otherwise noted.

Below is the complete list of service changes. For more information and details on all our active routes, visit our Core Service Plan page. To learn more about Muni Metro, visit our Rail Recovery page. Please note that some details are subject to change. The information will be updated accordingly.

New temporary transfer points for customers traveling downtown on the J Church at Market and Church and LK Taraval-Ingleside at West Portal. These changes will reduce costly delays in the Muni Metro subway.

Muni Metro Rail Recovery

J Church

• New, temporary, surface-only route between Balboa Park and Church at Market
• New, temporary transfer required to and from downtown at Church Station on frequent trains
• Daily frequency: Every 6 to 9 minutes.

LK Taraval-Ingleside

• New, temporary, combined surface-only route between SF Zoo and Balboa Park.
• New, temporary transfer required to and from downtown at West Portal Station on frequent trains
• Daily frequency: Every 6 to 9 minutes.

N Judah

• Full route restored between Ocean Beach (Judah at La Playa) and 4th at King
• Weekday hours of service: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 6 to 9 minutes.
• Weekend hours of service: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 10 to 14 minutes.

S Shuttle

• Subway-only line restored between West Portal and Embarcadero
• Weekday hours of service: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 6 to 9 minutes.
• Weekend hours of service: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 6 to 9 minutes.

TM Third-Oceanview

• Full T Third and M Oceanview routes, temporarily combined to the new TM Third-Ocean View line between West Portal and Embarcadero
• Weekday hours of service: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 10 to 14 minutes.
• Weekend hours of service: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., every 10 to 14 minutes.

Weekend early morning Muni Metro bus substitution (5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.)

To align with BART’s weekend station opening schedule, Muni Metro will not operate in the subway until 8:00 a.m. on weekends. Instead, buses will substitute service during these hours, operating between approximately 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on weekends. Please refer to individual route pages for detailed routing and stop locations. Please plan your trip in advance and allow extra time to get to your destination. Some customers may experience additional transfers and longer wait times. Visit our Rail Recovery page to see more details about weekend early morning Metro bus service.

*Be advised, with the restart of Muni Metro rail, Muni Metro buses will no long run along Market Street except as noted.

UPDATE: L Bus Construction Shuttle

Due to the L Taraval Improvement Project construction, an L Bus Construction Shuttle will substitute the LK Taraval-Ingleside train between the SF Zoo and Sunset Boulevard for approximately seven months, until Spring 2021.

• Anticipated frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes.
• Express Service:
  
  • To minimize transfers for customers, the L Bus Shuttle will operate as an express bus inbound and outbound between Taraval and 32nd Avenue and Ulloa at Wawona (near the accessible ramps for the LK Taraval-Ingleside at West Portal).
  • This service will not have NextBus predictions; third-party trip planners will also not reference this express service.
• Local Stops:
  
  • For service to stops along Taraval heading east toward West Portal, customers must transfer from the L Bus Shuttle at Taraval at 32nd Ave to the LK Taraval-Ingleside train.
  • For service to stops along Taraval heading west toward SF Zoo, customers must transfer from the LK Taraval-Ingleside train to the L Bus Shuttle at Taraval and Sunset.
• 40-foot buses will serve this temporary route through the construction phase of the L Taraval Improvement Project.

Diagram: Temporary L Taraval Construction Shuttle route

Muni Bus Service Changes

7 Haight-Noriega

• Extended to full route between Ortega at 48th Avenue and the Salesforce Transit Center
• 60-foot buses will replace the 40-foot buses, allowing more room for customers to maintain physical distance onboard
• Connections to Inner Sunset, The Haight and Downtown
• Daily frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes

12 Pacific Community Shuttle

• Temporarily modified route between Jackson and Van Ness to Sansome and Sutter streets to provide connection to Market Street
• Daily frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes

14 Mission

• Line will be served by 60-foot electric trolley coaches instead of motor coaches
• Daily frequency: Every 6 to 9 minutes

28 19th Avenue

• Weekend service added for modified route between Daly City BART and California and 7th Avenue
• Access to transfer points to UCSF, Kaiser and the California Pacific Medical Center
• Daily frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes

30 Stockton

• Route extended to The Presidio between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily. All other times, the 30 Stockton terminal will be at Divisadero and Chestnut
• 60-foot electric trolley buses will replace the 40-foot buses, allowing more room for customers to maintain physical distance onboard
• Connections to Crissy Field, Chinatown, Downtown, and Caltrain
• Daily frequency: Every 15 to 20 minutes
• Note: Construction will be ongoing in The Presidio for the first few weeks of August through September, so implementation of the extension will be delayed slightly. Please pay attention to posted signage, follow social media, and visit the website for construction updates.

37 Corbett

• Temporarily modified route between Twin Peaks and Market and Van Ness streets via Market Street
• Connections to Castro, Church and Van Ness Muni Metro Stations
• Daily frequency: Every 15 to 20 minutes
• Temporary hours of service: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends

38 Geary

• Between 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, buses will alternately terminate at Geary Boulevard and 32nd Avenue or Fort Miley VA Hospital.
• At all other times, all 38 Geary trips will terminate at 48th Avenue and Point Lobos.
• Buses terminating at Fort Miley VA Hospital will layover then continue on the inbound route to all existing stop locations.
• Weekday frequency: Every 6 to 9 minutes.
• Weekend frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes.

44 O’Shaughnessy

• Extended to full route between Hunters Point and California and 6th Avenue
• Connections to Bayview, Portola, Glen Park and Forest Hill Stations, Golden Gate Park and Inner Richmond
• Daily frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes.

45 Union-Stockton

• Full route restored between Townsend at 4th Street and Lyon at Greenwich
• Connections to SoMa, Downtown, Chinatown and Union Street
• Daily frequency: Every 15 to 20 minutes

48 Quintara-24th St

• Temporarily modified route between 20th at 3rd streets and West Portal Station
• Connections to West Portal, 24th Street BART, and Potrero Hill/Dogpatch. Simplified route in Noe Valley
• Daily frequency: Every 10 to 14 minutes

49 Van Ness-Mission

• 60-foot buses will replace the 40-foot buses, allowing more room for customers to maintain physical distance onboard
• Daily frequency: Every 6 to 9 minutes

54 Felton

• Weekend service added and route extended to full route between Daly City BART and Bayview
• Connections to Bayview, Portola, Excelsior, and Balboa Park and Daly City BART Stations
• Daily frequency: Approximately every 20 minutes

67 Bernal Heights

• Full route restored between Ellsworth at Crescent and 24th Street BART Station
• Daily frequency: Approximately every 20 minutes

Improving Frequency

• The following lines will have more frequent service to provide more capacity for physical distancing:
  
  • 8 Bayshore: Daily, every 5 to 6 minutes
  • 9 San Bruno: Daily, every 6 to 9 minutes
  • 9R San Bruno Rapid: Weekday service only, every 6 to 9 minutes
  • 12 Pacific Community Shuttle: Daily, every 10 to 14 minutes
  • 14 Mission: Daily, every 6 to 9 minutes
  • 19 Polk: Daily, every 15 to 20 minutes
  • 22 Fillmore: Daily, every 6 to 9 minutes
  • 24 Divisadero: Daily, every 10 to 14 minutes
  • 25 Treasure Island: Daily, every 15 to 20 minutes
  • 28 19th Ave: Daily, every 10 to 14 minutes
  • 29 Sunset: Weekdays, every 10 to 14 minutes. Weekends, every 20 minutes.
  • 43 Masonic: Weekdays, every 10 to 14 minutes. Weekends, every 20 minutes.
  • 44 O’Shaughnessy: Daily, every 10 to 14 minutes

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Focusing Limited Resources

Our August 22 service changes will put us close to maximizing the number of available operators and vehicles out on the street to serve our customers. Due to the need for physical distancing, it now takes three times as many vehicles to move people as before the COVID emergency. At the same time, our budget shortfalls prevent us from hiring more operators and cleaners or purchasing more vehicles. Given these restrictions, these are likely to be the last major service increases tied to the city’s COVID-19 recovery, with exceptions of minor updates.

Learn more about the impact of the pandemic and the financial crisis on the SFMTA, and our focus on customers, equity and efficiency in restoring Muni service.

To provide our customers with the best service we’ve focused on:

• Temporary changes to reduce costly sources of delay and duplicative service

• Meeting ridership demands during the pandemic

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Customer Reminders

Remember, we still need your help. Help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by:

• Continuing to stay at home, except for essential trips. 
• Shopping locally and supporting your neighborhood businesses.
• Wearing a face mask or face covering over your mouth and nose and maintaining physical distance.

Use alternate transportation whenever possible – walk, bike or take a taxi – to save a seat on Muni for those who don’t have other options.

• Our Essential Trips Card program is a cost-effective way for seniors and people with disabilities to use taxis instead of Muni.
• Carshares and micromobility options are also available. Visit our COVID-19 Developments and Response page for more information.

If you do need to travel on Muni:

• Please respect your Muni operator. They are working hard for you and want to stay healthy too.

Face coverings are required on Muni. To avoid getting passed up, cover your nose and mouth with face cover or mask while you are waiting for Muni and on Muni.

• Board by the back door unless you require assistance.
• Give yourself extra time. Your trip may now include transfers and a longer walk. Your fare is good for two hours across multiple routes. 

Visit our COVID-19 Developments and Response page for the latest information about Muni routes in service or to explore alternate ways to get around the city. To provide feedback on any Muni service changes please use our Muni Feedback Form.

Published August 18, 2020 at 09:02PM
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