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Over the past three years I’ve been riding Muni every day to get to work, taking a local bus to muni rail to my office. I also frequently take other buses and lines to get about the city during the day.
Buses are frequently late or missing, many buses are damaged with scratched windows or painted graffiti, and I’ve filed complaints on the Muni website without receiving any acknowledgment or response. Buses are either packed during rush hours, or totally empty, riding though neighborhoods with no riders into the late hours of the night.
Here’s a fresh idea: make Muni an outsourced, self-funding service. Let the fare box and other financing methods (like sponsorship and advertising) pay the main budget, and only provide government funding for riders who need subsidies. As it is, the $1.50 farebox provides a low tariff to everyone, including riders like me who could afford a higher fare. I’d think nothing of paying twice what I now pay for a fastpass, provided I was getting a clean, safe and reliable service.
We have many good private transportation providers in San Francisco, such as the various ferry providers (Hornblower, Red & White, Blue and Gold) and the numerous corporate and tourist bus companies. They provide quality service at a fair price because they have to — the market demands it. Let the market come into play with Muni by letting these sort of smart business people may money off of Muni and offer San Francisco residents and visitors world-class transportation options.
Name Withheld
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