Good news: Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco is looking to increase ridership on Muni buses by focusing on average bus speed. At 8 miles per hour (about half as fast as a marathon runner) the current speeds just are not cutting it.
One of the best ways to improve speeds and attract riders is to eliminate bus stops. The Mayor is floating the idea now to dampen expected community opposition. It’s a good move to start beating the drum about the need to improve bus speeds, but Muni should go further. This is a good opportunity to embrace community partnerships on each line with line-specific websites and advisory councils to build constituencies among riders and local advocacy organizations to support smart reforms like half-mile bus stops instead of eighth-mile bus stops. Transit agencies must constantly ask residents to partner and provide the opportunities to do so, as community advocates just want a seat at the table. Ignoring them increases the odds of unnecessary confrontation. People who care about transit should be embraced and cultivated as partners to turn opponents into advocates.
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