Author: eugenia

Photo by FlickringAbility

We spend a good portion of every day (and night) getting from point A to point B on the bus, and it’s time to gab all about it…in person! Next Friday is our fourth Muni Diaries Live at the Make-Out Room. We have an exciting new addition to our lineup: Andrew Lam, NPR commentator, the author of East Eats West, and two-time winner of Literary Death Match. We’ve also got a surprise guest: an ex-Muni insider. You’ll have to come and find out who it is. So permanent marker this in your calendars for next Friday — we want to see your happy faces.

This week, Muni was disrupted by a signal problem at the Embarcadero station, a fire on Hyde street, gas leak at the Castro station, and a police car crash (into a utility pole).

In other Muni news:

• Muni Mess means more maintenance (City Insider)
• SFMTA Considers Issuing Bonds to Finance Capital Projects (Streetsblog SF)
• Muni’s service disruption hearing set for Nov. 2 (SF Examiner)
• Ending 25 Cent Fee for Muni Tickets Costs $2.13 Million Yearly (Akit’s Complaint Department)
• Muni debt plan to free up cash (SF Examiner)
• Streetsblog SF‘s take on Fix Muni Now/Prop. G

I unearthed some terrific photos from our Flickr pool last night, from Christina’s morning shot inside an N to FlickringAbility’s gorgeous foggy night photo of two Muni operators. Enjoy these photos, and have a great weekend!

Photo by Christina

Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch

Photo by carwashguy_99

Photo by Bhautik Joshi

Photo by FlickringAbility

Photo by Tenderblog

The TenderloinNob just can’t catch a break the past couple of days. A massive fire destroyed 824 Hyde Street this morning — entire blocks are still closed off, and the 27-Bryant, 2-Clement, and 3-Jackson are still being rerouted. The photos of the blaze are pretty terrifying — Tenderblog has pics from the fire and the evacuation. Elia at the Tenderblog told us that the Red Cross used Muni buses to evacuate people, as you can see from the photo.

The Red Cross is setting up shelter for the 75 people displaced by the fire, according to SF Appeal. They’ve gathered people initially at the St. Francis Hospital lobby before the shelter is set up.

More coverage of the fire from Tenderblog, SF Appeal, ABC 7, and KCBS.

Photo by DavidTakesPics

Still not sure how you’ll vote on Prop G? The good folks at Ocean Beach Bulletin took Sup. Sean Elsbernd and the drivers union, TWU-250A, to task on Prop. G, which would remove the minimum pay guarantee in the city charter for Muni drivers. We saw a spirited discussion about Prop. G when we posted about Sup. Elsbernd’s ad two weeks ago. What do the two sides of Prop G have to say? Read on.

Elsbernd told the Ocean Beach Bulletin:

Prop. G could potentially deliver millions in funds for riders and operations that currently are spent on Muni drivers’ salaries and work rules. Prop. G eliminates the salary guarantee [in the city charter] that ensures Muni drivers are the second-highest paid in the country. Prop. G also resets Muni driver work rules that contribute to millions of dollars lost in systemwide inefficiencies. Prop. G does not generate new money for Muni from the City, state or federal government, but rather it allows Muni to use the money that it has more wisely, and to the greater benefit of Muni riders.

But TWU-250A disagrees:

Prop G doesn’t actually deal with any specific work rules. Proponents argue that Prop. G will give management an opportunity to bargain away certain work rules, but they flat-out misstate the facts about Muni drivers and the rules they work under.  Muni management has a tremendous amount of power to suspend, remove and fire operators for poor performance. In fact, under the existing collective bargaining agreement, management is even required to execute disciplinary proceedings quickly so drivers can either be terminated or get back to doing their jobs. Voters shouldn’t be confused: Prop. G doesn’t require any increased service, altered work rules or increased management accountability. It just punishes drivers.

You can read more about Prop G from Sup. Elsbernd and TWU-250A at Ocean Beach Bulletin. Have you changed your mind about Prop. G?