Category: News

Photo by Flickr user Brandon Doran

I’ve waited a whole week for this: Jeff is on his man-vacation, so this weekend I hope y’all don’t mind that I change the Muni Diaries background to something frilly that involves cupcakes, unicorns, kittens, and ballons, all in pink.

It’s going to be so awesome.

I know, right?

In real Muni news this week:

– Paul Rose is the new SFMTA spokesperson (SF Chronicle)
– City’s 311 customer service line works, and Muni pays (Bay Citizen)
– Muni to vote on stricter drug-testing guidelines (ABC 7)
– Nat Ford “disappointed and perplexed” By Muni Drivers’ Rejection Of Concessions Intended To Restore Service (SF Appeal)
– Muni service cuts appear to be staying put (SF Examiner)
– Report: SFPD’s New Approach to Crime on Muni “Promising” (Streetsblog)
– Blame, Calls for Revote and Contract Details in Wake of Muni Drivers Vote (Streetsblog)
– Muni Shell Game Perps Still at It; SFPD, SFMTA Slow/No Response (ABC 7, Muni Diaries)
– Police crack down on Muni crime (SF Examiner)
– Push to Organize SF Transit Riders Proving Difficult (SF Weekly)
– Muni boss says operators getting bad info (SF Examiner)
– Clipper Card Transition for Bay Area Transit is Now Official (Streetsblog)
– SFMTA gets a new spokesman (City Insider/SFGate)

Enjoy the photos and your weekend. And keep the stories, sketches, videos, photos, and tweets coming!

Photo by Flickr user KayVeeInc

Photo by Flickr user Vivian Chen

Photo by Flickr user captin_nod

Photo by rkallerud

Are the rains finally over? This weekend sure is shaping up to be a wildly un-S.F. one, weather-wise. Enjoy, and don’t bake yourselves too much (take that to mean what you will). Also don’t forget to come see and/or buy Muni and BART art tonight at Secession. Come prepared to share Muni stories in our storytelling tent, too. Next stop, fun town.

Here’s the week’s Muni news to tickle your brain:

– Fire truck, Muni bus clip each other’s mirrors (SF Examiner)
– Parking Tax Revenue Measure for Muni Makes Its Way to Supervisors (Streetsblog SF)
– October 2010 to see the last paper Fast Pass (Muni Diaries)
– Muni operators set to vote on concessions deal (City Insider/SFGate)
– Treasure Island may get new Muni line (SF Examiner)
– Alledged Bus Tagger Busted at 24th Street BART Station (Mission Local)
– List of artists for Central Subway project whittled down (SF Examiner, via SF Appeal)

Enjoy, and we’ll see you Monday. xoxo

Photo by Brandon Doran

Photo by prayitno

Photo by Troy Holden

Photo by mr.skeleton

Photo by Steve Rhodes

Rumors of “no more paper Fast Passes” have been flying around on Twitter. We knew it was coming (thanks to SFAppeal’s Chris Roberts) but we hadn’t heard about any official date from SFMTA until this week, when we found an announcement on SFMTA’s purchasing page:

The SFMTA is moving to TransLink! Online sales of monthly paper passes will end after June 22, 2010 (July pass sales period)

June 22, as in, less than two weeks from now?

We emailed SFMTA and talked to spokesperson Murray Bond. Here’s the skinny:

The last day to purchase monthly paper Fast Passes online at sfmta.com is June 22. They can also be purchased online at Translink.org through June 16 and thereafter at Clippercard.com. The paper passes will be phased out in October and customers must load them on a Clipper card beginning November 1.

You’ll need a Translink/Clipper card before November 1. To get one, see SFMTA’s site for a list of TransLink/Clipper card giveaways. If you don’t get the card at one of these giveaways, the cards are $5 (unless you choose the Autoload option).

If you use Wage Works, CommuterCheck, or some other employer-benefit system to buy your pass, you’ll need to tell your employer-benefit system to start loading your Fast Pass onto your Clipper Card before November 1.

Translink is changing its name to Clipper on June 16.

So, there it is. There will be no more paper Fast Passes after October 2010. A long, colorful era will come to an end.

More questions? Translink’s FAQ has some good answers. We’re sure many Muni Diaries readers will offer further nuggets of advice here, so have at it in comments, please.

Here’s a look at Fast Passes through the years (photos after the jump).
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