Muni, hit hard by pandemic, carries on with core services and construction

Public transportation has been transformed by the coronavirus pandemic. Light rail is shut down, and bus service is concentrated on core lines. While the indefinitely extended shelter-in-place order and restrictions that fluctuate with case rates have resulted in service changes, work on major improvement projects is ongoing. For the system as a whole, low ridership means low fare revenues and serious budget considerations — which could mean layoffs. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Director Jeffrey Tumlin and Julie Kirschbaum, the agency’s Director of Transit, explain how Muni has adapted to the pandemic and some of the changes ahead.