Fares rose significantly this summer and crashes were two too many, and yet less than favorable news from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will still hit riders this fall.

Come October, along with the resignation of SFMTA Chief Operating Officer Kenneth McDonald, more changes will be added to the arduous list of aches and pains Muni patrons must accept, such as discontinued routes, eliminating segments of routes and decreasing frequencies.

The changes have not yet been made available to the public but the agency says it will discontinue several routes with low ridership. According to the MTA, however, to offset any reductions, enhancements to busier lines, such as those on Mission Street and Geary Boulevard, will be implemented.

Many Muni patrons are getting frustrated with unfavorable services despite fare increases.

If Muni-dependent Luis Reyes is not taking the 22 Fillmore to get to his classes at the Art Institute from his Japantown abode, the 18-year-old will take the 5 Fulton to his job downtown at Gap or to meet up with his friends.

"All the buses I take get crowded or come infrequently, it gets really chaotic and frustrating," Reyes said. "I was actually mugged one night and I really believe it was because I was waiting too long for a bus."

Reyes said he believes Muni should be more consistent and have friendlier services.
"I think they're doing what they can," said SF State student Zuleika Amora, 24, of the changes Muni are undergoing. "At this point, everyone's suffering. Everyone just needs to deal with -- no one can really help it."

The MTA's budget is dealing with a deficit of $129 million due to a dipping economy, California's budget crisis and the elimination of the State Transportation Assistance Fund (the only state funding source for transit operations in California).

With such a huge deficit, the MTA has been undergoing grim changes and looks like it will continue in that direction until it can bridge the monetary gap.

Entering its new fiscal year in July, Muni increased its adult single-rider fare by raising it 33 percent from $1.50 to $2.00. In Sept. 2005, fares raised a quarter-dollar from $1.25 to $1.50.

Workers also agreed to $3.7 million in concessions to help balance the deficit, which included employees taking up to five unpaid furlough days.

The MTA finally purchased catastrophic insurance to help cover major payouts, which came just in time for the July 18 crash at the West Portal Metro Station. MTA spokesman Judson True stated that it would cover claims over $5 million and cost the city $2.4 million a year.

The City and County of San Francisco is self-insured and as a City department, the SFMTA is also self-insured, according to MTA spokeswoman Kristen Holland.