The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency on Monday announced the 17 core bus routes that will remain in service this week while the rest of the city's routes are temporarily discontinued due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
More than 40 percent of Muni operators are expected to be out this week in self-quarantine, so the SFMTA is planning to run just its most-used lines that provide service within one mile of all San Franciscans.
The changes won't start Monday, although the agency said staffing levels may lead to missed runs and delays. On Tuesday, service will be discontinued on the 2-Clement, 3-Jackson, 5-Fulton, 7-Haight, 10-Townsend, 21-Hayes and 31-Balboa lines because of low ridership or nearby lines.
On Wednesday, the service will be further reduced to the 17 core lines: buses along the N-Judah, L-Taraval and T-Third light-rail lines that were previously halted because of the coronavirus, as well as the 1-California, 8-Bayshore, 9-San Bruno, 14-Mission, 14R-Mission Rapid, 19-Polk, 22-Fillmore, 24-Divisadero, 25-Treasure Island, 29-Sunset, 38-Geary, 38R-Geary Rapid, 44-O'Shaughnessy and 49-Van Ness/Mission lines.
The SFMTA says those lines will allow continued access to the city's medical facilities and focuses on equity to ensure people most reliant on transit can access it.
SFMTA director of transportation Jeffrey Tumlin wrote on Twitter, "I never thought I'd say this: Please don't take Muni if you have other options. Muni is only for essential workers + trips." More information about the agency's response to the COVID-19 crisis can be found at www.sfmta.com/COVID19.
