MTA CAC EMSC March 8, 2006 minutes

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City and County of San Francisco
Municipal Transportation Agency
Citizens’ Advisory Council (MTA CAC)

Engineering, Maintenance & Safety Committee (EMSC)

FINAL MINUTES
of
Regular Meeting

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
1 South Van Ness Avenue, Conference Room 3075
San Francisco, California

1. Call to Order / Roll Call (Agenda Item 1). The regular meeting of the Engineering, Maintenance & Safety committee (EMSC) was called to order at 3:18 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2006. Daniel Weaver (Chair) presided. A quorum was present including the following:

EMSC Members Present at Roll Call: Daniel Weaver (Chair), and Steve Ferrario.

EMSC Members absent at Roll Call:

EMSC Absent: Bruce Oka.

MTA CAC Members, not on this committee, but also present: Norman Rolfe

MTA Staff (San Francisco Municipal Railway [MUNI] and Department of Parking and Traffic [DPT]) present: Debra Reed (MTA CAC Secretary), Janet Michaelson (MTA CAC Liaison), Don Gee (MUNI Chief Mechanical Officer - Bus Maintenance), Bond Yee (DPT Director), Peter Rubin (DPT Director of Operations), Toni Coe (DPT Manager – Sign Shop), George Basley (DPT Manager – Signal Shop), George Reynolds (DPT Parking Meters), Ed Collins (DPT Traffic Marketing), and Jack Fleck (DPT City Traffic Engineer).

Community Representatives Present: None

2. Public Comment – Concerning any issue within the jurisdiction of the Council and not noted on the agenda:

No one present from the public.

3. Adopt Minutes of January 11, 2006:

Motion to adopt the January minutes by Steve Ferrario

2nd by Dan Weaver

EMSC passed unanimously (Ayes – Weaver, and Ferrario)

4. Report of the Chair: Daniel Weaver (EMSC Chair)

Chair presented no report

5. Rubber Tire Maintenance: Don Gee (MUNI Chief Mechanical Officer - Bus Maintenance)

Mr. Gee reviewed:

$2.4 million for Mid-Life Overhaul for NABI, including doors, transmissions, engines, etc.

Of the 330 5-year-old Neo Plan coaches, half the transmissions had to be replaced as a result of a design flaw. Due to the defunct of the Neo Plan Company, maintenance of transmissions was redirected to Muni’s Maintenance shop for design correction.

119 wheelchair lifts incidents were reported in 2005. Not all incidents were actual defective wheelchair lifts;some were adjustments.

Comments and Questions from the EMSC

Steve Ferrario:

The Executive Director, Mr. Ford, was very interested in maintenance. The EMSC would like a maintenance plan for diesels and trolleys to present before the MTA Board for funding. Mr. Ferrario invited Mr. Gee for July’s EMSC meeting with a packaged plan, including NABIs, Neo Plans, and also including Muni Engineering.

6. Cable Car Maintenance: (discussion/Action) John Sodorra

Mr. Sodorra was not available to present this item

7. DPT Maintenance – Traffic Signal Equipment, Parking Meter, etc.: (Discussion/Action) Bond Yee (DPT Director), Peter Rubin (Director of Operations), Toni Coe (Manager – Sign Shop), George Basley (Manager – Signal Shop), George Reynolds (Parking Meters), Ed Collins (Traffic Marketing), and Jack Fleck (City Traffic Engineer)

Mr. Yee opened by introducing staff from various DPT divisions and provided an overview of various maintenance functions, developments, as well as the effects of Budget cuts within DPT division, such as the Sign Shop, Signal Shop, Parking Meter Shop, and Paint.

Effects of Budget cuts had affected the ability to do preventative maintenance. It had, as an example, slowed down restoration progress for many DPT signs that had been bleached by the sun, or covered by nearby growing trees, as well as graffiti problems. Of the 2 thermoplastic trucks, the Paint Shop needed to replace one of the trucks, which was purchased in 1984.

Questions and Comments from EMSC

How would someone go about cleaning graffiti from parking meters? Response: Call DPT for appropriate cleaning or replacement of meters and signs; applying personal cleansers could cause other problems. Also “28 Clean” would respond to graffiti problems by forwarding the requests to DPT for follow-up.

Traffic signals for some major streets had not yet been upgraded with pedestrian countdown signals. Response: 700 count down signal intersections thus far operate throughout the city, as these were the easiest to update. However, older signal lights installed during the 1940’s and 50’s were delayed due to their outdated conduit limitations or having no conduit available to support countdown fiber wiring. Obtaining funding for a major street light replacement project would be required for providing countdown signaling in areas with old signals.

Some parking meters had been upgraded to pay by cell phone in a lot test. Response: Multi space meter devices and cell phone subscription services were being tested and developed for cell phone payments.

Would there a possible future for Credit Cards of Bank Debit cards used for paying meters? Response: Technology was being developed; allowing people to pay in different ways would give them options. People don’t always have a lot of coins available to feed meters.

8. Committee Members’ Questions/Information Requests (Discussion):

No questions at this time.

9. Schedule Upcoming Meetings and Agenda Items:

Next regular meeting: April 12, 2006, at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, Conference Room 3075, at 3:00 p.m.

¨ Tunnels and Security for Embarcadero, West Portal, Eureka, and Duboce – Robert Hertan

¨ Rebuilding of the facility for Eureka Street and Duboce Avenue tunnels – John Funghi

10. Adjournment: 5:27 p.m.

Attachments:

Agenda Item 2 –

Minutes of January 8, 2006

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