San Francisco school kids catch a 49 Van Ness-Mission bus home in the afternoon.
San Francisco students headed back to school this week. Thousands of those kids and teens depend on Muni to get to class, while others bike, roll, walk or carpool. The latest episode of our Taken with Transportation podcast showcases how the work we do supports students and their families.
Getting Muni back-to-school ready
In “Class Is Back in Session,” we speak with SFMTA Transit Planner Sandra Padilla. Ridership increases, especially in the mornings, during the school year. And Padilla explains how we make service changes to accommodate all those students.
“In general, [we] prioritize addressing crowding, especially on routes where we hear about pass-ups,” she says. “That’s when the bus pulls up to the stop, but it’s so crowded that not everybody waiting is able to get on.”
This year we are making some small adjustments to add capacity to certain bus routes. And we are bringing back School Tripper service.
“School Trippers are … when we have an empty bus pull up to a school in the afternoon, usually fill it up and then go back into regular service,” Padilla says. “[This brings] students to their next destination while serving regular riders.”
Students arrive at McCoppin Elementary during our spring Bike and Roll to School event.
Supporting all types of school trips
“Class Is Back in Session” also features SFMTA Transportation Planner Ben Frazier. He’s the San Francisco Safe Routes to School program coordinator. Frazier discusses all the options families have for getting students to class. We hear from teenagers who tell us how they get to school. And we talk with a San Francisco mom about how her children make their way to class.
San Francisco School Crossing Guard Dennis Lowry also appears in the episode. As does Walk San Francisco Interim Executive Director Margaret McCarthy.
How to Listen
You can find “Class Is Back in Session” and all our Taken with Transportation episodes on our podcast webpage (SFMTA.com/Podcast), our YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast directories.