Heading to Oracle Park to see the Giants this summer? Let Muni take you out to the ball game.
It’s summertime, and there is no shortage of fun things to do in San Francisco. In “Summer in the City by the Bay,” the latest episode of our Taken with Transportation podcast, we are enjoying the season and helping you get to your favorite events and activities.
Need a ride? Muni is at your service
Muni is a great way to go, especially to a big event like a concert or a ball game.
“It’s often the fastest and least expensive way,” SFMTA Transit Special Operations Manager Leslie Bienenfeld explains in the episode. “Because you don’t need to, either, pay for a rideshare or deal with parking your car in a neighborhood that’s attracting extra people.”
We often add extra Muni service to help people get to larger events. And we might reroute buses to accommodate festivals, street fairs and night markets. Bienenfeld walks us through all that transit planning.
And she points out that your ticket for some events serves as an all-day Muni pass. “This is a program that started when Chase [Center] opened,” Bienenfeld says. “And now, as events start to happen in larger sizes elsewhere around the city, we have conversations with event producers to talk about including the Muni pass with those tickets, as well.”
The Muni experience to summer events
“Summer in the City by the Bay” also features Muni riders, themselves. We board an N Judah train with Giants fans on their way to Oracle Park. For lifelong fan Caroline, the Muni ride is part of the gameday experience.
“A lot of the times, I bump into people I know. And it’s just super fun getting to meet up with people you haven’t seen in a long time,” she says. “I love it.”
Caroline’s mother, Lisa, agrees: “I love the vibe, all the people going to the game. It’s so much fun.”
We then head to the Mission for the Valencia LIVE! street party. “Love using the Muni,” says a man we meet there. “Hop on [and then] don’t worry about it. Play games on your phone or answer texts, catch up on whatever.”
People fill the street at the July Valencia LIVE! event. Multiple Muni bus routes can get you to this monthly party.
Keeping you safe, however you get around
If you drive, walk or bike to big events, we’ve got you covered with traffic management. It’s handled by our parking control officers, also known as PCOs.
“During games, parades, marathons, whatever is going on in the city, we’re out there in the streets, making sure pedestrians cross the road safely,” PCO Terry Wong tells us.
“We try to just keep the peace,” PCO Andy Zhu adds. “Keep the peace at the intersections and make sure nobody gets hurt.”
How to listen
Cable Car Operator Singh Balraj Rai and Principal Access and Mobility Planner Maddy Ruvolo also appear in “Summer in the City by the Bay.” You can find it and all our Taken with Transportation episodes on our podcast webpage (SFMTA.com/Podcast), our YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast directories.
Wherever you go and whatever you do in the city this summer, you’re bound to have a great time. Just remember to bring a sweater.
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