COVID-19 Developments & Response

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Muni Alternatives

As San Francisco reopens and more people are able to return to work outside of their homes, we ask customers to try alternative modes of transportation if possible - such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards, other micromobility devices, or shuttle and taxi programs below - so that we can maintain Muni for essential trips and customer who are not able to use alternative modes of travel.

Slow Streets

Select streets have been closed to vehicle through-traffic to prioritize walking or biking and to provide more space for physical distancing during essential travel.

• Local vehicle access is allowed (e.g., driveway access for residents) and streets are not closed completely.
• People walking/running in the street do not have the right-of-way over motor vehicles.
• Once installed, Slow Streets corridors are in effect 24/7.
• Face coverings are required

We continue to monitor the use of Slow Streets to minimize impacts on surrounding streets.

Learn more about Slow Streets and see a map.

 

Bikes and Scooters

With roads that are relatively quiet, commuting by bike or scooter is easier than ever and an enjoyable alternative to getting around the city for essential trips. Please follow best practices (washing and sanitizing hands, wearing a mask, etc.) and review operators' guidelines to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus.

For more information, visit operator sites:

• Bay Wheels 
• JUMP
• Lime
• Scoot
• Spin

Find a bike route for your commute using SFMTA's bike network map. The San Francisco Bike Coalition can help new bike commuters and offers free webinars on urban cycling.

 

Taxis and Ramp Taxis

Taxis continue to operate as an essential service, following best practices to minimize the risks of transmission. Face masks are required by federal law. 

To request a taxi you can hail them in the street or at a taxi stand, or search the taxi directory or the wheelchair-accessible ramp taxi directory for links to apps and contact information. 

The Emergency Ride Home program provided by official taxis continues for individuals who work in San Francisco and fulfill essential job functions.

Taxi Drivers: Please see the COVID-19 Taxi Services Updates page or call 415.701.4400 for information on how Taxi Services is responding to the pandemic. The Taxi Services window is closed until further notice.

 

Essential Trip Card 

SFMTA created the Essential Trip Card program to help older adults and people with disabilities take and pay for essential trips in taxis during this crisis. 

Eligible participants will pay 20% of the cost of a regular cab ride fare for essential trips, up to $60 in value per month. If you are 65+ years old or a person with a disability, you can apply for the Essential Trip Card  by calling 311 and mentioning  the program or visiting the Essential Trip Card program page to learn more.

 

Essential Worker Ride Home Program

The city’s Essential Worker Ride Home program supports essential employees in San Francisco impacted by public transportation reductions by providing a taxi ride home from work to qualifying participants who commute to work via a sustainable mode of transportation. Learn more about eligibility and how to apply on SF Environment's website.

 

Shop-a-Round Helps You Get Around

Shop-a-Round is a convenient, low-cost shuttle or subsidized taxi ride that makes it easier to go grocery shopping. This SFMTA service offers registered seniors and people with disabilities personalized assistance and a ride to/from the grocery store. 

• Customers do not have to be ADA-paratransit eligible to use the service
• The service takes customers to select supermarkets in San Francisco to shop
• The driver will help carry groceries on and off the shuttle/taxi

 

Paratransit

Paratransit service continues to operate as normal so that customers can travel for essential needs. Face masks are required by federal law when taking a taxi or van and when visiting the SF Paratransit Office. Violations can result in denial of service and may carry federal penalties. If you are feeling unwell or your trip is nonessential we ask that you please cancel by calling 415.285.6945 as soon as possible.

The SF Paratransit Office will operate with limited capacity during regular business hours (Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.). Teller window hours are subject to change. Reduced staffing will be available to accept cash payments for monthly taxi debit card allotments only.

 

Golden Gate Transit: Additional Bus Service

Golden Gate Transit is currently picking up Muni passengers at all Golden Gate Transit bus stops in San Francisco. Stops that were drop-off only or pick-up only will temporarily support local travel for both drop-offs and pick-ups.

• Effective October 5: All Golden Gate Transit buses will use a long-term detour through Fisherman’s Wharf to accommodate the Shared Spaces program.
• Financial District service: Routes operate weekdays between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Financial District via Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf and Levi’s Plaza. 
• Civic Center service: Routes operate daily between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Salesforce Transit Center via Lombard Street, Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street.  

Fares: Golden Gate Transit fares apply, and Clipper customers will need to both tag on and tag off at the end of their trip. Fares are as follow: Adult Cash: $4.75 / Adult Clipper: $3.80 / Youth/Senior/Medicare/Disabled: $2.25.

Visit the Golden Gate Transit website for bus schedules and maps. Face masks are required by federal law.

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Muni Service

Free Muni and Paratransit to COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

Starting on Tuesday, February 23, Muni and Paratransit will be free for those going to get vaccinated for COVID-19. This includes trips in both directions and also provides a one-time allotment increase for those who use the Essential Trip Card. For more info, please read our recent blog post.

 

Muni Core Service Plan and Metro Service

Muni service is temporarily reduced in order to focus limited resources on our most-used routes and serve critical connections like medical facilities. When bringing back Muni routes, we are prioritizing capacity for physical distancing, high-ridership routes and communities most dependent on Muni service.

Get route-specific details on all Muni lines that are currently in service

 

Routes In Service

BUS: 1 California, 5 Fulton, 7 Haight/Noriega, 8AX Bayshore A Express, 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno, 9R San Bruno Rapid, 12 Folsom/Pacific (Shortened), 14 Mission, 14R Mission Rapid, 15 Bayview-Hunters Point Express (NEW), 19 Polk, 22 Fillmore (*modified route, see 55 Dogpatch), 24 Divisadero, 25 Treasure Island, 27 Bryant (*modified route), 28 19th Avenue (Shortened), 29 Sunset, 30 Stockton, 33 Ashbury, 37 Corbett, 38 Geary, 38R Geary Rapid, 43 Masonic (Shortened), 44 O'Shaughnessy, 45 Union/Stockton, 48 Quintara/24th Street (Shortened), 49 Van Ness/Mission, 54 Felton, 55 Dogpatch (NEW), 67 Bernal Heights

RAIL: J Church between Balboa Park Station and Church and Duboce streets. T Third between Sunnydale and Embarcadero Station.

Note: Muni route pages may still list stops that are currently not in service. This is because some route configurations currently in service are temporary and subject to change. Visit SFMTA.com/RailRecovery to learn more about the latest changes to Muni Metro rail service.

See Muni Bus Substitution for Suspended Rail Lines.

 

Muni Owl Service

Late-night Owl service from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. instead of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. All regular Owl routes are still operating with the exception of the 5 Fulton and 48 Quintara/24th Street, which are temporarily discontinued. The following lines will run 24 hours a day or provide special Owl Service:

L Owl*, N Owl*, 14 Mission, 22 Fillmore, 24 Divisadero*, 25 Treasure Island, 38 Geary, 44 O'Shaughnessy *, 90 San Bruno Owl, 91 3rd Street/19th Avenue Owl (*Owl route is different than daytime route)

See the COVID-19 Muni Owl Service Plan map for route details

 

Routes Not in Service

1AX, 1BX, 2, 3, 5R, 5 Owl, 6, 7X, 8BX, 10, 14X, 18, 21, 23, 28R, 30X, 31, 31AX, 31BX, 35, 36, 38AX, 38BX,  39, 41, 47, 48 Owl, 52, 56, 57, 66, 76X, 81X, 82X, 83X, 88, NX, F, E, Cable Cars

To preserve resources to support distancing on high-ridership routes serving essential destinations and transit-dependent neighborhoods identified by the Muni Service Equity Strategy, most routes currently not in service are limited, duplicative of existing service or low ridership.

 

Latest Muni Core Service Map

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COVID Reminders & Federal Mask Requirement

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, face masks are required by federal law in Muni stations, when purchasing a ticket and while waiting for, boarding, riding or exiting transit. Masks are also required on paratransit and in taxis. Violations can result in denial of boarding or removal from Muni and may carry federal penalties.

The federal mask requirement went into effect on February 1, 2021.

A properly worn mask:

• Completely covers the nose and mouth of the wearer
• Is secured to the head, including with ties or ear loops
• Fits snugly against the side of the face.

Masks do not include face shields and should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures. Face coverings like scarves and bandanas do not meet this requirement. For more information, including exemptions and exceptions, please visit the CDC website on the transportation mask requirement. View the Transportation Security Administration Security Directive. All state and local public health orders remain in effect.

 

COVID Reminders

Please do not ride Muni if you are feeling ill, except as necessary to seek medical care after consulting with your medical provider. We're also asking customers to only take Muni for essential trips that can’t be made by walking, biking or other modes of transportation.

Backdoor boarding is recommended when possible. Those paying cash fare should board through the front door with fare ready. Passengers in wheelchairs or with other accessibility needs should board through the front door. If you need assistance, please request to board from the front door and an operator will help you access the ramp or the kneeler.

 

Health and Safety Measures We Are Taking

The health of SFMTA employees and customers is our top priority. There is no specific COVID-19 risk to transit or paratransit riders; however, we are taking extra precautions to limit exposure.

Muni car cleaners, station custodians and paratransit personnel are cleaning and sanitizing vehicles and high-touch surfaces daily with safe, strong disinfectants.

In addition to the extra sanitizing and cleaning protocols, we are requiring operators to use their security partitions and skip stops if their vehicles become too crowded to maintain physical distancing between passengers.

You can help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Visit the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites for recommendations to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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Business Support

Shared Spaces: Apply to use the sidewalk, parking lane or street for your business

Apply for a free, temporary Shared Spaces permit to use the sidewalk, parking lots, park space or parking lane for business operations, like seating, dining or retail pickup. There are also options to work with surrounding businesses and residents for full street closure activations to support local merchants. This temporary, revocable permit is valid until June 30, 2021, unless otherwise specified.

 

SF Shines

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Driving and Parking Enforcement

Parking Garages

To minimize risk to the public and our garage staff, the SFMTA has closed some city-owned parking garages and limited others to monthly pass-holders only. We are prioritizing access to garages near essential services like medical facilities or markets.

Closed: The following garage will be closed to the public until further notice

• Moscone Center Garage (call 415-765-9069 for assistance)

Open to Monthly Pass Holders: These garages will be open only to monthly pass holders

• Kezar Lot - Call 415-956-8003 for assistance
• Ellis-O'Farrell Garage - Enter and exit on Ellis Street. Call 415-765-9069 for assistance.

Open to the Public: The following garages are currently open to the public

• Zuckerberg General Hospital Garage
• St. Mary's Square Garage 
• 5th and Mission Garage
• Sutter and Stockton Garage
• Union Square Garage
• Civic Center Garage
• North Beach Garage
• Vallejo Street Garage
• Pierce Garage
• Portsmouth Square Garage
• 7th and Harrison Lot
• Modified hours, call 415-956-8003:
  • Japan Center Garage
  • Japan Center Annex Garage
  • Golden Gateway Garage
  • Lombard Garage
  • Mission-Bartlett Garage
  • 16th and Hoff Garage
  • Performing Arts Garage
• Polk-Bush Garage - Modified hours, call 415-765-9069

Riding Together: Bay Area Healthy Transit Plan

On September 15, the SFMTA Board of Directors approved a resolution endorsing the Riding Together: Bay Area Healthy Transit Plan.  This plan was developed in collaboration with regional leaders, transit workers, paratransit providers, rider advocates, and public health experts and is based on the research of national and international best practices for riding transit during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The plan establishes a baseline set of measures for Bay Area transit agencies to ensure the health of transit riders and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines common commitments and expectations for employees and passengers.  The SFMTA will report monthly on the Agency's performance in aligning with the baseline measures set forth in the plan.

More information on SFMTA's health and safety tracking are available on SFMTA's Transportation Recovery Plan page.

 

Get Updates

For city and local Department of Emergency Management updates about COVID-19, text "COVID19SF" to 888-777.

 

Get Your Own Muni Inspired Virtual Backgrounds

Download, save and use Muni virtual backgrounds for any of your preferred video chatting platforms. 

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Additional Resources

Websites

Citywide COVID website with FAQs
San Francisco Department of Public Health (sfdph.org)
San Francisco 72 Hours
San Francisco Department of Emergency Management
CA Department of Public Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Twitter

@SF_DPH
@SF_emergency
@CAPublicHealth
@CDCgov

Facebook

San Francisco Department of Emergency Management
CA Public Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Video

City Officials announce new Public Health Order March 16
Watch “Quick Facts on Coronavirus” and “Hand Washing" videos