Board urges MTA to require labor-harmony assurances for commuter-shuttle permits; routing amendments fail

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on March 24 adopted a resolution urging the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) board to require applicants for commuter-shuttle permits to demonstrate "labor harmony" with drivers.

The resolution, sponsored by Supervisor Wiener, passed by unanimous roll call following debate over an amendment offered by Supervisor Avalos that would have added route and fee requirements and directed additional study and reporting by SFMTA. Deputy City Attorney John Givner told the board that if Avalos's amendment passed, the item would require further public comment and likely be continued for additional review.

The resolution focuses on the working conditions of drivers who operate privately contracted commuter shuttles and on minimizing the risk that labor disputes could disrupt the city's public transportation system. "The resolution before us today is concerned with the people who are driving the buses, the workers who are driving the buses," Supervisor Wiener said, describing drivers' typical split shifts and unpaid standby time.

Supervisor Avalos said he supported the underlying labor-harmony resolution but moved to attach language addressing broader shuttle impacts on neighborhoods. Avalos's amendment would have urged the SFMTA board to: restrict commuter shuttles to major and secondary arterial streets that are not designated transit-conflict streets under the general plan; report on compliance with Transportation Code section 914(f)(5) requiring real-time location data from shuttle providers; analyze shuttle GPS data to reduce delays to Muni and to minimize shuttle traffic on high-injury corridors and streets with bike lanes; conduct a nexus analysis to quantify shuttle impacts on street wear, Muni delays and housing costs; and adopt a fee to recover those demonstrated impacts.

"I support the underlying resolution. Really, the MTA board of directors can implement a labor harmony program without our intervention," Avalos said, but added that the city still needs to address unfinished business about the shuttle program's impacts on neighborhoods and infrastructure.

Supervisor Wiener opposed Avalos's package of amendments, saying the resolution before the board was narrowly focused on workers' conditions. "This is about making sure that the drivers of these shuttles are treated fairly," Wiener said.

Deputy City Attorney John Givner explained the procedural effect of the amendment: "If the amendment passes, the board would continue this item either to committee of the whole at the full board or subject to committee for further public comment. Either way, with the amendments, the resolution would require further opportunity for public comment." The board then held a roll-call vote on the proposed amendments; the motion failed, 5 ayes to 6 nos.

Roll-call on the amendment (recorded in the transcript): Tang, no; Weiner, no; Yi, aye; Avalos, aye; Breed, no; Campos, aye; Christensen, no; Cohen, no; Farrell, no; Kim, aye; Marr, aye. The amendment failed 5–6.

After the failed amendment, the board voted on the original resolution urging SFMTA to adopt a labor-harmony requirement. The resolution passed by unanimous roll call.

Discussion points: members who supported the amendment framed it as a way to address neighborhood impacts and to require cost recovery where shuttle operations impose burdens on public infrastructure. Members who opposed the amendment argued that routing and fee debates are separate policy matters and that the resolution's purpose was to focus on worker protections and minimizing labor-related service disruptions.

Next steps: the board's adopted resolution is a formal urging to the SFMTA board; it does not itself impose permit requirements. Supervisors said they expect to work with the SFMTA board and staff on definitions of "labor harmony" and on any implementing rules. The failed amendment, which sought additional routing and fee studies, could be reintroduced as separate legislation or hearing requests in the future.

Votes at a glance: the board rejected Supervisor Avalos's proposed amendments, 5–6, and then adopted the Wiener resolution unanimously.