Supervisors back ordinance to allow rear-door Muni boarding and seek stroller policy changes

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard proposals intended to make Muni service faster and more family friendly.

Supervisor Chu introduced an ordinance amending the Transportation Code to allow passengers with proof of payment or validated Clipper cards to board buses and light-rail vehicles through rear doors, an operational change the MTA director has committed to implement by July 1. Chu said all-door boarding is a long-discussed step to increase average Muni speeds, which she said average about 8 miles per hour.

In a companion resolution co-sponsored with Supervisor Ellsberg, Chu urged the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to revise its stroller policy. Current Muni practice leaves stroller boarding to operator discretion and prohibits unfolding strollers onboard. The resolution calls on the MTA to consider options including: permitting unfolded strollers when they are not blocking aisles and wheels are locked; allowing parents to request lift or ramp deployment; providing secondary priority seating for caregivers; or designating vehicles or areas for parents with strollers.

Chu told the board the changes are aimed at reducing barriers for working families who depend on public transit and addressing “family flight.” She asked the MTA to work with parents and advocates to develop an implementable policy. The board recorded the ordinance and the stroller-resolution items for further action; the ordinance was introduced and the stroller policy resolution was referred for follow-up with MTA staff.