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High school students tell supervisors Muni schedule changes delay school and strain attendance
Summary
Dozens of students from several San Francisco high schools told the Budget & Finance Committee that changes to Muni schedules and reductions in service—particularly on routes 29, 8AX/8BX and the 9L—leave them waiting up to 30 minutes, arriving late to class and harming small schools' attendance funding.
At the start of the Budget & Finance Committee hearing, students representing Burton, Lincoln, George Washington and other high schools told supervisors that recent Muni schedule changes are causing chronic lateness and overcrowded buses.
Christina Morris (Burton), Jasper Gwan (Bridal High School) and other students described standing at stops for as long as 30 minutes and being unable to board packed buses. Jasper Gwan said he had to walk extra blocks and "run" to catch a connecting bus on the way to City Hall for Youth Lobby Day. Several speakers said the May 8 schedule changes in particular had increased confusion and wait times.
Students framed the issue in budgetary terms: missed minutes and days of class affect state attendance funding for smaller schools. Jackie Fuller and others also raised concerns about fare enforcement and the cost of passes: Fuller noted some students cannot rely on family rides and that FastPasses can cost up to $20, creating an access barrier when transfers fail or schedules change.
Supervisors responded by noting they are working to reduce the 10% service reduction that went into effect in May and described efforts to seek a smaller cut once the St. Francis Circle capital work is complete, as well as possible TA funding and labor concessions to restore service. The chair thanked students for testifying and said the committee would pursue the service-restoration discussion later in the meeting.
Quote: "I stand there waiting 30 minutes for the 29 to arrive, and the bus is nearly packed," Jasper Gwan testified.
What happens next: Students’ testimony was entered into the record for the MTA budget debate, and supervisors said they would pursue options to reduce service cuts and requested more detail from MTA about schedule impacts and potential restorations.
