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Public urges SFMTA to close Market Street commercial‑vehicle loophole; board to take up recommendation later
Summary
Dozens of speakers, advisory council members and advocacy groups urged the SFMTA board to close a loophole allowing commercial passenger vehicles (TNCs and robo‑taxis) on the car‑free portion of Better Market Street, citing safety, transit reliability and Vision Zero commitments.
A large group of neighborhood advocates, transit riders and environmental groups pressed the SFMTA Board on Nov. 28 to close what several speakers called a ‘commercial passenger vehicle loophole’ that has allowed TNCs and autonomous vehicles onto the car‑free portion of Better Market Street.
Chris Arvin, vice chair of the SFMTA Citizens Advisory Council, presented a CAC motion asking the board to amend the Better Market Street rules to prevent vehicles such as Waymo, Uber and Lyft from operating on the corridor and to take that decision publicly at the board. “We believe that this decision should be made in public to the board of directors that is accountable to the people,” Arvin said.
Speakers representing the Sierra Club, Walk San Francisco, the Taxi Workers Alliance, SF Transit Riders, Streets for All and other coalitions argued that allowing commercial passenger vehicles undermines transit reliability and pedestrian safety and reverses years of planning: “Cars are the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in San Francisco,” said Joanna Gutman of Sierra Club San Francisco. “We call on you to close the commercial vehicle loophole.”
Taxi and driver groups and some longtime residents highlighted equity concerns and the original formulation of Better Market Street, saying the corridor was intended to prioritize buses, taxis and emergencies — not for‑hire ride services or robo‑taxis. The Taxi Workers Alliance urged the board to put the question on its agenda and address perceived procedural shortcuts in the earlier change.
A minority of speakers — including some small businesses and residents — warned that the car‑free rule has not solved all retail vacancy issues and urged careful attention to sidewalk safety and enforcement instead of blanket re‑closures.
Board response: staff said Market Street recommendations will be brought to the board before year‑end as part of ongoing reviews (including the Muni Metro capacity study). Directors asked that the matter be included when the item is agendized so it can be discussed in context and with supporting data.
Next steps: staff indicated the board will see Market Street items framed alongside the Muni Metro modernization study and other planned outreach before specific policy changes are considered.
