9/22: United Press Conference Against Muni Service Cuts - Muni Fare Strike Bulletin

MUNI FARE STRIKE
Bulletin #9
Monday, September 19, 2005
http://www.MuniFareStrike.net


THE MUNI FARE STRIKE CONTINUES!
PAY MORE TO WAIT LONGER? NO WAY!

STOP THE SERVICE CUTS!
REVERSE THE FARE HIKE!


BELOW:
*** United Press Conference Against Muni Service Cuts
*** Muni Cash Fare Revenue Stays Flat



*** UNITED PRESS CONFERENCE AGAINST MUNI SERVICE CUTS

The Coalition for Transit Justice, Social Strike and Muni Fare Strike
have come together to rally against the upcoming Muni service cuts. We
will be holding a united press conference this Thursday, September 22,
at Noon, at 16th and Mission. Everyone is welcome.

Starting Saturday, September 24, Muni plans to cut service on more than
thirty lines. Although Muni plastered the city with signs about its
recent fare hike, they have been pretty quiet about the impending service
cuts.

But riders will surely notice, starting Saturday. Many lines will have
fewer buses, including major routes like the 14-Mission, 22-Fillmore,
24-Divisadero, 38-Geary, and 47/49-Van Ness. On these and other lines
riders will be forced to wait longer and to ride buses that will be even
more crowded.

Some lines will shut down altogether at certain times, such as the
7-Haight, which will lose all its mid-day and weekend runs. On some lines,
routes will be shortened. For example, the 26-Valencia will no longer
go to SF State, and the 66-Quintara will no longer go downtown.

For a complete list of of cuts, listed by line, check out
http://www.MuniFareStrike.net/31962.html.

In addition to forcing Muni riders to wait longer for more-crowded
buses, these service cuts will inevitably drive many riders off Muni and
into their cars, thus reducing Muni revenues, and making our streets more
congested for both drivers and pedestrians.

Muni had previously talked about reducing service on the Metro lines --
the J, K, L, M and N -- but now they claim that cuts to these lines
"are not taking place in September." October? November? Maybe for
Christmas.

Of course, these service cuts are even more outrageous, given the
recent 20% to 40% increase in fares. Muni's managers apparently expect us to
have such a short memory that we won't realize that we are paying more
for less.

Right now, solidarity in action is the watchword. So, whether you are
part of the Coalition for Transit Justice, Social Strike, Muni Fare
Strike or are just an angry rider, come on out to the united press
conference on Thursday if you can. Basta!



*** MUNI CASH FARE REVENUE STAYS FLAT

We reported last week that we were told to direct all information
requests about Muni revenue to Maggie Lynch, Muni's public relations
officer, instead of Muni's revenue department. And so we did. However, Ms.
Lynch did not answer our calls for several days. Then, after the
much-appreciated intervention of Supervisor Chris Daly, we got our calls
returned, and, after a couple more days, we finally got some new revenue
figures.

The news isn't all that good for Muni's managers. As we reported
previously, Muni collected an average of $169,011 per day on Monday, August
29 through Wednesday, August 31. This was the week that San Francisco's
public schools reopened. Yet on Thursday, September 1, the day the fare
increase was implemented, and the first day of the fare strike, cash
fare revenue declined to $150,529.

The new figures given to us by Muni include weekday cash revenue
through Friday, September 9. The average cash revenue on those weekdays was
$168,342 (excluding the Friday before the Labor Day weekend and Labor
Day itself, both of which were considerably below normal).

While that $168,000 is up from the $150,000 of the first day, it is
still below the $169,000 average in the days just before the fare hike.

In other words, despite Muni's fare increase of 20% for adults, and 40%
for youth, seniors and the disabled, weekday cash fare revenue has
remained virtually flat during this period. That won't even pay for all
those "new fare" signs they stuck up everywhere.

When Muni's service cuts hit next Saturday, forcing Muni riders to wait
longer for more crowded buses, one can only expect cash fare revenue to
take another hit. Stay tuned.



*****

(415) 648-1904
MuniFareStrike [at] yahoo.com
http://www.MuniFareStrike.net

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