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City and County of San Francisco Regular Meeting Minutes Thursday, August 6, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. 1. Call to Order / Roll Call SFMTA CAC members present at Roll Call: Joan Downey, Steve Ferrario, Griffith Humphrey, Daniel Murphy, Cesar Perez, Norman Rolfe, Janel Sterbentz, Dorris Vincent, Daniel Weaver, Ruth Wheeler and Jamison Wieser SFMTA CAC members absent: Mary Burns, Art Cimento and Susan Vaughan 2. Adopt minutes of July 9, 2009: On motion to adopt the minutes of July 9: Adopted 3. Public Comment: none 4. Report of the Chairman: Daniel Murphy Chairman Murphy stated that Susan Vaughan, Supervisor Eric Mar’s CAC appointee, will begin participating in CAC meetings this September. Chairman Murphy stated that he appeared on television and radio regarding the July 18 West Portal rail accident. While accidents are being blamed on the SFMTA’s on-time performance, the number of accidents has actually decreased as the service has become more reliable. He noted that safety issues were being questioned by the media, but on the other hand, transit is the safest way to get around the city. Chairman Murphy reminded the CAC that e-mails sent to the entire CAC are public documents. Chairman Murphy stated that open government rules apply to committees as well as to the Council. Should a quorum of Council members attend a committee meeting, then it is declared a committee of the whole, which is covered by the boilerplate of the committee meeting notices. Greg Riessen arrived at 5:50 p.m. 5. Staff Report (Discussion/Action) The staff report was provided. Regarding Information Request 090720-09, Chairman Murphy asked about parking violations that could be applied to stalled vehicles that block transit. Regarding Information Request 090720-10, Joan Downey stated that she witnessed the July 13 accident. The bicyclist was struck by the automobile not the LRV. Sam Lau, deputy chief operations officer, Muni Operations, stated that he will investigate the incident. Regarding Information Request 090709-01, Steve Ferrario asked why the June 3 Automatic Train Control System delay was missing from the Daily Operations Report. Sam Lau stated that he would report the error to the Operations Control Center. Regarding Information Request 090720-08, Dan Weaver wanted additional information regarding the remedy of the missing K/T trains on June 3. Chairman Murphy stated that the L and S lines were missing from the priority list. Jamison Wieser stated that the S Line was not listed because it was not a running line. Mr. Wieser asked why the J Line, with its low ridership, was assigned the highest priority. Regarding June 3, Sam Lau stated that the missing train problem was due to a shortage of operators, the general signup and training. He stated that line prioritization, a formula to resolve last minute shortages, was developed based on the City’s terrain and not on ridership. The J, M and N lines are difficult to motorize. The J Line route has multiple hills and turns. Motorizing the M and N lines is challenging, due to the traffic-congested Lincoln Way bus route, the volume of college customers and safety concerns. The Third Street route is flat, straight and easy to motorize. When T trains service ball games, the K Line is motorized. Public Comment David Pilpel stated that the Saint Francis Circle reconstruction project should include a third track for flexibility. He stated that it makes sense to run a K/L shuttle with an M stem in order to avoid bus backups at the West Portal Station. Transfers are being issued with wrong dates. Chairman Murphy assigned the issue of wrong dates on transfers to the OCSC. 6. West Portal Rail Accident (Discussion/Action) Jim Dougherty Jim Dougherty, chief safety officer/director, Transportation Safety, stated that on Saturday, July 18, at 2:50 p.m., an operator switched his train from automatic to manual control without permission. It was reported that the operator then “blacked out.” As a result, his train collided with the preceding train. There were no fatalities. The customers that were hospitalized were released, most of them on the same day. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not yet identified any mechanical failures. The NTSB and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have completed their investigation. The SFMTA Transportation Safety Division will prepare a final accident report. Some of the details are still under investigation and cannot be disclosed at this time. Mr. Dougherty stated that he will provide the NTSB, the CPUC and the SFMTA reports to the CAC when they become available. Public Comment David Pilpel stated that the “dead man” train feature should be redesigned. 7. Operator Absenteeism (Discussion/Action) Samuel Lau Samuel Lau, deputy chief operations officer, Muni Operations, reviewed the various categories of absenteeism. Division superintendents track patterns of sick leave abuse. Long-term absences have been reduced from 300 to a monthly average of 140 to 160. The extra board for covering absenteeism is at nine percent. At least 190 more operators are needed to cover existing service and to fill an optimum 21 percent extra board. Since 2008, operators hired have outnumbered operators lost to attrition. Night training has been added. Rail operators are being cross-trained to drive both F Line cars and LRVs. If operators are not available, the dispatcher resolves shortages by offering operators overtime to work their regular days off. Steve Ferrario stated that the Operations Division and labor relations should discuss dropping the requirement that rail applicants need to have bus driving experience. Joan Downey stated that absentee reports should separate scheduled absences from unscheduled absences. Sam Lau will provide a quarterly report on absenteeism. Public Comment David Pilpel stated that staff needs to define the terms for paid and unpaid time in view of budget costs, requisition control and filling daily transit service. The SFMTA should look at policies of other departments that have reduced long-term absenteeism. 8. Committee Reports: none 9. Recommendation from a CAC Committee (Discussion/Action) Greg Riessen departed at 8 p.m. Motion 090715.02 The SFMTA CAC recommends that the SFMTA post the Baby Stroller Policy at all Muni Metro stations, on SFMTA vehicles, on the SFMTA map and on the SFMTA Web site and that operators be trained in the new stroller policy. The SFMTA CAC further recommends that the Baby Stroller Policy be revised as follows: 1. It is the parent’s decision as to whether the child is safer in the stroller or being held by the parent, as the parent would know the capabilities of the particular stroller that he/she is bringing on board the vehicle. 2. If the child is left in the stroller: a. The stroller must have brakes. If it is a stroller without brakes, it must be folded up, and the child must be held by the parent. b. The child must be strapped down or belted within the stroller. c. Whether sitting or standing, the parent must keep one hand on the stroller to prevent it from moving in the event of sudden stops. 3. Strollers will only be allowed on vehicles and trains when there is room. Travel during commute hours (weekdays 5 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.) is discouraged (and may be refused) and restricted to only those transit vehicles without crowding issues. 4. Strollers cannot block the pathway of people moving to and from the exits at anytime. It is recommended and permissible to fold up the seats in the wheelchair securement area for strollers, provided there are no wheelchair customers needing the space or passengers needing seats. 5. Strollers are not allowed on station escalators. Public Comment Jane Bolig stated that the word “parent” should be replaced with the word “caregiver.” Chairman Murphy moved to amend Motion 090715.02, replacing the word “parent” with the word “caregiver.” Without objection the Motion 090715.02 was amended to read as follows: Motion 090715.02 The SFMTA CAC recommends that the SFMTA post the Baby Stroller Policy at all Muni Metro stations, on SFMTA vehicles, on the SFMTA map and on the SFMTA Web site and that operators be trained in the new stroller policy. The SFMTA CAC further recommends that the Baby Stroller Policy be revised as follows: 1. It is the caregiver’s decision as to whether the child is safer in the stroller or being held by the caregiver, as the caregiver would know the capabilities of the particular stroller that he/she is bringing on board the vehicle. 2. If the child is left in the stroller: a. The stroller must have brakes. If it is a stroller without brakes, it must be folded up, and the child must be held by the caregiver. b. The child must be strapped down or belted within the stroller. c. Whether sitting or standing, the caregiver must keep one hand on the stroller to prevent it from moving in the event of sudden stops. 3. Strollers will only be allowed on vehicles and trains when there is room. Travel during commute hours (weekdays 5 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.) is discouraged (and may be refused) and restricted to only those transit vehicles without crowding issues. 4. Strollers cannot block the pathway of people moving to and from the exits at anytime. It is recommended and permissible to fold up the seats in the wheelchair securement area for strollers, provided there are no wheelchair customers needing the space or passengers needing seats. 5. Strollers are not allowed on station escalators. On motion to adopt Motion 090715.02 as amended: Adopted 10. Committee Members’ Questions/Information Requests: (Discussion) Ruth Wheeler stated that the Parking and Traffic Division should focus on resolving the traffic backup caused by the Concourse Parking Garage. Joan Downey asked about the effect of missing runs on service runs and on-time performance. Jamison Wieser stated that the Translink card works on BART. Mr. Wieser asked that the CAC formulate a letter urging the S.F. Board of Supervisors to approve funding to rehabilitate historic streetcars. Chairman Murphy referred the matter to the EMSC. Mr. Wieser stated that buses using the F Line terminus at Castro Plaza to turn around are knocking over the bollards. Sam Lau stated that he will investigate. Mr. Wieser stated that the CAC should get an update on fare inspections, policing and the streamlining of fare instruments. Chairman Murphy assigned the matter to the CAC. Dan Weaver asked for a copy of the written agreement between the SFMTA and Clear Channel Outdoors that specify the requirements for the cleaning and the maintenance of Muni shelters and boarding islands. Steve Ferrario stated that the rollout of new shelters should be postponed until after a post-rainy season review of the practicality of the preliminary shelter’s design. Chairman Murphy assigned the matter to the PMC. 11. Agenda Planning for the Next Regular Meeting Tentatively Scheduled: Next regular meeting: September 3, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. Update on fare inspections, policing and the streamlining of fare instruments. 12. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 p.m. Respectfully submitted by: |
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