SFMTA changes seating arrangement of LRV4 vehicles

Dec. 20, 2023

The seating arrangement, known as transverse seats, lets passengers choose whether they want to face forward or backwards, depending on the direction the train is headed.

New seating arrangement in LRV4 vehicles with seats facing the front or rear.

In early September, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) introduced the addition of side-by-side seats facing the front or rear of its LRV4 vehicles, also known as transverse seats. Car #2120 was the first of a hundred LRV4 cars to feature a revamped interior. The seating arrangement lets passengers choose whether they want to face forward or backwards, depending on the direction the train is headed.

The original interiors in Municipal Railway’s (Muni) LRV4 fleet featured a bench arrangement that ran along the outer walls of the cars, with seats that face inward towards the center aisle of the train and lacked the “butt-dimples” passengers were accustomed to seeing. The layout allowed more people to ride on each train car but SFMTA notes some passengers found the seating uncomfortable and wanted more places to sit.

While all vehicles are being updated to include transverse seats, only the newer LRV4 vehicles have been equipped with double-transverse seating options, as the change required structural reinforcement to support the extra weight of two passengers.

The LRV4s with the double-transverse seats will be the final phase of LRV4 vehicles joining the Muni fleet before a preventative brake rebuild. The $20 million overhaul and upgrade will improve reliability and extend the manufacturer’s warranty on the new vehicles.