Omicron surge impact on SFMTA’s Muni routes and schedules

The Omicron variant’s contagious level is leading to a rise in the spread of COVID-19, which is impacting the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

More than 100 SFMTA staff have contracted COVID since late last month. Combined with pre-existing staffing shortages, this has led to an increase in missed Muni service. The agency is also experiencing staffing impacts in other job classifications, including mechanics, car cleaners and transit supervisors.

Currently, SFMTA is missing up to 15 percent of scheduled Muni service, which means that riders may need to wait longer than usual for their bus or train. SFMTA notes it hopes this will be the extent of impacts. However, the situation is fluid and SFMTA is monitoring staffing levels daily.

As part of contingency planning, SFMTA is preparing for what might happen if the overall staffing levels drop significantly or if a small, but vital group—such as transit management center or power control center— is significantly impacted. Either of these situations could leave the agency with no choice but to make additional Muni service reductions such as cancelling routes or introducing bus substitutions for rail service.

SFMTA says it is working to avoid this situation by communicating proactively with staff about masking and staying home if they have any symptoms and keeping some staff working vital functions at remote locations to limit exposure. We are grateful that

SFMTA notes that nearly 100 percent of the SFMTA workforce is vaccinated and is encouraging boosters as an effective precaution. SFMTA is also working behind the scenes to prepare signage, operator instructions and all the other materials SFMTA would need to implement changes as smoothly as possible — in the case these become necessary.