SAN FRANCISCO — Seven of Muni’s smaller neighborhood routes have been operating around a fleet inspection and repair program that SFMTA says will continue into September.
In a transit update prepared for the agency’s Sept. 1 Board meeting, SFMTA said a hold and inspection began June 1 for its fleet of 30-foot buses. The agency listed the 35 Eureka, 36 Teresita, 37 Corbett, 39 Coit, 56 Rutland, 66 Quintara and 67 Bernal Heights as routes affected by the action.
SFMTA also said Meritor/Cummins, identified in the presentation as the braking-system manufacturer, supplied reinforced, redesigned brackets that are now being installed across the fleet. Installation is expected to be completed in mid- to late September.
Which Muni routes are affected by the 30-foot bus work?
| Route | Neighborhood service |
|---|---|
| 35 Eureka | Castro / Glen Park area |
| 36 Teresita | Forest Hill / Miraloma area |
| 37 Corbett | Castro / Twin Peaks approaches |
| 39 Coit | North Beach / Telegraph Hill |
| 56 Rutland | Visitacion Valley |
| 66 Quintara | Inner Sunset / Quintara |
| 67 Bernal Heights | Bernal Heights |
The SFMTA presentation does not say that every trip on every one of those routes is currently cancelled. “Affected” can include vehicle substitutions, availability constraints and schedule adjustments while the small fleet cycles through inspection and repair.
What did SFMTA find on the small buses?
The public Board presentation is brief. It says the 30-vehicle fleet entered a hold-and-inspection program and that the manufacturer supplied reinforced redesigned brackets associated with the braking system.
It does not describe a citywide brake failure, nor does it say riders were placed on buses known to be unsafe. SFMTA says it implemented an accelerated inspection cycle every 2,000 miles, roughly monthly, while the new parts are installed.
That distinction matters. The confirmed story is an inspection and component-replacement program affecting the availability of a specialized fleet — not evidence that the seven routes are broadly unsafe to ride.
Why do these routes use smaller buses?
The seven lines share a practical problem: several operate on narrow, steep or tightly turning neighborhood streets where a standard 40-foot or 60-foot coach can be a poor fit.
The 39 Coit climbs into Telegraph Hill. The 37 Corbett and 35 Eureka work through hilly central neighborhoods. The 67 Bernal Heights serves streets around Bernal’s slopes. That is why losing even part of the 30-foot fleet can be harder to solve than simply sending any spare full-size bus.
SFMTA can make substitutions where street geometry and vehicle availability allow, but the small fleet exists because some routes need it.
How long will the work continue?
The agency says installation of the redesigned brackets is already underway and expects completion in mid- to late September.
Until then, riders on the seven routes should treat real-time predictions as more useful than a generic assumption that a route is suspended. SF News Today’s live transit page shows current Muni alerts and arrivals.
The maintenance issue comes amid vacancies in skilled transit jobs
The same Sept. 1 transit presentation gives the repair program a wider workforce context.
SFMTA listed a 20% vacancy rate among Electrical Transit System Mechanics, 17% among Automotive Mechanics and 14% among Electronic Maintenance Technicians as of June 24. Transit operators, by comparison, were listed at only 3% vacant.
The agency said prolonged hiring restrictions in non-operator positions have produced high vacancies in maintenance and craft classifications, with specialty areas posing some of the largest risks.
That does not establish that staffing shortages caused the 30-foot bus bracket issue. It does show why the capacity to inspect, repair and return vehicles to service is an important part of Muni reliability, not a back-office detail.
What should riders on the seven routes do?
Check the specific trip before leaving, particularly during low-frequency periods when a missing or substituted bus can create a much longer wait.
Riders can use SFMTA predictions, the agency’s alerts and SF News Today’s live page. If the repair schedule holds, the small-bus fleet should be substantially through the bracket installation by later this month.