My Thoughts on San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

It was so hot yesterday around the Bay Area, I just stayed in my house and browse the internet. What should I browse? I don't know. So I just random picked a website from my bookmark list, I selected San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's website. (SFMTA, better known as Muni) When I logged on its website, nothing is bigger than these three words: SFMTA Budget Deficit.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is now facing an unprecedented budget deficit of $128.9 million for the upcoming fiscal year because of global economic downturn, national recession and some other effects, according to its official website.[1] What is the SFMTA going to do? Of course, bus service cuts, bus fare increases, park meter fees also increase, as well as park violation. For example, some bus lines will be discontinued, some will be trimmed, and some bus frequencies will be reduced. The single adult fare is currently $1.50, but starting this September, the single adult fare will be $2. The price of monthly price will be increased to $55 for an adult this summer, and then once again increase to $60 by early next year. [2] [3]

When I moved to the city about eight years ago, the bus fare was only a buck. It has already risen twice during these eight years. And now, the price may be increased to $2, and that is a double compares to eight years ago. I am so frustrated! The city's residents are frustrated! Everyone in the city pay the tax and fees every day and every month to "feed" the agency's so-called CEO and other administrative personnel. During this tough time, many people have lost their jobs, SFMTA even asks you to pay more money to "feed" those "apple moths", and that is ridiculous!

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency always gives me bad impression; it always gives me the impression like sloppy working manner, bureaucracy, and bad behavior of bus drivers. I still remembered couple years ago, I got aboard a bus toward Chinatown, as always, I flashed my fast pass to the driver, the bus driver, I didn't know what was the problem with her, she scolded me without a reason! I have a valid fast pass; I paid the bus fare, why did you yell me?! If I did not pay the bus fare, you can kick me off the bus. Yelled at a passenger without an acceptable reason, is that the agency's service goal? I felt so embarrassed at that time, I was also furious! I have never seen a driver treat a passenger like that! Do you think you are an official? Official has the power to screw and scold people, right? Ridiculous! You are just a public servant, not an official! You must provide service to our people, not to provide your angry face and bad behavior to us. This is your responsibility. If you want to always scold people, do not work for the government, I suggest you to be an emperor, a supreme leader, then you can scold people as many as you want!

I think the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's the biggest problem is bureaucracy, so if it still does not change its bureaucracy and sloppy working manner, this agency will soon become an incidence of the city government, the ultimate victims will be the city residents.

[1] SFMTA Budget Deficit: Overview. Retrieved from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Offical Website

[2] View more information on increases that could take effect of September 1. Retrieved from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Offical Website

[3] View details of the proposed service reductions. Retrieved from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Official Website