COVID: Muni To Suspend 'Short' Line Service Citing Vaccine Mandate Staffing Issues
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Officials with the SFMTA announced that some Muni bus service will be temporarily suspended on November 1, citing upcoming staffing shortages due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees.
The agency said so-called "short" line service, which run on a portion of a longer Muni line, will be suspended on some lines. Suspended lines include the 1 California Short, 14R Mission Rapid Short (weekends only), 30 Stockton Short, and 49 Van Ness Short (weekdays only).
"We made the difficult decision to cut the supplemental short line service because it may be temporarily eliminated without jeopardizing access to any stops or connections along the full route," officials said in a statement Wednesday.
SFMTA officials said customers may experience additional crowding and longer wait times.
Last week, the agency warned riders about "noticeable service disruptions" starting in November, noting that 275 of the agency's 6,000 employees had yet to be vaccinated or disclosed their vaccination status as of October 18. The agency also said staffing shortages due to the mandate could affect parking enforcement.
SFMTA said it does not have a precise timeline on when service would be restored, but said they are continuing to work with operators to address their vaccination status and that new operators are being hired and trained.
The city's vaccination policy requires all employees to be fully vaccinated by November 1, 10 weeks after the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to at least one of the authorized vaccines.