Executive Summary

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Background

San Francisco is home to an estimated 187,000 adults ages 60 and older and 38,000 adults ages 18-64 living with a disability. Nearly two-thirds of the disabled population are people of color. Together, these two groups represent about 25% of the city’s population.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) believes in a transportation system that moves everyone, and serving this diverse, vibrant, and vital community population is a cornerstone of our efforts to ensure the transportation network is accessible and affordable to all. Accessibility informs all work done by SFMTA staff, and this Needs Assessment is a summary of how that happens and what could be improved. 

Not only does Muni — the backbone of San Francisco’s public transportation network — provide accessible public transit to virtually every corner of San Francisco, the SFMTA strives to implement transit, paratransit, regulated private mobility and street improvements that meet and also exceed the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other legal and regulatory requirements. From free transit fare programs to Accessible Pedestrian Signals, the SFMTA plays a vital role in ensuring that San Francisco’s communities of older adults and people with disabilities can easily get where they need to go safely, affordably and reliably.

Purpose and Process 

Staff across the SFMTA in every division are responsible for ensuring the accessibility of our programs, policies and services. Accessibility is a priority metric in the SFMTA Strategic Plan, and the agency is committed to addressing gaps in access so people of all ages and abilities can get where they need to go. The Accessible Services Section comprises the key staff for providing technical assistance and guidance on how to best meet these needs.

Building on the agency’s deep history and commitment to accessibility, this document is the first phase of a coordinated and comprehensive strategy being developed by the Accessible Services Section, in coordination with our colleagues and public stakeholders, to address the diverse transportation needs of people with disabilities and older adults in San Francisco.

The work of the Accessibility Strategy is being conducted in three phases.  

  1. Phase One, our Current Conditions Needs Assessment, details our present successes and challenges to ensuring accessibility of San Francisco’s transportation network. The Needs Assessment consolidates and highlights the internal and external wisdom we have collected over the years — from rider survey and performance data to feedback from advisory board meetings and ongoing public outreach. This initial assessment is intended to provide a clear picture of what we have already accomplished, where our resources are currently being focused, the results of these efforts (including our strengths and challenges), and what opportunities and risks may lie ahead. 
  2. Following the publishing of the Needs Assessment, the Accessibility Strategy work will focus on Phase Two, the development of Goals and Actions. The SFMTA will collaborate with the community to develop these goals and actions, which will serve as a roadmap to address the issues and opportunities that have been identified in Phase One. We plan to bring the Goals and Actions to the SFMTA Board (MTAB) for adoption.  
  3. Once our Accessibility Strategy goals and actions are adopted by MTAB, Phase Three work will commence, focusing on Implementation and Performance Measurement (ongoing). Phase Three will help us specify how we measure the progress of implementing our actions to reach our goals and set expectations for how we communicate this progress internally and externally. 

Needs Assessment Methodology

The SFMTA has worked toward accessible projects and programs for many years, and to date there is no comprehensive existing document that summarizes all of these efforts. Thus, the Needs Assessment is a synthesis of the internal and external wisdom we have collected over the years — from rider survey and performance data to feedback from advisory board meetings, related needs assessments and ongoing public outreach.

Each section of this Needs Assessment documents Current Conditions and Key Needs in different areas of the SFMTA’s purview. We combined performance data, community wisdom and institutional knowledge to summarize our efforts to make San Francisco’s transportation network accessible to all and to identify shortcomings where improvement is needed. This document is informed by years of community outreach, engagement, planning and program implementation across all facets of the agency, including customer survey responses, workshop findings, citywide task force recommendations, staff interviews, on-time performance metrics, feedback from community advisory bodies and more. Information is also drawn from a range of SFMTA documents and feedback from SFMTA staff, including former Accessible Services Director Annette Williams. 

This initial assessment is intended to provide a clear picture of aging and disability in San Francisco in relation to the diverse transportation needs of the community and provide a summary of what the SFMTA has already accomplished, where our resources are currently being focused, the results of these efforts (including our strengths and challenges), and what opportunities and risks may lie ahead. 

Summary of Current Conditions and Key Needs

Streets

San Francisco has built hundreds of projects designed to improve street safety and make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around. Additionally, as emerging mobility such as scooters, bikeshare, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) and Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) have developed, San Francisco has created new device standards and actively participated in state and federal rulemaking to advocate for the accessibility and safety of our streets. These active transportation and emerging mobility projects and programs are of vital importance to the disability community and older adults. Despite major progress in project implementation, challenges and opportunities remain.

1. Streets Capital Projects

  • 1.1 Consistent Accessibility Guidance on Streets Projects: Current accessibility guidelines and standards do not cover all design challenges encountered in San Francisco. There is an ongoing need to develop more comprehensive guidelines and standards to simplify accessibility planning and reduce costs.
  • 1.2 Multi-Agency Project Coordination: The SFMTA works closely with various agencies that are responsible for different elements in the public right of way. Ongoing coordination with these agencies is an important part of ensuring accessibility across San Francisco. 
  • 1.3 Flexible and Responsive Safety Improvements: To improve accessibility and safety for people with disabilities and older adults, the SFMTA needs to continue implementing Quick-Build projects and various pedestrian safety upgrades throughout the city.
  • 1.4 Accessible Pedestrian Signals: Adjustments to pedestrian signals at intersections can make a substantial difference for safety. To continue improving safety for pedestrians with disabilities and older adults, we must secure more funding to install Accessible Pedestrian Signals and complete the roll-out of increased crossing times to all signals in the city.
  • 1.5 Accessible Parking and Loading: The number of accessible parking spots should be increased to better meet community need and mitigate the effects of disabled parking placard abuse. 
  • 1.6 Parking and Charging of Personal Mobility Devices: The lack of designated charging locations in San Francisco makes it difficult for people who use electric wheelchairs and adaptive navigation equipment to get around the city. Installing publicly accessible charging stations could expand the accessibility of outdoor and recreational activities in San Francisco.

2. Streets Planning and Policy

  • 2.1 Accessibility-Informed Programs and Planning: Planning accessible streets requires the perspectives and experiences of people with disabilities and older adults. The SFMTA should continue exploring effective and innovative methods to learn from the lived experience of these populations.
  • 2.2 Accessibility-Informed Data and Evaluations: The data collection and evaluation processes must incorporate and reflect the perspectives of individuals with disabilities. Expanding accessibility data collection beyond current norms will enable the SFMTA to create more inclusive programs and street designs that prioritize safety and usability for everyone. There are ample opportunities to enhance our current efforts in analyzing street quality and safety, as well as evaluating the impact of our interventions.
  • 2.4 Accessible Emerging Private Passenger Services: New private passenger services like Uber, Lyft and Autonomous Vehicles should be accessible to all users. Despite not having regulatory authority over these services, the SFMTA can continue to participate in rulemaking processes to ensure that the needs of disabled riders are being met.
  • 2.5 Increased Adoption of Adaptive Cycling and Scooter Programs: In the last few years, the SFMTA has promoted accessible options for micromobility services like bikeshare and scooters. Adaptive cycling and scooter program ridership could provide more transportation options for people with disabilities.

Muni

Many older adults and people with disabilities are dependent on Muni for their independence and connections to community. In addition to specific requirements established by the ADA to ensure access to public transportation, Muni has many other policies in place to make travel easier for seniors and people with disabilities, including accessible vehicles and Muni’s free and discounted fare programs. Due to the intersection of disability, race, economic status and other identities, any decrease in transit service or negative change to the reliability of the system can disproportionately impact riders with disabilities and older adults. Therefore, we must continue to apply an equity lens to our transit planning and policy to ensure Muni remains accessible to all.  

3. Muni Capital Projects

  • 3.1 Accessible Muni Vehicles: Collaborations between the SFMTA and riders with disabilities have led to new accessibility features on buses, such as improved ramps, braille/raised-letter numbers for easy bus identification, and extra flip-up seats for strollers to avoid conflicts with wheelchair users. Ongoing engagement is essential to maintain and enhance accessibility across the entire fleet.
  • 3.2 Reliable Elevators and Escalators: Elevator outages significantly impact the accessibility of the fixed route system, especially at stations with only one elevator between station levels. The agency requires funding to ensure the reliability and cleanliness of elevators and escalators serving Muni Metro stations.
  • 3.3 Accessible Surface Rail Stops: Riders who use mobility devices are not able to board or alight at surface stops without wheelchair accessible islands. Riders would benefit from the construction of six additional accessible stops identified by previous planning work. Long-range planning decisions made as part of the Muni Metro Core Capacity study may provide an opportunity to deploy all low-floor rail vehicles at surface stops and make the entire system accessible.
  • 3.4 Accessible Signage and Wayfinding: Potential areas of improvement include audible wayfinding at bus stops and Metro stations, audible information regarding temporary changes in service, and signage pointing to accessible boarding locations and designated stroller areas.
  • 3.5 Improved Bus Shelters: Improving bus stop amenities includes increasing the quantity and quality of shelters, seating, lighting and real-time customer information at all stops, prioritizing high ridership stops. Challenges to installing shelters include the complex approval process and community concerns with shelters related to personal security.
  • 3.6 Modified Flag Stops: Flag stops are locations where the bus stops in the travel lane instead of the curb. Without access to the curb, buses are not able to deploy the wheelchair lift or lower the vehicle for easier boarding. Riders are also at a risk of collision with cars or bicycles in the parking lane. Upgrading these stops will make them safer and more accessible. 

4. Muni Service Planning and Policy

  • 4.1 Service Planning for Accessibility: Planning Muni service to address issues such as crowding, reliability and stop spacing helps improve transit access for seniors and people with disabilities. The SFMTA centers accessibility in its strategies and policies, including the Muni Service Equity Strategy, Muni Forward improvements and Bus Stop Change Evaluations.
  • 4.2 Affordable Muni: The Muni system should remain affordable for older adults and people with disabilities. Many older adults and people with disabilities in San Francisco face a high cost of living with limited or fixed financial resources. Free Muni is critical for 99,500 people who rely on the program to maintain mobility, health and independence.
  • 4.3 Operator Training Refreshers Based Upon Customer Feedback: Accessible Services conducts training for Muni operators, supervisors, station agents and proof of payment personnel to ensure staff are equipped to address riders respectfully and assist them meaningfully. Customer feedback can help the agency to focus on areas where further training is needed or emerging issues that have not yet been addressed in training.
  • 4.4 Customizable Muni Trip Planner. The collection and/or integration of certain data, such as street slope, accessibility of individual stops and stop amenities, are needed to be able to implement this. 
  • 4.5 Accessible Communication of Service Schedules and Changes: Information about Muni, including schedules, temporary Muni service changes and unexpected disruptions, including the availability of elevators, should be well-communicated in a variety of accessible formats. The new Customer Information System project will improve communication for accessible trip planning but requires additional data to implement such as street slope, accessibility of individual stops, and stop amenities.
  • 4.6 Continued Community Collaboration: Listening to input from advocacy organizations, community advisory bodies, and individual riders is an important way to ensure Muni services are accessible to seniors and people with disabilities. The SFMTA should continue to work intentionally to solicit goals and identify community needs by working with existing community organizations. 

Paratransit

The services under the SF Paratransit umbrella provide over half a million van and taxi trips every year to people unable to independently use the Muni system some or all the time. Demand is expected to grow as the city’s population ages and the number of adults aged 85 or older increases. With this increase in demand, we are presented with an opportunity to evaluate and reimagine the SF Paratransit program to meet the evolving trip needs and expectations of our riders.

5. Paratransit Mobility Management 

  • 5.1 Effective Travel and Training Resources and Materials:  The SFMTA's Mobility Management Center offers culturally appropriate travel training to help older adults and people with disabilities navigate Muni's fixed-route system. A diversity of travel training materials and resources that complement in-person training, such as videos, brochures and social media campaigns will help expand the effectiveness of travel training. 
  • 5.2 "No-Wrong-Door" Approach: The SFMTA's "no wrong door" approach to accessibility outreach has helped the agency answer questions in community locations. Presence in health clinics and previous Disability and Aging Services Hub "office hours" have proven especially effective. An increased physical and virtual presence that trains other customer-facing personnel and reinforces a “no wrong door” philosophy would reinforce this approach. There is also a need to identify additional touchpoints and trainings, such as with rehabilitation facility staff and hospital discharge planners.
  • 5.3 Support Community Health: Specialized public transportation is an essential piece of supporting public health. The Mobility Management Center is preparing to re-launch travel training with new sensitivities and understandings of current attitudes and perceptions in using the fixed-route system, such as personal safety and COVID-19 concerns
  • 5.4 Improved Engagement to Non-English Speaking Communities: The SFMTA's Mobility Management team is focused on connecting with organizations that work with various Spanish, Russian and Chinese speaking community to conduct outreach. Increased outreach to non-English speaking communities is needed for SF Paratransit to effectively reach everyone who requires paratransit services.

6. Paratransit Capital 

  • 6.1 Electric Paratransit Vehicle Procurement: The SFMTA will need to transition its current paratransit fleet to be 100% electric over the next 20 years.
  • 6.2 Permanent Paratransit Facility: The SFMTA plans to build or acquire a new paratransit facility by 2034.
  • 6.3 Other Physical Technological Investments: Investing in new technologies can help make the SFMTA's paratransit safer, more efficient and more user friendly. 

7. Paratransit Financial

  • 7.1 Cost-Effective Alternatives to Traditional Van Service: The SFMTA should continue to provide cost-effective alternatives to traditional ADA van services, such as taxi and group van services.
  • 7.2 Fare Assistance: The SFMTA should continue to provide assistance for paratransit riders who have difficulty paying their fares.
  • 7.3 Clipper Payments for Paratransit Services: Enabling customers to pay for paratransit with their Clipper Card will make the paratransit service easier and more convenient to use for more people.
  • 7.4 Fixed Route Fare Policy Impacts on Paratransit: By law, paratransit fares can be no more than twice the cost of a fixed route fare. The SFMTA policy is to charge the same fare for paratransit as a one-way Muni trip using a Clipper Card. Proposed increases to fixed route fares and proposals for zero fare transit can directly impact paratransit fares and service sustainability. Changes to regional fixed route fare policy can also impact potential one-seat intercounty paratransit services.

8. Paratransit Eligibility and Enrollment

  • 8.1 Regional Eligibility Coordination Efforts: The SFMTA works with other organizations in the Bay Area to make it easy and affordable for paratransit users to travel around the region. SF Paratransit should work with regional partners to improve information about accessible travel to and from San Francisco International Airport.
  • 8.2 Improved Eligibility and Enrollment Processes: Expanding and improving enrollment options for SF Paratransit programs will make it easier and more convenient for customers to sign up. 
  • 8.3 Services for Prospective Paratransit Applicants: The SFMTA should address the need for services between the time of ADA paratransit application submission and when it is finally approved.
  • 8.4 Online Scheduling and Payment: Online payments are quickly gaining popularity with paratransit riders. The number of online paratransit bookings is also increasing. There are opportunities to improve the payment and scheduling experience, including mobile apps and trip planning tools that provide ride options across multiple providers.

9. Paratransit Service Performance

  • 9.1 Same Day Reservations and Chained Trips: SF Access van service requires reservations at least one day in advance to ensure efficiency and manage demand. The SF Paratransit Taxi program offers greater flexibility, and the FTA encourages exploring flexible funding for innovative solutions to support same-day and chained paratransit trips.
  • 9.2 Community Engagement and Partnerships: Community engagement and partnerships support innovative and flexible paratransit services like Group Van. SF Paratransit should continue involving the senior and disabled community as well as non-profit and agency partners in policy and program development.
  • 9.3 Staff and Contractor Recruitment: The SFMTA should ensure that their paratransit contractor staff are compensated competitively and have opportunities for career advancement. The SFMTA should also look for ways to increase the number of staff positions to handle increased call volumes and customer-facing responsibilities.
  • 9.4 Regional Paratransit Service It is challenging for paratransit agencies to coordinate a passenger’s trip that involves crossing county lines. The SFMTA should pursue opportunities to improve efficiency and customer experience.

Taxis

In San Francisco, taxis are considered part of the public transit network and are required to be accessible to people with disabilities. All San Francisco taxis participate in the SF Paratransit program, which allows customers to pay for taxis using their Paratransit debit card. Taxis have provided Paratransit services in San Francisco since the 1980s. The SFMTA works to promote a vibrant taxi industry through intelligent regulation, enforcement and partnership with the industry. Improving access to taxi services for older adults and people with disabilities improves the quality and accessibility of San Francisco's public transit network.

10. Taxis
  • 10.1 Accessible Taxi Stands: Accessible Taxi stands are an important part of providing accessible taxi service in San Francisco. The SFMTA is working to make more taxi stands accessible to people with disabilities. 
  • 10.2 Ramp Taxi Availability: Ramp taxis are wheelchair accessible vehicles in San Francisco's taxi fleet. The SFMTA provides operating and capital incentives to ramp taxi drivers to help increase their number and availability. The SFMTA should evaluate whether current ramp taxi incentives are ensuring good service for wheelchair users.
  • 10.3 Accessibility-Informed Taxi Policies: Taxis are a key component in providing accessible, affordable, same day on-demand service to seniors and individuals with disabilities in San Francisco. This has been accomplished by ensuring accessibility is a component in the development of new taxi policies and programs. It is paramount that SFMTA continue this focus on accessibility as the taxi industry evolves.   

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, the work of the SFMTA’s Accessible Services Section will need to focus on both long-standing inequities and significant changes that have affected the city’s transportation system and the overall mobility of its residents, workers and visitors in recent years. During the pandemic, people’s needs and travel choices changed. This is especially true for older adults and people with disabilities at risk for more severe outcomes of a COVID-19 infection. This period also redefined what it means to support essential travel to destinations around the city and how and when residents use the public rights-of-way for exercise and socializing. Additionally, the widespread adoption of telecommuting in early 2020 showed the city how new technologies and business operations could be adopted quickly and what a city without vehicle congestion could look like. As the city emerges from a declared public health emergency, the transportation industry faces both opportunities and challenges while adjusting to a new normal.

At the same time, regulators are grappling with how to keep up with transportation innovation to ensure equity and accessibility. Transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft have shifted expectations for on-demand travel and ride-hailing, powered e-scooters now earn permits, dockless electric-assist bicycles are commonplace, and autonomous vehicles have been commercially deployed on the streets of San Francisco. Unless concerted effort is made to prioritize equity and accessibility, historically marginalized neighborhoods and communities may continue to lack needed transportation resources and infrastructure and be further harmed if new services do not adequately address their needs.

Finally, as climate change ushers in an era of extreme weather events, hazards and disasters, vulnerable communities are even more at risk when lifeline services lack back-up systems. The SFMTA and its Accessible Services Section will need to continue to partner with other city agencies to center serving our most vulnerable residents, and to build resiliency into our transportation system, especially for seniors and people with disabilities.