Phil Matier: Muni Accused Of Serious Safety Violations
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- The California Public Utilities Commission has issued a scathing report after inspectors found numerous safety violations involving Muni streetcars.
KCBS and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier said that the report alleged a number of violations on Muni over the past few years, including technical ones such as the failure to fill out accident reports in time.
Phil Matier for KCBS:
Other allegations were more serious, such as 29 safety violations that have not been fixed since 2009. This includes deteriorating tracks along Church and Duboce Streets and braking violations inside the Sunset Tunnel. Muni responded to that charge by saying that the system had never worked.
"Muni is shooting back saying they were blindsided," said Matier. "They say they thought they were working with the CPUC to get these problems corrected."
Matier said that key among those upset at the report is Nat Ford, the head of Muni, who also happens to be a finalist for a very choice transit job back in Washington D.C.
"I've got to think that this report, preliminary or not, coming out at this time might derail his plans of moving to D.C.," said Matier.
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