Taken with Transportation SFMTA
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- Government
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Welcome to Taken with Transportation, the official podcast of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). Each episode will take you along for the ride as we profile the people and policies that make accessible, equitable transportation in San Francisco possible. These stories will cover everything from the city’s streets to the inner workings of the SFMTA and offer insight and perspectives you won’t get anywhere else. We’re passionate about the work we do and want to share that passion and commitment with you. About the Host: Melissa Culross comes to the SFMTA from the radio industry where she spent three decades hosting broadcasts and creating content for a variety of stations, including KCBS, Star 101.3 and Alice@97.3 in the Bay Area. Melissa has been drawn to storytelling her whole life and has been a regular San Francisco public transit rider since moving to the city in the 1990s.
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Keeping the Vision
In late-March 2014, San Francisco adopted Vision Zero, the road safety policy to eliminate traffic deaths and reduce severe injuries in the city. This episode of Taken with Transportation looks at the impact of that policy and what has changed over the last decade.
We discuss the origins of Vision Zero, as well as the work the SFMTA is doing today and will do into the future to make San Francisco streets safe and joyful. Appearing in the episode are SFMTA Director of Transportation Jeff Tumlin, Board of Directors Chair Amanda Eaken, City Traffic Engineer Ricardo Olea, former Streets Director Tom Maguire and former Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health's Heath, Equity and Sustainability Program Megan Weir. -
Paint, Paper, Metal and Machines
There are things on our streets that we probably take for granted but most definitely help us move around cities safely and efficiently. We’re talking about street signs, street markings and parking meters.
In San Francisco, the SFMTA Street Operations shops handle the signs, street painting and meters we depend on, whether we are getting around by walking, driving, cycling or scooting. In this episode of Taken with Transportation, we pay a visit to those shops and speak with Traffic Paint Shop Supervisor Brian McBride, Meter Shop Manager Tony Massetti, Temporary Sign Program Manager Gretchen Rude and Traffic Sign Shop Manager Noel Laffey. We also get a chance to talk to Thermoplastic Crew Six lead Jarrett Laws and Traffic Sign Installer Patrick Rose as they are on the job. -
How to Muni
If you're new to San Francisco Muni, using it can feel overwhelming at first. Well, don't worry. Whether you've just moved to the city, are planning to visit and don't want to rent a car or have lived here for some time but haven't taken advantage of all Muni has to offer, we at Taken with Transportation have your back.
In this episode, we offer a practical how-to guide for getting around on Muni. Host Melissa Culross speaks with SFMTA Senior Manager of Revenue Collection and Sales Diana Hammons, operators Lynnette Richie and Arnold Gray, station agent Rigo Ortega and Deputy Chief Security Officer Teresa Scism to go over all the ins and outs of the system from how to pay your fare to how to be a courteous passenger. A couple of regular riders even share their experience on Muni and offer a bit of advice. -
Breaking Glass Ceilings Halfway to the Stars
26 years ago this month, Fannie Mae Barnes made history when she became San Francisco's first female cable car grip. In this episode of Taken with Transportation, Barnes talks with host Melissa Culross about that experience. The episode also features Willa Johnson, the second female grip.
The women discuss what it takes, physically, to be a grip and what it was like to break the glass ceiling that hung over San Francisco's beloved cable cars for more than a century. -
Celebrating Culture and Community on a Cable Car
Specially decorated cable cars climb the hills of San Francisco throughout the year in honor of different communities and cultures. It's one of the ways the SFMTA celebrates the diversity of its staff and of the city.
In this episode of Taken with Transportation, host Melissa Culross rides the cars decorated in honor of Filipino American History Month and Native American Heritage Month and talks with Cable Car Division Manager Fred Butler, SFMTA Board of Directors member Lydia So and various agency staffers about the heritage cable car program. -
More Than a Meter Maid
One of the most misunderstood roles at the SFMTA is that of the parking control officer or PCO. In this episode of Taken with Transportation, host Melissa Culross spends time on the streets of San Francisco with PCOs Scott Ong, Todd Baxter and Ruben Reveles, as well as Parking Enforcement Assistant Director and Captain Kent Chiu, to learn why parking enforcement is essential and what parking control officers do. She discovers that they are much more than just so-called "meter maids."