Muni wants exemption from CA pollution rules. It's a no-brainer.

"Well, here's a shocker: Muni, the fiscally strapped transit service that slowly moves people and Takis wrappers around San Francisco, is insanely clean. We're not talking about the insides of Muni vehicles. You still need to look hard before you sit down. Rather, we're talking about the tailpipes. Muni's contribution to the city's total emissions, as a percentage, reminds us a bit of the Crazy Eddie commercials that Dad and Uncle Steve used to flip through the channels to find in a pre-cable, pre-internet New York City: They're so low, low, low that they're - insaaaaaaane."

"In 2019, the state mandated public transit agencies start transitioning from diesel buses to zero-emission buses. By January 2026, half of all new bus purchases must be zero-emission. By 2029, all new purchases must be zero-emission. And by 2040, the entire fleet should be zero-emission."

"Bhavin Khatri, the Municipal Transportation Agency's zero emissions program manager, tells Mission Local that bringing Muni into compliance would run "in the hundreds of millions of dollars." Muni is facing a $300 million deficit starting in July 2026 and is considering draconian financial measures that could eviscerate a service that has rarely worked better in recent memory. Muni does not have the money to invest in long-term zero-emission fleet upgrades and infrastructure renovations. It doesn't even have the money to buy the Takis chips scattered through its buses and trains."

Muni's tailpipe emissions are exceptionally low relative to San Francisco's total emissions, but they are not zero. California required transit agencies in 2019 to begin transitioning from diesel to zero-emission buses, with half of new purchases zero-emission by January 2026, all new purchases by 2029, and an all-zero fleet by 2040. Bringing Muni into compliance would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Muni faces a $300 million deficit starting in July 2026 and lacks funds for fleet and infrastructure upgrades. Muni plans to seek an exemption and continue operating diesel-hybrid buses while prioritizing full buses.

Read at Mission Local