San Francisco Muni Officials Respond To Regulator's Safety Concerns

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Officials with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said the transit system is safe and in much better shape than state regulators have claimed in a recently released report.

The scathing report from the California Public Utilities Commission said Muni had the worst rail system in the state when it comes to safety, including an alleged lack of safety on its light rail system.

But Muni chief Nathaniel Ford called it "a headline-grabbing PR stunt." Now Muni safety officials are working to assure the MTA Board that the CPUC complaints either have or will be fixed.

KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:

Municipal Transportation Agency Board Member Cameron Beach has urged the two sides to quit sniping and work together on a solution.

"In my opinion, the only way this is going to get fixed is to find a way to improve communications that include reaching closure on issues so that both agencies can move forward," said Beach.

The CPUC report found that the MTA has been chronically unresponsive to alleged violations and other findings.  Muni has 30 days to respond to the state regulators.

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