On-time Performance and Service Goals Remain a Fiction:*

time performance of 85% and service delivery of 98.5% set for July 2004 mandated by Proposition E (1999).

The Executive Director of MTA, the General Manager of MUNI, and other senior management personnel should adopt a proactive and highly visible leadership role to improve the administration of MUNI.

Management should compare MUNI to other metropolitan transit agencies of comparable size.

Controls are needed to ensure that only employees that meet the required provisions of the light-duty and battery-pay plans, and workers' compensation benefits receive remuneration for periods when their ability to perform at full capacity is legitimately compromised.

Management should justify the cost of providing benefit payments to those employees who cannot perform their assigned duties.

Office of the Controller and the Budget Analyst's Office should conduct an independent audit of the light-duty and battery-pay plans and workers' compensation benefits.

In order to establish a program to reduce both the number and the associated costs of settlements, management needs to establish a program to record, analyze and determine the cause of all accidents and incidents. GLOSSARY AC Transit – Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District that serves most of the East Bay communities in Alameda and Contra Costa County. Accident – Usually an unexpected undesirable event or collision resulting in damage to person(s) or property. Battery pay – San Francisco Civil Service Commission Rule 20.15 and Administrative Code Section 16.170 provide that an employee injured as the result of a criminal act of violence while on duty is eligible to receive full pay for a period of up to twelve months. Incident – An event which is considered a minor occurrence or disruption. Light-duty - Also known as Transitional Work or Transitional Work Program. A work plan that allows employees injured on the job to work reduced hours and/or in assignments requiring reduced physical activity while still receiving full pay for a period of up to 180 days. An employee can be on light duty as often as every other year. AC Transit has a similar program (limited to three days); it is referred to as the modified work program. Light-duty job assignments – Tasks that can be performed by light-duty workers include: "reduced hours driving, loader, receiver, passenger service clerk, service quality teams, training department clerk, central control clerk, yard starter, expediter, finance department assistant, auto attendant, station operations assistant, discount I.D clerk, Pac Bell (sic) park revenue collection and cable car turn-table assistant." MUNI CAC – Citizens' Advisory Council formed by Proposition E. Municipal Railway (MUNI) – The San Francisco public transportation system. Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) – The governing body responsible for the management of Municipal Railway (MUNI) and the Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT). Proposition E - Passed by San Francisco voters in 1999 to incorporate MUNI and DPT into the MTA [proposition E, Section 8A.103 (c)] and to establish the following service standards: 1. On-time performance: of at least 85% of vehicles must run on-time, where a vehicle is considered on-time if it is no more than one minute early or four minutes late as measured against a published schedule that includes time points; and 2. Service delivery: 98.5 percent of scheduled service hours must be delivered, and at least 98.5 percent of scheduled vehicles must begin service at the scheduled time. In this report the above referred to as "on-time performance" and "service delivery" SamTrans - Part of the San Mateo Transit Authority that serves all of San Mateo County. Statistician – A mathematician specializing in data analysis. Third Party Administrator (TPA) – A person who processes claims and provides administrative services. Valley Transit Authority (VTA) – VTA serves all of Santa Clara County. OVERVIEW The San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) is the seventh-largest public transit system in the United States, operating a fleet of approximately 1,000 vehicles consisting of subway/surface light-rail trains (Metro), vintage street cars, electric trolley buses, diesel buses, and the world famous cable cars. There are, on average, approximately 700,000 passengers boarding each weekday. (This information was acquired from MUNI) The 2003-2004 Civil Grand Jury investigated the operations of MUNI with respect to progress in meeting the goals mandated in Proposition E. This year, the MUNI administration will not meet on-time performance and service delivery goals as set out in Proposition E. The Grand Jury was unable to obtain from MUNI a timeframe in which they plan to achieve the original goals. The Grand Jury concluded that these failings result from management's lack of effective leadership--by not making the necessary changes and failing to develop new plans to meet goals, either through lack of competence or lack of will to do so. The Grand Jury also looked into the administration's control over the light-duty and battery-pay plans, training program and effectiveness of overall management. It was determined that light-duty and battery-pay plans are not effectively managed and are subject to abuse. Management is aware of the situation but has done nothing to eliminate infractions. The CGJ also questioned the effectiveness of the existing training program, in light of the significant number and costs of claims that have occurred over the years.