Taken with Transportation
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.
Episodes
40 episodes
Going Green on San Francisco's Streets
It’s Climate Week in San Francisco! So, in this episode, we’re discussing the work the SFMTA does to give people environmentally friendly transportation options. From Muni to EV charging stations at the curb, it’s not hard to go green while get...
The Women of San Francisco Transit, Yesterday and Today
Transit Employee Appreciation Day is coming up on March 18, and March is Women’s History Month. In honor of both, we’re celebrating the women of Muni, past and present. This episode introduces us to several women whose work helps pe...
Love Is in the Air and on Muni
You never know where you will find love, or where love will find you. It could happen anywhere, including on public transit.In this episode, we talk with two couples who found each other thanks, at least in part, to Muni. SFMTA Acting Ch...
The Road to City Hall
We are commuting to work with a half a dozen San Francisco city supervisors. In this episode, we tag along with Matt Dorsey, Myrna Melgar, Danny Sauter, Stephen Sherrill, Chyanne Chen and Bilal Mahmood as they head to their City Hall offices. T...
Dashing Through the Holidays on Muni
It’s the holiday homestretch in San Francisco. All over the city, people are hopping on public transit to get to work, shopping and holiday parties. In our second Merry Days of Muni episode, we look at how Muni supports the San Francisco small ...
Holiday Traditions Wrapped in Gratitude
It’s the holiday season, and the Merry Days of Muni are underway. In this episode, agency staff discuss their holiday traditions and what they’re grateful for. We also get the low down on what’s available in the Muni Store’s Merry Days of Muni ...
Hop on Board for Transit Month
September is Transit Month, and in this episode, we’re celebrating with Muni riders and fans, as well as our staff. We'll take a run with the Muni Run Club and meet the owner of a Muni-themed deli. SFMTA Transit Director Brent Jones and Muni op...
Class Is Back in Session
Another school year has begun, and thousands of San Francisco kids and teenagers are walking, biking, carpooling and taking Muni to class. In this episode, we discuss the work we do to support education by helping students get to school. We spe...
Summer in the City by the Bay
Summer is in full swing, and there is no lack of things to do in San Francisco. In this episode, we get out for some summer fun and describe how you can get to your favorite events and activities on Muni. If you drive, walk or bike, we’ve got y...
Tip of the Cap (and Gown) to Our Dads and Grads
Between Father’s Day and graduation season, June is the month of dads and grads. So, in this special episode, we’re profiling eight of the agency’s fathers and recent graduates. We get to know Parking Control Officers Lloyd Glover, ...
Transfers That Fit Our Budget
Muni service changes are coming this weekend. Beginning June 21, three bus routes will be trimmed and two others will be combined into one. The changes might be confusing, so in this episode we’ll walk you through them. We hop on board one of t...
Moms Who Keep Us Moving
It’s Mother’s Day weekend, and we are honoring moms by showcasing some of the fabulous mothers of the SFMTA. We have scores of moms on staff who keep San Francisco and the agency moving. This special episode features seven of them.Direct...
Curb Space
It’s no secret that it can be difficult to park in San Francisco. But have you ever wondered why it may be so hard? In this episode, we discuss curb management and find out why available parking spaces seem to be so scarce in some SF neighborho...
For the Love of Muni
There are many things that make San Francisco … well, San Francisco. The hills, the cool summers, the architecture. And you can add to that list, our public transit system. From buses to light rail lines to our iconic cable cars, residents and ...
Our Fare Share
Thousands of people in San Francisco depend on Muni to get where they need to go. And the SFMTA depends on fare revenue to keep the system running and to keep it clean, safe and accessible. In this episode, we talk about fare compli...
Thank You, Jeff Tumlin
It’s a new year, and in our first episode of 2025, we take a look at the tenure of San Francisco Director of Transportation Jeff Tumlin. Director Tumlin announced in mid-December that he would step down from his position at the end of the month...
Keeping Warm at SweaterFest (Bonus Episode)
It’s the holiday season, and in this bonus episode, we’re going back to our SweaterFest celebration. In early December we threw a party for Muni fans and the community at large in honor of our “Icons of San Francisco” holiday sweater. We sipped...
Mobility for Everyone
Sometimes people may not be able to use standard Muni and taxi service in San Francisco. So, we offer a variety of options from paratransit to shuttle services that help older adults and people with disabilities get where they need to go. In th...
Riding into the Sunset (The L Taraval Returns)
Welcome back to the Sunset District, L Taraval! For several years, light rail service along the L Taraval line between the San Francisco Zoo and downtown was suspended while the SFMTA worked with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission an...
Moving Forward on Muni
Ten years ago, we began implementing an ongoing series of transit improvements as part of a new program called Muni Forward. These improvements have made Muni faster, more reliable, more frequent, easier to access and safer. In th...
Ahoy!
September is Transit Month in the Bay Area. And we’re celebrating on board Muni’s Boat Tram open air streetcar. In this episode we discuss the beloved 90-year-old boat’s history and how we maintain it. Plus, we talk about the joy it brings to t...
Slowing Down and Getting to Know the Neighborhood
San Francisco’s Slow Streets are low-vehicle-traffic residential corridors. They provide comfortable options for walking, biking and rolling, as well as driving. But some of them also have become community spaces that bring neighbors together. ...
Scooting Safely
An increasingly popular way to get around San Francisco is by scooter. This includes shared scooters that riders pick up in one place, use for a fee and then drop off when they’re done. The SFMTA regulates the companies that rent those scooters...