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
27 episodes
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 ...
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Episode 26
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17:06
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...
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Episode 25
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14:10
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...
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Episode 24
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15:29
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...
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Episode 23
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6:04
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...
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Episode 22
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15:35
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...
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Episode 21
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16:59
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...
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Episode 20
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20:57
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...
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Episode 19
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16:31
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. ...
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Episode 18
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19:22
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...
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Episode 17
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15:38
About Town with Our CFO
In this episode of Taken with Transportation, we speak with SFMTA Chief Financial Officer Bree Mawhorter. We talk about the agency's budget and how more efficient service can save money. Plus, we take a little transportation tour with Mawhorter...
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Episode 16
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17:26
A Safe and Fun School Commute
The road to school should always be a safe one, and it also can be a fun one. The San Francisco Safe Routes to School program works to make walking, biking, rolling, and taking transit to school safer and more accessible for all SF kids. In thi...
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Episode 15
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12:26
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 ...
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Episode 14
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19:04
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 SF...
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Episode 13
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18:33
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 advant...
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Episode 12
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13:48
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 fe...
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Episode 11
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12:52
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 episo...
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Episode 10
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11:07
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 ...
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Episode 9
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12:18
School Days
Every successful school day begins with students getting to class safely, and crossing guards help children and their parents in San Francisco navigate intersections near school campuses. In this episode of Taken with Transportation, we learn a...
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Episode 8
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10:32
Transit Month on Muni
September is Transit Month in the Bay Area and Taken with Transportation is celebrating with San Francisco Municipal Railway, or Muni, riders. Host Melissa Culross talks with riders in multiple neighborhoods who use Muni's buses, streetcars and...
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Episode 7
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16:42
Connecting Community to Transit
Accessing public transit can be more difficult for people in a particular San Francisco neighborhood than it is in other parts of city. So the SFMTA is designing a supplemental transportation program for this area.In this episode of Tak...
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Episode 6
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14:37
Stop and Go
Traffic signals play a vital role in managing transportation, but have you ever thought about how that management works or how intersections are designed? In this episode of Taken with Transportation, we talk with SFMTA Senior Traf...
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Episode 5
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12:56
Happy Birthday to a San Francisco Treasure
San Francisco's incredibly popular cable car service turns 150 years old on August 2, 2023. In this episode of Taken with Transportation, host Melissa Culross speaks with San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Market Street Railway pres...
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Episode 4
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13:23
Bringing Everyone on Board
In this episode host Melissa Culross speaks with longtime (and recently retired) SFMTA Director of Accessible Services Annette Williams and Nicole Bohn, Director of the San Francisco Mayor's Office on Disability, about transportation accessibil...
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Episode 3
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13:58
Cleanliness Is Next to...Comfort and Safety
An important part of the SFMTA’s commitment to safety is maintaining a clean fleet of Muni vehicles. In this episode, we meet three members of our transit car cleaning staff: Manager Myra Phillips, Assistant Supervisor Anthony Jackson, Jr. and ...
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Episode 2
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9:22