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Alexander Hirji

@sashazandr.bsky.social
343 followers 160 following 240 posts

transit operations, government relations and various other happenings views are my own

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Reposted by Alexander Hirji
Idothethinking @idothethinking.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
The East Bay Times editorial against Measure RTM is so bad I had to refute it. Bad argument after inaccurate statement and then completely ignoring AC Transit's existence because it disproves their core argument that cuts over service improves transit. darrellowens.substack.com/p/voting-aga...
substack.com
Voting Against The Bay Area Transit Measure Is a Fatal Mistake
The East Bay Times and Mercury News Editorial Board write a bad column on the transit tax measure.
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sick public transit, gloria @seung.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
“we need your help funding our operations so we can avoid drastically cutting our train service as our ridership grows”
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dereksagehorn.bsky.social @dereksagehorn.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Center Right tech CEOs trying to understand transit costs: Imagine a burger restaurant
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Nat Ford special
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Lettuce Cat @piero.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
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Peter Hartlaub @peterhartlaub.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Wrote this one for all the transit kids. Here’s the story behind @sfmta.bsky.social’s iconic logo — and the people (including Muni and a certain Chronicle columnist) who tried to kill it. Long live the worm! 🚌🚌🚌 www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
sfchronicle.com
This man designed Muni’s ‘worm’ logo. Critics wanted to kill it
In 1975, Walter Landor’s new Muni logo was disparaged and ignored. Fifty years later, it has become the ultimate San Francisco icon.
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Jeffrey Tumlin 🏳️‍🌈 🌁 @jeffreytumlin.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
"Motorists going at least 11 mph over the speed limit fell by 70%" Most cited motorists received a single citation then stopped speeding. Speed safety cameras work. www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/arti...
sfchronicle.com
Oakland installed new automated speed cameras. Drivers’ behavior changed dramatically
A new report shows that drivers are slowing down significantly on what have been some of the city’s most dangerous roads.
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California Transit Nerd @catransitnerd.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
AC transit is still going forward with an order of 47 40ft hydrogen buses to add to the existing fleet of 30 40ft and 10 60ft units The district had the capacity for 200 hydrogen at Emeryville and Oakland out of 310 overall bays
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sick public transit, gloria @seung.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
as the number one Bay Area transit lover, I want to point why to noted improvements in service, cleanliness, safety, etc. but let's face it: it's because AI companies are gobbling up office space in downtown San Francisco and asking workers to come into work more often kidder.com/market-repor...
Artificial intelligence remains the primary driver of office demand and the dominant force shaping leasing activity across San Francisco. Leasing momentum accelerated through the first half of 2026, reaching levels not seen since the city’s last major expansion cycle. By the end of 2Q, San Francisco recorded its seventh consecutive quarter with more than 2.0M SF of leasing activity, including 3.6M SF in 2Q alone. Net absorption reached 830K SF for the quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to 1.7M SF. Both metrics are on pace for their strongest annual performance since 2018, signaling a market that has officially moved beyond stabilization and into the early stages of recovery.

The total vacancy rate declined to 27.2% at quarter-end, down substantially from its recent peak of 32% in 2024, while overall availability continued to also trend lower. Sublease inventory has also tightened significantly and now represents just 14.3% of the total available space, down from a record high of 44% in 2020. The decline reflects a combination of strong leasing activity, increased space utilization, and expiring subleases reverting to direct availability.
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Reposted by Alexander Hirji
Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 28/07/2026
I am concerned that, as with many transit issues, the US deals with implementation challenges by avoiding them. NY's MTA has 60 electric buses (~1% of fleet) & they're failing. So it's reducing its order for more. Comparison: —London: ~33% —Paris: ~21% —Milan: ~21% —Hamburg: ~39% —Barcelona: ~20%
nyc.streetsblog.org
Battery Drain: MTA Trims New Flyer Electric Bus Order Amid Tech Growing Pains - Streetsblog New York City
The MTA will buy 85 fewer electric buses as its manufacturer tries to sort out a way to keep them in service without breaking down.
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Infrastructure Weak @infrastructureweak.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Now out! Part 2 on the Geary metro, discussing its East Bay connection, downtown alignment, and yard location.
medium.com
Geary metro, purpose-built for SF
Part 2: East Bay connection, downtown alignment, and the yard
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sick public transit, gloria @seung.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
MY KING BOURBON MY TAPAS JAMON MY LAMINE YAMAL ESPAÑA WIN IT ALL
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Cyrus Hall @cyrushall.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Best reporting I've seen to date on what last week's @airresources.bsky.social vote could mean for Muni: cuts to free and reduced-fare programs, and a big gap in capital funding for the upgrades to the train control system.
sfstandard.com
A California environmental board voted to cut $202M from SF’s eco-friendly transit
Muni stands to lose hundreds of millions with changes to a state program that funds public transportation by charging firms for permits to emit carbon.
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Warren Wells, AICP @warrenjwells.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
There's an interesting political lesson here. SMART went to the voters in 2020 (pre covid) and got crushed, barely clearing 50%. Since then they have seen an explosion in ridership thanks to (1) new and better management and (2) free fares for youth and seniors.
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Vallery Lancey @isthelaststop.com · 30/05/2026
CARB has been a repeat villain in quiet wonky policy choices that actually have big consequences for pollution and getting things done in California. Two prior examples: - Dis-incentivizing electric trolly-buses - Pushing hydrogen/battery train incentives (a scam) over proven electrified trains
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Worth noting that the loan to operators that bridges the gap between July 1st and if/when the Connect Bay Area act funds are disbursed, the loan that keeps transit funded consistently, is funded through the TCIRP program that @airresources.bsky.social just voted to gut 🙃🙃🙃
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CAHSR's Strongest Soldier @emoscientist.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
How can @airresources.bsky.social claim to be prioritizing climate goals and affordability when their MDI will push us past our 2030 climate goals and gut funding for transit and affordable housing?
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Carter Lavin @carterlavin.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Wild that Free Muni for youth, seniors and people with disabilities is one of THE SMALLER programs on the chopping block if Gavin's appointees on the Air Resources Board approve the big cuts to transit, affordable housing, and clean air programs. Rally at noon! actionnetwork.org/events/emerg...
actionnetwork.org
Emergency Rally to Tell Gov Newsom Don't Rob Transit and Housing to Fund Giveaways to Big Oil
This week, Governor Newsom’s appointees are planning on taking billions of dollars AWAY from public transit and affordable housing programs in order to give big polluters like Chevron permission to co...
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Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Early 2026 transit data is in today, & SF is seeing a mini rail boom with Muni ridership up 15% & BART ridership up 12% compared to last year SEPTA (Philly, 9.2%) and WMATA (DC, +6.8%) are also seeing strong growth, while the MBTA (Boston) & MTS (San Diego) are losing riders🧵
A graph of ridership growth in the 10 largest US urban rail networks
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Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈 @maxdubler.com · 20/03/2026
Mary Fong Lau, the 80 year old woman who killed four people including a baby and a toddler after crashing into a bus stop going 75mph the wrong way down a 25mph street, has been sentenced to probation and will not permanently lose her drivers' license. This is a despicable miscarriage of justice.
sfchronicle.com
West Portal crash: S.F. judge says driver who killed family of 4 will get probation
Mary Fong Lau, 80, will face no jail time according to remarks from San Francisco Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan. She must complete 200 hours of community service and undergo probation.
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KQED News @kqednews.kqed.org · 03/12/2025
dlvr.it
Clipper Cards Are Getting a Major Upgrade, With Big Perks for Riders
Next generation Clipper, or Clipper 2.0, rolls out Dec. 10 with improved features like discounted transfers and instant fund availability. Here’s how to get set up.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Arrivederci 🫡
Many years ago in front of a Breda at MME Very recently, with a test set on Taraval Disappearing underground Out in the sunset
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Seamless Bay Area @seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Yay, SB63 signed into law, authorizing a regional transit funding measure for the SF Bay Area, essential to save and improve service for BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain! Bill allows a signature-gathering effort that would passage with 50%+1 of the vote. www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/u...
gov.ca.gov
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
Very neat paper www.brookings.edu/wp-content/u...
brookings.edu
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Kirsten Bladh @kerstanley.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
To put this loan amount in perspective: California is spending $500 million to widen a 10-mile stretch of Highway 37 in the northern Bay Area (through a wetland, no less). But $750 million to save the *entire* Bay Area’s transit systems is apparently infeasible.
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Cyrus Hall @cyrushall.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Gov Newsom still hasn't signed the $750m loan to Bay Area transit agencies that would get us to the Nov 2026 funding votes. He has eight days to act. Please take a moment to call his office at (916) 445-2841 and use the attached script, copied from a @transbaycoalition.bsky.social.
Hi my name is (your name), I live in (your town), and I was so relieved in July when I heard that the state budget would include a $750 million emergency loan to BART, Muni, AC Transit, and Caltrain to stop massive service cuts, before funding starts to flow from a regional funding measure) . These transit agencies provide essential service to our communities and I depend on them to get where I need to go.

However, I’m very concerned that with just eight days left to issue the loan, the Governor hasn’t followed through on his promise to protect our communities from these devastating cuts. I’m calling to urge him to make good on his promise and issue that loan ASAP to these transit agencies and stop these terrible cuts. Thank you.
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 23/08/2025
Across Philadelphia and its suburbs, commuters are bracing for a dramatic reduction in public transportation after state lawmakers were unable to agree on how to fund the struggling system. SEPTA officials have called it a “death spiral.”
wapo.st
Philadelphia transit hits ‘death spiral.’ More cities could follow.
Across Philadelphia and its suburbs, commuters are bracing for a dramatic reduction in public transit after state lawmakers were unable to agree on funding.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
might get crucified for this but I think they all suck. if you’re going to brand these as “super different/fleet of the future,” then don’t make them look like the same trains that are from the 70s. be bold! do something totally new and interesting!
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Contrast this to another west coast agency that is trying to light as much money on fire as possible while building a rapid transit extension
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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Troubling findings in this new UCLA report: Americans are taking far fewer trips than they did before the pandemic. When they do travel, they've shifted toward driving and away from transit. Those trends are particularly pronounced among youths 15-29. escholarship.org/uc/item/3gd0...
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Reposted by Alexander Hirji
Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Some good news is that ridership on the Bay Area's Caltrain continues to skyrocket in the wake of the route's electrification—passenger counts are up 79% compared to this time last June
a graph of ridership growth of Caltrain in the Bay Area, showing a massive increase in ridership post-electrification
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bsquiklehausen @bsquiklehausen.com · 22/07/2025
5. People in my industry (transit) have an extremely hard time relating to average riders and desperately need either full-time advisors or to test messaging and products *far* more and *constantly*. It's more important to talk to people unfamiliar with the system than people who know it well.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
How does an agency like the TTC have the online presence of an insecure 10 year old boy who can’t make a 3 point shot in front of somebody they like
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Michael Pimentel @mvpimentel.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Lots to unpack on Gov. Newsom’s May Revise and its impact on transit. Here’s what we know. The MR’s Cap-and-Invest Plan effectively resets the Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan established in 2014 as well as years of budget actions to direct multi-year funding to various programs. 1/X
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Randy Clarke @wmatagm.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Tom, context matters. In April we had 26 overruns from over 213,000+ 🔴🚇station stops which is a 99.99% reliability rate & overruns are not considered a safety issue by federal database or other peer agencies as it simply does not pose a safety risk. ATO is safer operations.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
How does anybody involved with the SJJPA think this is acceptable to passengers. This is embarrassing for any train service. They market this nonsense as a SF to LA option, with worse amenities than a youth sports post-loss team snack spread?
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
mood
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Josh Apte @joshapte.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Most rail services in the US still use polluting diesel locomotives. Recently, our commuter rail system in San Francisco, @caltrain.com, was electrified. Good news: we found DRAMATIC air quality improvements once the electric trains replaced the diesels. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org
Dramatic Air Quality Improvements after the Complete Electrification of a Commuter Rail System
To limit the impact of climate change, there is an urgent requirement for infrastructure decarbonization and a transition to lower-emission energy systems. This is expected to result in local air qual...
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
cutting bus lines off of market street for the past several years and then allowing Waymo to get exclusive access is certainly a choice…
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
The market getting centel’d today was not what I thought was going to happen, but then again, when is anything predicable nowadays
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sick public transit, gloria @seung.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Santa Clara County officials killed the 9-county regional measure which was supposed to be on the 2026 ballot, and now they have opted out of the latest ballot measure to save BART and co. -- all while receiving a BART extension into Downtown San Jose costing a gorillion dollars
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
I don’t think I’ve seen a more tone deaf communications campaign. Negotiating team asks ATU to hold off so their board can re-asses their position tomorrow, then comms goes on the assault promoting a narrative which is demonstrably false. Literally amateur hour down south, Freudian slips inclusive
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
oh joy now we have Canadian civil war discourse
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That Mack @thatmc.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
San Francisco Transit Operator Day is this Tuesday. Ride Muni! Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your neighbors friends. And read this article in Mission Local: missionlocal.org/2025/03/this...
missionlocal.org
This San Francisco bus driver has a goal: 550,000 Muni trips on Tuesday
For “Transit Operator Day,” driver Mc Allen is encouraging as many people as humanly possible to ride Muni. His goal is to hit 550,000 trips.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
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Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Couple of awesome #MBTAjobs folks should consider applying for: 1) Senior Manager of Fare Policy & Analytics, on an excellent team adjacent to mine www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mbta... 2) GIS manager supporting engineering and asset management www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mbta...
governmentjobs.com
Senior Manager of Fare Policy and Analytics
The Senior Manager of Fare Policy and Analytics is responsible for technical analysis of current fare policy and policy changes in connection with ongoing fare collection technology projects. This pos...
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
I'm reading Ezra's column that adapts his Abundance book, and he's using California high-speed rail as the example of liberal America's inability to build. And I ctrl-F "consultants," and find nothing. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | There Is a Liberal Answer to Elon Musk
Right-wing populism thrives on scarcity. The answer is abundance. But a politics of abundance will work only if Democrats confront where their approach has failed.
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Alexander Hirji @sashazandr.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
How is metro north paying ~$20M per locomotive for some untested vaporware product that hasn’t been tested and isn’t even projected to exist in a serviceable condition until after Penn Station Access (which these are supposedly being bought to serve) is supposed to open. Truly what are they cooking.
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sick public transit, gloria @seung.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
new S(ubstack)-Bahn post: It feels comically small stakes to write about the state and the prospects of American public transit in the breakneck throes of a second Trump administration -- but I put together 11 thoughts I have been gestating for a long time www.substack-bahn.net/p/end-of-the...
substack-bahn.net
End of the line: Transit thoughts in an uncertain America
11 statements in a speechless time
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