SFMTA Introduces First LRV4s with New Seating Arrangement

SFMTA Introduces First LRV4s with New Seating Arrangement
By Che Harmon

New seating arrangement in LRV4 vehicles with seats facing the front or rear. 

At the SFMTA, we’re committed to improving service every way we can, and your input is critical to doing it. Our LRV4 Muni fleet is newer and easier to clean and maintain. These state-of-the-art vehicles are helping us make dramatic improvements in Muni reliability, but we’ve heard consistently that passengers want more seating options. We’re listening and putting your feedback into action. 

In early September, we introduced the addition of side-by-side seats facing the front or rear of the vehicle, also known as “transverse” seats. Car #2120 was the first of a hundred LRV4 cars to feature a revamped interior. This seating arrangement lets passengers choose whether they want to face forward or backwards, depending on the direction the train is headed. 

The original interiors in Muni’s LRV4 fleet featured a bench arrangement that ran along the outer walls of the cars, with seats that face inward towards the center aisle of the train and lacked the “butt-dimples” passengers were accustomed to seeing. This layout allowed more people to ride on each train car, which is important, but some passengers found the seating uncomfortable and wanted more places to sit. Your comfort and input are also important, and those older interiors are almost gone now. They’ve been replaced with updated seating featuring the return of the “butt-dimples” for a more comfortable ride. 

While all vehicles are being updated to include transverse seats, only our newer LRV4 vehicles have been equipped with double-transverse seating options, as this change required structural reinforcement to support the extra weight of two passengers.  

The LRV4s with the double-transverse seats will be the final phase of LRV4 vehicles joining the Muni fleet before a preventative brake rebuild. This $20 million overhaul and upgrade will improve reliability and extend the manufacturer’s warranty on our new vehicles. 

As these new LRV4 cars begin rolling out throughout the city, Muni passengers can look forward to a more comfortable ride. We’ll continue to update our fleet to improve your experience on Muni, and it’s your input that makes it possible. Thank you for riding Muni and helping us make it better.    

Published December 19, 2023 at 12:32PM
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