MUNI – M Ocean View

Years ago, I used to take the M Ocean View after work when visiting a friend who lived by SFSU. It was the easiest way to get from Downtown to that area. Now that my friend has moved, I don’t take this line as much anymore.
Last Saturday, March 5^th, I took the M with a few friends from Church to Montgomery. It was pouring rain, so I was thinking about hailing a cab as Über was at surge pricing. That is, until I Google mapped our route and saw it was going to take 30+ mins by car. With the M, it was a quick four stops and about 8 mins and we were at our destination!
I don’t take muni much as I don’t have a monthly pass. I forget the underground can be much quicker at times. Especially when the weather is crazy. And all for just $ 2.25.
Note: While writing this review, I remembered I used to take this train to my old dentist in Stonestown. There were many instances where I wouldn’t see the M for 20+ mins making me late for my appointment. One time, it just didn’t come at all, so I had to resort to calling a friend to pick me up from another line at West Portal. Someone said the M should stand for missing in their review. Remembering those times, I totally agree. It was super frustrating.

It gets me where I need to go, hence the star. It arrives when it wants to and not when it’s supposed to. #stillwaiting

Every time my APP shows 2 mins I always need to wait another 10 – 20 mins. The M never came and because this is the only transportation I can take near my house and I’m always late to my destination. You really need to fix the system because you are CAUSING PROBLEM to the entire neighborhood!!!

Convenient bus line goes from downtown SF to Balboa Park on the south side of the city. Goes to SFSU, Stonestown, West Portal, Powell, etc…
Not always on time and can be slow.

It takes me between San Francisco State University and Forest Hill Station so three stars. This line is way better off operated as a two car train service.
Passengers on this route are students attending:
— Herbert Hoover Middle School
— Lowell High School
— San Francisco State University
On school days, trains on this route are generally busy and some of the passengers are students at the schools mentioned. Just somethings to take note when catching this route during the week. This line is typically operated as a two car train. When getting on during the week, the second car is usually not as crowded as the first car.

I actually tried taking the MUNI M from SFSU to Powell today (Saturday). 50 minutes each way, including waiting. At one point, an old lady using a walker on the sidewalk on West Portal actually PASSED the train — for real, we got stuck at a red light, she went past us, and we never saw her again. That tells you all you need to know.
The saddest thing about this line (which may not even be the worst in the godforsaken MUNI system) is the crowd of people sitting there as the waiting time passes the 15-​, 20-​, and 25-​minute marks, sitting there with beaten-​down expressions on their faces, none of them even checking their watches or showing any visible indication that something’s wrong. Like obedient little dogs, perfectly trained by MUNI to accept that this is all you get when you ride public transit in SF.
They really should just consolidate MUNI’s limited resources on just one or two rail lines and euthanize this one. MUNI is no longer able to provide minimally functional public transit service to all the stations on its light-​rail lines, and should just admit it and call it a day.

Commuting downtown? Take the F line instead. Yes it moves a little slower. But it moves. If you like standing on a platform forever or feeling trapped in a sweaty tin can between stations then the M (and K/​L/​S/​T/​N lines) are for you.

Its the worst line very slow and always has problem almost delay every single week. I don’t understand why they don’t fix it.

Sitting at 19^th for helllllllla long. It took over 2 hours for the M line to even show up… Plus once it does show up, it is super packed… It is a cheap way to go down town however.

Why aren’t there enough M Trains?
You have to have the mentality where it’s one man for himself because people do not give a sh*t, they will bump into you to make sure that they get that empty seat or to ensure that they get on the train when it’s completely filled to the edges of the door. But, please… PLEASE get up to give older men and women a seat; they’re probably tired and want to rest and their knees aren’t as good as yours.
On the plus side, it’s only $ 2.00 with a transfer for adults and $.75 with a transfer for anyone under 17… beats BART.

Hey MUNI, I have a great idea bro. You know how the two high schools and the bigass commuter college along your M line just went back into session? Not only should you not add any service at all, during the morning and afternoon when everyone is going to and from class, be sure to send only one-​car trains in the direction traffic is flowing. And space them out by at least 20 minutes so a gigantic cluster of people has to ride together. Another awesome thing would be to send a one-​car, but then send an unannounced two-​car that’s completely empty right behind it. Then don’t send anything else for like 35 minutes after that.
I feel this would really make everyone happy because who doesn’t enjoy the diversity of fascinating body odors this city has to offer, or standing up for 40 minutes while listening to some high school girl give a detailed dissertation on how dat bitch hella HELLA hella’d her hellas. Get back at me on this one buds.

I heard someone say once that the «M» for this line stands for «Missing.»
I agree!
But at the same time, you get what you get with public transportation. Shit happens. People get run over by texting bus drivers, operators slam on the breaks too hard and people not holding on tight enough go flying to the front of the train. It’s all a part of the regular day on any of these lines.
While the M-​line can often go «missing,» it does get me where I need to go without having to transfer to 2 or 3 different buses. I live by Stonestown Mall and work in Union Square, so it’s a nice direct line there, as long as it’s running as planned. It’s also a nice, quick way to get to West Portal and do some quick errands before heading anywhere else.
It also was there for me when I lived by Balboa Park BART station. When it was on time, it was a nice school-​commute alternative to the smelly, ridiculously crowded 29 line.

Unlike the N Judah, the M is a relatively quiet metro line that usually filters out on outbound trains past West Portal station. It’s almost always a 1-​car train (until very recently with the Muni driver shortage) which means you should expect to stand depending on the time of day. Yes, it runs relatively infrequently so you may want to plan ahead if you’re on schedule to be somewhere, but then that applies to any Muni bus or train. The most annoying thing is that it takes forever for it to get from St. Francis Circle to West Portal Station on inbound trains, but that’s because it merges with the K and L lines. Because it goes through the Twin Peaks Tunnel, the M (as well as the K and L) will get you to downtown relatively quickly, as opposed to the getting on the N in the Inner Sunset.
Conclusion: the M is decent at best and does it’s job

Haiku for the M
Muni, Ocean View
All times of day you are late
Skull Fuck You Muni
Muni is just the bane of my existence and the cause of nearly all of my problems. I seriously hate them to death and would have nothing more than it stricken from the world completely. BUT i will say this. It is a necessity for the countless of daily riders.
You need to have this system with the M where you plan your trip accordingly to have as much cushion time as you can. Have a meeting at 12 pm? Leave at 10 or 11 because anything and everything will happen.
Common sense right? I mean it is public transportation.
But a system stricken with ludicrous budget deficeits, questionable wages, and poor performances compared to the likes of other major cities: New York’s 24 hour train service for example.
No M coming your way?
There could be three M’s going outbound and none going in bound or vice versa. Which tends to always be the one you don’t need.
Or
None for an entire hour for god knows what reason
Or
11pm and instead of finishing the entire route they back track their ass into west portal because the driver is tired.
Or
Since Muni hates whoever the hell rides them, they’ll purposely hold off a train for no apparent reason.
Learn to walk, drive, ride a bike, when this system fails and it will fail more times than not.
One instance had me waiting for the M at San Francisco State for 20 mins along with a vast amount of other students. We see the M coming and for some odd reason they dont stop and venture off into Stonestown. Next one comes in 25 mins.
What the fuck?
I wish nothing more than death upon Muni

I have been riding the M since I was born. Okay, not since I was born, but I remember we would have to take the M to get downtown in Kindergarten for field trips. I would say my rides as a young child were more pleasant than the ones later in life… and up to now. Maybe because I wasn’t in a hurry to go anywhere.
It’s a tricky line. I’ve learned that I need to give myself at least an hour (sometimes an hour and a half) to get to Powell station and the general downtown area BEFORE the time I need to get there. You have to give yourself some cushion… otherwise you will be late. There always manages to be some kind of train problem inbound or even «traffic» which doesn’t allow the trains to move because they’re on auto mode. Although there are days when I use this trick and it works for me, and others I end up at my destination an hour before I need to be there. And… I’ll think I’ll be early, but then suddenly a delay takes an hour and I end up late anyway. At this point, I’d rather be super early than really late.
Taking it towards Balboa Park is always a winner (and my choice!), just because it’s less of a hassle. The ride isn’t as long (from SFSU, which is my usual stop) and there is almost always NEVER a delay. They might make you get off right outside that barber shop but only because it needs to turn around and go back to Embarcadero. But there is usually another train behind it… another pro (it seems like there are always plenty of trains towards Balboa Park coming versus the one train heading towards downtown and a crowded platform), so you can always just hop right on. Also it’s right where the 54 stop is too, so if you don’t see an M coming, you can always hop on the 54 and it’ll take you to BP. Oh yeah and taking the M towards Balboa Park will almost always guarantee you get to sit down!
So my advice to M riders? If you need to get where you need to go quickly, you need to either 1) take the M towards Balboa Park to transfer to BART… which means you should invest in an A Clipper Card (which I have and use all the time because it’s unlimited rides on MUNI and between Bart stops all in SF) 2) leave your house super early to catch the elusive M train or 3) for my fellow SFSU area people, be smart and have more than one plan…
Plan A: take the 17 towards the tunnel, but it takes long because honestly it goes through Parkmerced and the Stonestown apartments and the people who take the bus are old (well, they are) and will slow your commute time due to the fact that the handicap lift needs to be used so they can roll their walkers onto it.
Plan B: take the 29 and prepare yourself for the longest ride EVER to Balboa Park. At the same time, you’ll probably make it downtown before that M inbound does.
Plan C: take the 28 towards Daly City Bart and be prepared to pay 3 bucks for a quick ride downtown. (although please consider that A pass… refer back to my Balboa Park comments)
The M Line: not so reliable. But I’ll rep it til I die.

MUNI hates there customers and the M is proof.
I live in the middle of the N and M so sometimes I take this wreck of an excuse of a train. I thought the N was bad and it is but wow I’m sorry if you can’t choose.
#munifail

A long over due review on Muni line M. I really wanted to give MUNI ZERO STARS but I was forced to give you 1.
What can I say about the Muni line M… I have nothing but bad encounters and terrible rides, but I can’t be a complete downer since the M gets me from point A to point B on my daily missions from school to work to shopping and back home.
The Pros-​Since I’m at the beginning on the line or vice versa, it’s almost a guarantee that I’ll get a seat, I’m a man of chivalry so I’ll definitely give up the seat and endure the long ride even though I’m tired and sore from 16 units at school then straight to work where I’m on my feet all day until we’re done closing. But that’s my choice in itself and I believe in being a complete gentleman
The Cons– Slow, never on schedule and terrible stops (which cause ppl to fly forward and backwards). I do miss the shuttle bus now it’s gone. Why is it that when the shuttle buses had a constant 10 – 15 min intervals, but now when the trains are back it seems there’s only 3 – 4 trains on route? Hello MUNI!!! School is in session, which means MORE PEOPLE. On top of that we’re paying 60 – 70 for a Fast Pass on Clipper. About a week ago I loaded my card and had a Fast Pass just so I can use it on BART and Clipper started deducting my cash for MUNI, YOU OWE ME $ 7!!! And to file for a refund IT COST $ 5, YOU ARE RIDICULOUS! You can keep the $ 7 because apparently you need it more than I do. Terrible service and the worst transit system I’ve ever taken.
Sorry MUNI but you are NOT the business.

The M is bittersweet to me.
I used to always take this downtown rather than Bart because it was right in front of my school and where I lived. Especially going home from downtown to the SF state stop with the M is a nightmare. Every time the M would be delayed and when it came, there would only be 2 cars rather than like 3 – 4 like the other muni trains. You would think they would have more cars considering it’s the weekend but no.
Now that I live around the Balboa Bart station, it’s convenient for me to take this to school and it’s not crowded cause it starts at Balboa. I just hate it when I’m walking on the cross walk and seeing the M line leave. Why can’t they wait a quick minute especially when they see a lot of people running to the M? Arghh. Sometimes when I get off the bus and see that the M doesn’t come till another 15 mins., I take the 29 which is slightly faster to getting to my destination but just crowded.
I remember this summer the M and K train was out of service so instead they actually used buses. I miss those buses because they were faster and there would be a lot of them. In spite the fact you would have to take another train to go downtown at West Portal it was fine with me just cause we would get there faster than the usual M train.

I hate the M Ocean View with a passion, and yet it’s the most direct way for me to get to SFSU. I’m sure Muni is well aware that SFSU students ride the M to and from the school, and yet provide numerous 1 car trains to the point that people have to stuff themselves inside. That’s ridiculous. We are PEOPLE, not _​_​_​_​ (fill in the blank). I hate when three trains come by right after another and none show up for almost a half hour in between. I’m now looking at taking the L Taraval Train to 19^th St and taking the 28 to school, because that tends to go faster…
Dammit.

Oh, M Line, you are the equivalent of a fling gone sour.
Seriously.
When I started frequently riding the M back in August of this year, she seemed to always conveniently be there, doors wide open as I scurried down the stairs, never severing any limbs, always a nice smooth enjoyable 25 minute ride. West Portal is always a delight to ride through, especially because my iPhone gets reception long enough for me to pull a recipe off of
before getting dragged into the tunnels of receptive doom.
It didn’t take long for things to fall apart.
Waiting sometimes a half hour for her to show up while all I’ve seen all the other trains two or three times beforehand. &%#!*$!!! It sucks when you’re trying to actually get to class and get an education. Sheesh.
The annoyances. Trying to read my case studies when there’s some crazy on the train singing HELLSA loud. Last time he was singing Mariah Carey’s «Dreamlover». It’s sort of amusing, and sort of eardrum shattering for 7:30 something in the morning.
Attempting to take a nap after finishing two exams back to back and getting four hours of sleep and somehow managing to get harassed by a fifteen year old boy who smells like pee and tells me that I’m his favorite, that he likes my feet and wants to wait at my apartment until I get off of work.
Hmm. I feel a little bad that I’m blaming the M line for the fact that San Francisco really has some creepy residents, but she really needs to stop acting like a distant lover and show up more often.