SF’s Muni buses will soon be cooler to ride

Transit officials said Friday that they are equipping the agency’s bus fleet with air conditioners even though summers in the city are known to often be foggy and cool and coaches come with windows that open.

“We view the decision to add air conditioning to the buses as important both for passengers and operator comfort, and as a safety feature,” said John Haley, director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Air conditioning units are already on 61 of the agency’s 60-foot trolley coaches that run off electric lines, officials said.

“That was our first foray into air conditioning, and we are getting good feedback,” said Haley, adding that the agency’s mechanics have been trained and certified to install the units.

Another 98 buses still in production are being fitted with air conditioning systems and should be delivered and rolling on routes sometime in September, he said.

Air conditioning units for 40-foot buses run about $15,000, and $24,000 per unit for 60-foot coaches.