Trolleybuses in San Francisco
| Company type | Public transit system |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | October 6, 1935 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | San Francisco, California |
| Products | Trolleybus transit service |
| Owner | San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) |
| Parent | San Francisco Municipal Railway |
The trolleybus network in San Francisco represents a vital element of the city's overall public transportation system. Initiated on October 6, 1935, it currently operates 15 routes utilizing approximately 300 trolleybuses managed by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni). In , the system transported passengers, with an average weekday ridership of as recorded in .
This trolleybus infrastructure functions alongside other city-operated transit options, including bus lines, the Muni Metro light rail, cable cars, and regional rail services such as Caltrain and Bay Area Rapid Transit. The trolleybus overhead wires are shared with the F Market & Wharves historic streetcar line.
Among the few remaining trolleybus systems in the United States—just four in total—San Francisco's ranks as the second-largest in the Western Hemisphere after Mexico City’s network. The system is distinguished by having the steepest documented trolleybus gradient worldwide: a 22.8% incline on Noe Street between Cesar Chavez Street and 26th Street along route 24 Divisadero. Several other segments also feature notably steep grades.
History
San Francisco, historically a center for streetcar innovation, already possessed much of the overhead wiring required to support trolleybus operations. A municipal ordinance mandating two operators on streetcars indirectly encouraged the introduction of trolleybuses. In April 1934, Colonel John H. Skeggs from the State Highway Department proposed converting the No. 33 Line streetcar to a "trackless trolley" format due to planned track removals linked to Bay Bridge construction. By August that year, the Market Street Railway Company (MSRy), successor to United Railroads (URR), sought permission to launch California's inaugural trackless trolley service; approval was granted by August 30. Service officially commenced on October 6, 1935, employing nine Brill-manufactured trolley coaches. The No. 33 Line originally began service in 1892 and covered a 10.2-mile loop between Downtown and Golden Gate Park. The present-day 33 Ashbury/18th Street trolleybus route partially follows this historic corridor. Following the transition, there was speculation that trolleybuses might eventually replace all streetcar lines.
On September 7, 1941, Muni introduced its inaugural trolleybus route, named R-Howard, utilizing vehicles from the St. Louis Car Company. This line took over from the underperforming No. 35 streetcar following the expiration of MSRy’s franchise. R-Howard was strategically launched to compete with MSRy’s Mission Street service by offering lower fares. The route extended from the Ferry Building along Howard Street, South Van Ness Avenue, and 24th Street. Although wires remain installed on Howard Street today, they are no longer used for revenue service; instead, the current 14 Mission trolleybus operates nearby along Mission Street. By 1944, MSRy encountered financial difficulties leading to its acquisition by Muni on September 29; this transfer included routes, rolling stock, and adoption of MSRy’s higher seven-cent fare structure. At that time, R-Howard operated nine trolleybuses over a distance of 6.8 miles.
Initially, the city attorney determined that converting streetcar lines to trolleybus service did not constitute abandonment of transit service; however, this ruling was reversed in 1959. Despite this legal change, Muni had already replaced most streetcar lines with trolleybuses throughout the 1940s and early ’50s. The E-Union line was converted first in June 1947 and merged with R-Howard to form E-Union-Howard; this evolved into today’s 41 Union route (operating only during peak hours and suspended since 2020). The 8-Market line conversion followed in 1948. On July 3, 1949, Muni expanded its trolleybus coverage by substituting five MSRy lines—including prominent routes like 21-Hayes and 5-McAllister streetcars—with trolleybus service. By 1951, fourteen former streetcar routes had transitioned to trolleybuses. After discontinuing the B-Geary line in December 1956, only five rail-based streetcar routes remained; these were eventually integrated into the Muni Metro light rail system utilizing Boeing-Vertol SLRVs.
In response to proposals during the late 1960s to phase out trolleybuses in favor of diesel buses, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission committed to enhancing electric transit options as a means to mitigate air pollution and noise levels.
The California Air Resources Board implemented the Innovative Clean Transit rule in 2019 requiring all buses statewide to be zero-emission vehicles to reduce greenhouse gases. Research indicates that expanding San Francisco’s existing trolleybus fleet is currently the most efficient and cost-effective approach for Muni to achieve compliance with this mandate and advance fleet electrification goals.
Grade
San Francisco has maintained its trolleybus network largely because these vehicles effectively navigate the city's steep inclines and benefit from affordable electricity generated by the municipally owned O'Shaughnessy Dam. According to Muni, certain routes are unsuitable for replacement with standard buses. Notably, this system features the steepest gradient known for any trolleybus line globally—a 22.8% slope on Noe Street between Cesar Chavez and 26th Street along route 24 Divisadero—along with several other significantly steep segments.
On December 16, 1981, the 55-Sacramento route transitioned from diesel buses to trolleybuses to better manage the ascent of Nob Hill heading west. Shortly thereafter, on January 27, 1982, the electrified portions were incorporated into route 1 California, which replaced the former 55 line. Before diesel buses were introduced, Sacramento was served by cable cars. Due to a shortage of diesel buses caused by aging vehicles and postponed maintenance, Muni converted the 45-Greenwich diesel service to trolleybus in 1982 as a provisional solution that ultimately became permanent. The 24 Divisadero route switched to trolleybus operation in 1983, while partial conversion of route 31 Balboa occurred in 1993–94 following the arrival of accessible Flyer E60 trolleybuses.
In late 1995, the 8-Market trolleybus line was discontinued in favor of the F Market & Wharves streetcar service utilizing refurbished PCC streetcars. This change led to a decline in frequency and eventual cessation of the 8-Market line’s operation, although its overhead wiring infrastructure remains in place.
Trolleybuses serve about one-third of Muni’s daily passengers; in 2010, this equated to approximately 227,000 weekday boardings.
Lines
The following Muni routes are operated using trolleybuses:
| Line | Regular route | Division | Model used | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 California | Drumm & Clay
Sacramento/Clay
|
Presidio | XT40 | Runs a shortened segment between Drumm & Clay and Presidio Av & California as a supplement to the full route from 7 am to 7 pm daily. |
| 2 Sutter | Ferry Plaza
Market
|
Presidio | XT40 | Trolleybuses have operated continuously since 2022, replacing previous motorbus service. |
| 3 Jackson
|
Market & Sansome
Sutter/Post
|
Presidio
|
XT40
|
This route has had the lowest ridership and has been suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 5 Fulton
|
SF Transit Center | Potrero[1] | XT60 | Weekdays from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm use motorbuses; evenings, weekends, and all-night Owl service operate with trolleybuses on a shortened route. |
| 5R Fulton Rapid
|
Weekdays only during daytime hours from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. | |||
| 6 Hayes/Parnassus | Civic Center
Market
|
Presidio | XT40 | This route was renamed and rerouted in 2025 from the previous 6 Haight/Parnassus line. |
| 14 Mission | Ferry Plaza | Potrero[1] | XT60 | Provides continuous Owl service throughout the entire route. |
| 21 Hayes (suspended) | Civic Center
Market
|
Presidio (formerly) | XT40
|
Discontinued in 2025 due to budget constraints; replaced by rerouted 6 Hayes/Parnassus. |
| 22 Fillmore | Bay St & Fillmore
Fillmore Street
|
Potrero[1] | XT40 | Rerouted to Mission Bay in 2021; operates Owl service around the clock. |
| 24 Divisadero | 'Jackson & Fillmore'
Jackson
|
Presidio | XT40 | Runs Owl service on a shortened segment throughout the night. |
| '30 Stockton' | 'Caltrain Depot'
3rd St/4th St Kearny/Stockton Columbus North Point Chestnut Broderick/Divisadero Marina Mason The Presidio |
'Potrero' | 'XT60' | 'No service extends to Presidio after 8 pm daily or before 6:30 am on weekends. Shortened trips supplement full daytime service from 8 am to 5 pm.' |
| '31 Balboa' | 'Cyril Magnin & Market'
Turk/Eddy Balboa Cabrillo Ocean Beach |
'Presidio' | 'XT40' | 'Due to budget reductions in 2025, service is truncated at Cyril Magnin & Market.' |
| '33 Ashbury/18th Street' | 'Cherry & Sacramento'
California Arguello Fulton Stanyan Haight Ashbury Clayton 18th St Mission 16th St Potrero 25th St & Potrero |
'Presidio' | 'XT40' | 'This is a direct successor to San Francisco’s original trolleybus route.' |
| '41 Union' (suspended) | 'Howard & Main'
Main/Beale Drumm/Davis Sacramento/Clay Sansome/Montgomery Columbus Union Baker/Lyon Lyon & Greenwich |
'Presidio' (formerly) | 'XT40' (formerly) | 'Operated only during rush hours from 1988 until suspension in 2020 due to the pandemic.' |
| '45 Union/Stockton' | 'Caltrain Depot'
3rd St/4th St Kearny/Stockton Union Baker/Lyon Lyon & Greenwich |
'Presidio' | 'XT40' | 'Operates as a standard trolleybus route.' |
| '49 Van Ness/Mission' | 'North Point & Van Ness'
Van Ness South Van Ness Mission Ocean City College |
'Potrero' | 'XT60' | 'Converted to motorbus operation in 2016; trolleybus service resumed with Van Ness BRT in 2022 though some trips continue as motorbus as of 2025.' |
Fleet
Since the inception of service in 1935 on the Market Street Railway network, San Francisco's trolleybus fleet has featured vehicles from a variety of manufacturers, including the J. G. Brill Company, St. Louis Car Company, Marmon-Herrington, Twin Coach, Flyer Industries (currently New Flyer), and Electric Transit.
Initial fleet (Brill, St. Louis)
The Market Street Railway debuted trackless trolleys in 1935 with nine coaches built by Brill for the 33 line. Each vehicle measured in length and accommodated 37 passengers; half were equipped with General Electric motors, while the remainder used Westinghouse motors. Following Muni's acquisition in 1944, these units were replaced by newer models by 1946 and ultimately scrapped by 1954.
Muni’s first trolleybuses under its own commission were produced by the St. Louis Car Company in 1939 but entered active service in 1941. These coaches, seating 40 passengers and numbered 501–509, operated on the R-Howard Line and featured both GE and Westinghouse propulsion systems. A subsequent purchase in 1947 added 16 larger coaches, resulting in a total fleet of 25.
Transition from streetcars (Marmon, Twin Coach, St. Louis)
Beginning in 1947, as streetcar services were gradually discontinued, Muni expanded its trolleybus inventory mainly with Marmon-Herrington models offered in three configurations: "Baby Marmons" (Model TC40 with 40 seats), "Medium Marmons" (Model TC44 with 44 seats), and "Large Marmons" (Model TC48 with 48 seats). The Baby Marmons were phased out by 1961.
Furthermore, Muni acquired 90 Twin Coach trolleybuses similar in size to the Medium Marmons in 1949 (Model 44TTW, seating 44). In the early 1950s, an additional 40 coaches with a capacity of 48 seats were procured from the St. Louis Car Company. This diverse fleet operated through the 1960s and 1970s until domestic manufacturers ceased trolleybus production, prompting Muni to obtain new vehicles from Canadian producer Flyer Industries.
Flyer and New Flyer
By 1977, after receiving over 300 Flyer E800 trolleybuses, Muni retired many older trolleybuses that had been in service for more than a quarter-century. A significant portion of the earlier Marmon and St. Louis units was sold to Mexico City.
As the Flyer fleet aged, its dependability deteriorated significantly. In 1991, the Flyer E800s had a mean distance between failures (MDBF) of , which fell to only by 1995; repairs often extended beyond four days due to limited availability of parts for these nearly two-decade-old vehicles. Moreover, incidents involving poles detaching and striking pedestrians or other vehicles generated adverse media attention.
In 1993, Muni introduced its first articulated trolleybuses: sixty New Flyer E60 models. Muni was the exclusive purchaser of the E60 variant of the New Flyer Galaxy; a prototype numbered 7000 was tested in 1992 before full production began. However, these E60s were associated with a higher accident frequency—by 1996 they averaged approximately 26 accidents per , twice that of the overall fleet average of 12.5. Their operational complexity made them difficult to handle and often led to assignment on busy routes with less experienced drivers.
The earliest recorded trolleybus fire occurred in 2001 on Flyer E800 No. 5204, which was then more than twenty years old. Replacement procurement for these vehicles with ETI 14TrSF models was already underway.
The reliability of New Flyer E60s further declined as they aged, with MDBF dropping near by early 2012. By that year, one-third of the original sixty had been retired due to breakdowns occurring roughly every five days. An additional twelve were withdrawn in early 2013, followed by retirement of the remaining twenty-eight units in January 2015.
Electric Transit, Inc.
Between 2001 and 2003, Electric Transit, Inc. (ETI) supplied trolleybuses consisting of 240 standard 40-foot vehicles (model 14TrSF) and 33 articulated 60-foot units (model 15TrSF), both based on the Škoda 14Tr and 15Tr designs tailored for the Muni system. The "SF" suffix indicates San Francisco customization. The initial plan anticipated network expansion, prompting a fleet of 240 rigid 40-foot trolleybuses; however, these plans were curtailed following recommendations from the Transit Effectiveness Project that favored modest operational improvements.
Operator feedback during trials highlighted several appreciated features of the ETI trolleybuses, such as a pneumatic mechanism for managing trolley poles and an on-board battery enabling limited travel away from overhead wires. Despite these advantages, the vehicles were considered heavier than intended. Previous domesticated 14Tr models produced for Miami Valley RTA encountered electrical faults related to auxiliary power units, which led ETI to seek an advance payment on its Muni contract in 1999. Assembly took place at San Francisco's Pier 15, with initial fabrication of frames, motors, and control systems carried out in the Czech Republic; subsequent body assembly and wiring were completed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, adhering to "Buy America" provisions linked to federal funding.
The ETI 14TrSF models replaced the older Flyer E800 fleet, while the 15TrSF articulated buses supplemented the existing Flyer E60s. Shortly after entering service in 2002, issues with loose brake axle nuts emerged. By January 2010, Muni's high-floor trolleybus inventory consisted of 313 units: 240 ETI 14TrSF (40-foot), 33 ETI 15TrSF (60-foot articulated), and 40 New Flyer E60s dating from the early 1990s. The reliance on parts from the Czech Republic contributed to extended maintenance intervals.
As of early 2011–2012, the mean distance between failures (MDBF) for ETI models was approximately . However, as these vehicles aged, service disruptions increased notably after several fires occurred in 2014 and 2015. A significant incident in 2016 involved an ETI 14TrSF suffering traction motor control failure which caused brake loss and a collision with a stationary truck. By 2017, the aging fleet of 14TrSF vehicles was responsible for nearly half of Muni’s delays attributed to mechanical failures.
Return to New Flyer
In 2013, SFMTA collaborated with King County Metro and New Flyer on a joint procurement effort aimed at replacing its trolleybus fleet, focusing on aligning technical requirements and cost efficiency. The initial purchase under this partnership came in 2014 for replacing 61 articulated trolleybuses with sixty New Flyer XT60 low-floor articulated models; deliveries commenced in 2015. These represented Muni’s first introduction of low-floor trolleybuses. Two prototype units arrived early in 2015 and entered revenue service later that year, followed by production vehicles delivered between November 2015 and July 2016.
By mid-2016, all thirty-three ETI 15TrSF articulated trolleybuses had been retired, leaving a fleet comprising 240 conventional ETI (14TrSF) forty-foot buses alongside sixty New Flyer XT60 articulated vehicles. An additional order for thirty-three XT60 articulated buses was placed in July 2016 to further expand the fleet; deliveries concluded by March 2018. Internal assessments revealed that XT60 vehicles are restricted to routes with gradients under ten percent.
The final contract modification approved in June 2017 authorized procurement of one hundred eighty-five two-axle, forty-foot New Flyer XT40 trolleybuses intended to replace the remaining ETI units. While options existed for acquiring fifty-five more XT40s to fully supplant the ETI 14TrSF fleet, this was not pursued due to adequate capacity achieved through the expanded XT60 articulated fleet. According to Muni’s Fleet Management Plan from 2010, anticipated ridership increases would be accommodated primarily by adding more articulated buses. By September 7, 2019, all ETI 14TrSF trolleybuses had been retired completely, leaving a modern fleet of ninety-three XT60s and one hundred eighty-five XT40s—all manufactured by New Flyer.
Active fleet
The active trolleybus fleet consists of both 40-foot standard and 60-foot articulated models. These vehicles are distributed between the Potrero and Presidio Divisions, with every 60-foot articulated trolleybus being exclusively based at the Potrero facility.
| Fleet numbers | Quantity | Manufacturer | Propulsion | Model | Configuration | Year built | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7201–7260 | 60 | New Flyer | Vossloh Kiepe | XT60 | 60' articulated, low-floor | 2015–2016 | All units assigned to Potrero Division | |
| 7261–7293 | 33 | 2017–2018 | Mid-2016 option exercised. | |||||
| 5701–5885 | 185 | XT40 | 40' standard, low-floor | 2017–2019 |
Fleet history
Initially managed by Market Street Railway (MSRy) before merging into Muni in 1944, the trolleybus roster has historically included models from manufacturers such as J. G. Brill Company, St. Louis Car Company, Marmon-Herrington, Twin Coach, and New Flyer Industries.
Several decommissioned trolleybuses have been preserved for historical purposes:
- Unit No. 506 (St. Louis Car Company, 1939)
- Units Nos. 530 and 536 (Marmon-Herrington TC40) housed at the Orange Empire Railway Museum (OERM)
- Unit No. 614 (Twin Coach 44TTW), also at OERM
- Unit No. 776 (Marmon-Herrington TC48)
- Unit No. 5300 (Flyer E800)
- Unit No. 5538 (ETI 14TrSF)
No examples of the retired ETI 15TrSF articulated trolleybuses have been preserved. Vehicle number 7031 (New Flyer E60) was retained until 2019 but was removed from auction after interest from a preservation organization.
| Fleet # | Qty | Manufacturer | Propulsion | Model | Configuration | Year built | Image | Final Retirement | Preserved | Refs. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51–54 | 9 | J. G. Brill Company | GE 1154A | — | 33' Conventional | 1935 | 1949 or 1954 | None | |||
| 55–58 | Westinghouse Electric Corporation 1428CT9 | ||||||||||
| 59 | GE 1154A | ||||||||||
| 501–504 | 25 | St. Louis Car Company | GE 1216 | Job 1704 | 35' Conventional | 1939 | 1954 | 506 | |||
| 505–509 | WH 1442 | ||||||||||
| 510–525 | WH 1442F1 | Job 1731 | 1947 | ||||||||
| 526–549 | 25 | Marmon-Herrington | GE1213-J3 | TC40 | 34' Conventional | 1948 |
1954||530,536,541|| |
||||
| 550–569 | 20 | GE1213-J1 | TC44 | 37' Conventional | 1949 |
1977||None|| |
|||||
| 570–659 | 90 | Twin Coach | WH1442-A1A | 44TTW | 36' Conventional | 1977 | 614 | ||||
| 660–739 | 80 | Marmon-Herrington | GE1213-J1 | TC44 | 37' Conventional | 1977 | None | ||||
| 740–789 | 110 | TC48 | 39' Conventional | 1950 | 1977 | 776 | |||||
| 790–849 | WH1442-A1A | 1977 | None | ||||||||
| 850–889 | 40 | St. Louis Car Company | GE1213-J1 | Job1767 | 40' Conventional | 1951 | 1977 | ||||
| 5001–5002 | 345 | New Flyer Industries | Flyer700/800/900 series#E700A | 40' Conventional | 1972–1973 | 1999 | |||||
| 5003–5345 | E800 | 1976–1977 | 2007 | 5300,5345 | |||||||
| 5401–5640 | 240 | Electric Transit, Inc. (ETI) | Vossloh Kiepe | 14TrSF | 40' Conventional | 1999–2003 | 2019 | 5538 | |||
| 7000–7059 | 60 | New Flyer Industries | General Electric | E60 | 60' Articulated | 1992,1993–1994 | 2015 | 7031 | |||
| 7101–7133 | 33 | Electric Transit Inc. (ETI) | Vossloh Kiepe | 15TrSF | 60' Articulated | 2003 | 2016 |
Additionally, Muni possesses a historic trolleybus formerly used in Seattle—a Twin Coach GWFT acquired in 1987. It was repainted in Market Street Railway colors and briefly operated in service during a route extension celebration in 1988. As of 2020, this vehicle remains in storage under Muni’s care.
- Notes
Infrastructure
- Market Street Railway (uses overhead wiring)
- Stockton Street Tunnel
- Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit
See also
Books
External links
- Official SFMTA website
- History of Muni's Trolleybuses (SFMTA resource)