SAN FRANCISCO—A new commute option called Leap Transit launched in San Francisco earlier this week, inching on the territory of both public transit and app-based ride-shares, such as Lyft or Uber. This latest mode of transportation serves as a commuter bus that follows existing Muni routes from the Marina to downtown.
While Leap costs $6 per ride, it offers amenities such as Wi-Fi, outlets, quicker arrival times, attendants serving snacks, and luxury seating; similar to the service of an airline.
Although Leap can be attractive to those not happy with Muni’s overcrowding and long delays, this new service is also creating a point of contention amongst San Francisco natives. Some are upset by the tech-catered modes of transportation such as Leap or Google Bus for replacing the need for public transit.
Some fear that with too many people using alternative options, funding for Muni will lose priority for those who depend on it. Google Bus faced protests and lawsuits in the past because of the new technology advances for transportation.
Another point of concern is that Leap Transit is not handicap accessible. Leap’s acceptance onto San Francisco streets has yet to be determined.
