Tour buses traveling around San Francisco will face new regulations that were given unanimous initial approval today by the city’s Board of Supervisors.
The legislation, sponsored by board president David Chiu, is meant to address problems caused by the large buses that travel to various tourist destinations around the city.
“Despite the fact that we all love the large number of tourists” that come to San Francisco, “we’ve received countless complaints” about issues including double parking and noise pollution, Chiu said.
“We need some level of regulation,” he said.
One of two ordinances that the board approved today requires open-top tour buses to have sound systems that are not audible from 50 or more feet away. The buses will have to be inspected by the city’s Department of Public Health before being allowed into regular operation.
The other legislation, co-sponsored by Supervisor Mark Farrell, was developed as part of a program by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to enhance regulation of tour bus stops in the city.
The ordinance authorizes the city to issue parking citations to unauthorized vehicles that occupy tour bus stands and also to cite tour buses that exceed time restrictions at a stand.
Both ordinances received no opposition from other supervisors and were passed 11-0. They will return to the board in two weeks–the full board is off next week–for final approval.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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