A Penske rental truck drove onto the Muni track in front of SF State at 10:46 a.m. today after swerving onto the track at the intersection of 19th and Holloway avenues, according to metro inspector Carmel Debono.There were no injuries but the accident hindered students ability to leave campus after their first day of school.
The truck was heading southbound when the truck’s left front tired popped and the truck ground to a halt 200 feet later. The tire popped due to raised tracks directly after the intersection.
Police, Muni officials and a tow truck removed the truck at 12:10 p.m., without damaging the track. The truck rested partially between the M-line track and 19th Avenue, south of Holloway Avenue in front the HSS and Science buildings.
“We (were) rerouting the M onto the K-line,” said Muni spokesman Paul Rose. “The idea would be to have the buses to avoid delays.”
The inbound route was blocked, but the outbound kept running.
To combat this, there is also an M bus traveling to the West Portal Station.
According to Debono, vehicles drive onto the track about four or five times per year, usually because of wet roads in the morning.
In order to remove the truck without harming the track, the Penske vehicle had to be raised above the track and then pulled off.
The M-line is currently on schedule, but was initially delayed.
“It takes about an hour to get everything back on schedule,” Debono said.