Video appears to show San Francisco Muni driver asleep before 2 empty trains crash

Video shows operator asleep before collision

A video obtained by the group NorCal Bodycam and shared with ABC7 Bay Area appears to show a San Francisco Muni train operator asleep moments before a collision involving two empty trains on July 31. The footage shows the operator dozing off before the train strikes the rear of another train ahead, shattering window glass. The jolt from the impact instantly snaps the operator awake, according to the New York Post.

The collision occurred on the morning of July 31 near the intersection of 47th Avenue and Wawona Street, north of the San Francisco Zoo. Fire officials said both trains were empty of passengers at the time. The New York Post reported that both trains were out of service and laying over between scheduled runs.

SFMTA: initial determination is operator fatigue

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) said no one was injured in the collision. In a statement, the agency said: "This type of incident is simply unacceptable. While the formal investigation of the collision is ongoing, vehicle and infrastructure issues have been ruled out, and the initial determination for the incident is operator error caused by fatigue." The investigation remains ongoing.

Previous incidents raise fatigue concerns

This is not the first time a Muni operator has appeared to fall asleep while operating a train. In September, a driver was seen appearing to doze off as a train accelerated to 50 mph, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The train was crowded with morning commuters, and some passengers were thrown forward or out of their seats. The SFMTA determined that incident was also caused by operator fatigue and launched a fatigue-awareness education campaign afterward.

The New York Post also described a separate incident involving a female operator who was captured on video slumped over in her chair as a packed train hit a turn hard. The fast turn threw riders to the side, with many flung to the floor. Passengers could be heard yelling "I wanna get off!" and "Oh my God!" The jolt woke the driver, who rushed to regain control and tell passengers to "relax." The transport agency formally determined operator fatigue was the primary cause of that collision.

The July 31 incident has renewed attention on operator fatigue within the Muni system, as the SFMTA continues its formal investigation.