Gus Hernandez of the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association is worried about one of the white zone stops proposed on Hayes Street at Steiner.

"Our concern is that it's going to cause more congestion and traffic in the neighborhood, as well as removal of parking on the north side," he said.

Adrian Covert of the Bay Area Council was among the few speakers at the public hearing who testified in favor of the shuttle program, saying it’s a vital link in the transportation system, and that the loss of parking would be minimal.

"Three permanent parking spaces overall are going to be eliminated to provide for shuttle space for 17,000 San Francisco residents. I think that's a pretty good deal," he said.

Activists who contend the tech shuttles, often called "Google buses," have helped fuel gentrification have filed a lawsuit against the city, demanding an environmental review. A settlement conference is scheduled for next week, said Sara Shortt, director of the Housing Rights Committee.

While she supports the white zones, Shortt said the city needs to get more creative about how it manages the shuttles.

"I think there are better solutions, like having a tech hub in one specific space. I think they can stretch themselves further. I do think not using the Muni stops is an absolute improvement," she said.

Eighty eight stops were approved at the hearing by a traffic engineering panel. SFMTA officials said they were still reviewing a small number of additional stops that would be considered at a July 11th public hearing. The list of stops is then expected to go before the SFMTA Board for final approval.

The shuttle pilot is scheduled to start August 1st, a month later than anticipated.

hi-tech buseshi-tech buses

Hearing on San Francisco's Tech Shuttle Program Draws Complaints