Council Joins State Leaders to Announce Path to Save – and Reform – Bay Area Public Transit

This week Bay Area Council Chair Kristina Lawson joined state Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguin (D-Berkeley) to announce the introduction of SB 63 which will provide critical public transit funding – and mandated new efficiencies – to ensure that our trains, buses, and ferries continue to operate despite severe financial challenges brought on by the pandemic. SB 63 would authorize a regional revenue measure to be placed before voters in November 2026 to fund operations for BART, Muni and other transit systems. Notably, the legislation also includes the Council’s proposal to require the transit systems to undergo a comprehensive financial efficiency review, which would identify areas to cut costs while also maintaining and improving service.  Agencies would be required to adopt significant cuts and efficiencies identified in this review in order to draw any new funding.  A similar effort in New Jersey yielded $300 million in cuts and efficiencies, and the Washington DC area adopted $500 million in cost reductions and efficiencies.

“Keeping our transit systems moving is critical for the health of the Bay Area economy,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “We applaud Sen. Wiener and Sen. Arreguin for their leadership in advancing this important legislation as a first step to keep our transit systems moving. Winning voter support, however, won’t be easy and will depend on how serious we are over the next year about making significant, substantive and long-overdue reforms to how our transit systems operate. Voters, taxpayers and riders for years have been demanding that our transit systems become leaner, more efficient, and much better at providing safe, convenient, affordable and reliable service.

The Bay Area Council developed the framework for a financial efficiency review of Bay Area transit operators that would happen as a condition of future funding. This review will help transit systems adapt to a longer-term lower revenue environment and rebuild voter confidence to support critical transit services going forward.  To learn more about the Council’s transportation policy work, please contact Vice President Emily Loper.