The Bay Area’s primary public transit network is in trouble. With annual deficits nearing $400 million and ridership declining year after year, officials are considering massive cuts to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) that could shorten operating hours and lead to the closure of up to 15 stations. If those reductions drive ridership down even further, some transit experts warn the system could enter a downward “death spiral” that threatens its long-term viability.
How did BART get here?
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, BART relied heavily on fare revenue to sustain itself. At the time, ridership was strong, with around 120 million trips taken in 2019. But the rise of remote work after the pandemic triggered a steep drop in daily commuters. A stagnant population and lingering concerns about public safety have also contributed to the decline.
Pandemic relief funds temporarily kept the system afloat, but those funds have now run dry. At the same time, layoffs in the tech sector mean fewer workers are commuting into Bay Area offices. The prospect of a so-called “billionaires tax” has even more tech executives threatening to leave the state and take their businesses with them.
BART is also an expensive system to operate. Costly labor agreements, rising energy prices, and mounting maintenance expenses continue to drive up operating budgets. It is difficult to significantly reduce the workforce, and unions oppose automation. To prevent a fiscal collapse, transit advocates say additional funding is essential.
Bay Area leaders are now asking taxpayers to help keep the trains running. In November, voters in four counties—Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara—may decide on a regional sales tax increase to support public transportation. San Francisco voters could see a separate proposal to raise the city’s sales tax by one cent to support Muni.
But the Bay Area already has some of the highest sales taxes in California. And despite more than half a century of faithful BART service, voters may be reluctant to raise their cost of living even further.
Read more about the Bay Area's public transportation crisis here.