BART’s Funding Crisis and the November Ballot Measures

BART officials warn that, as early as early 2027, the system could be forced to close up to 15 stations, cut train frequency by 63 %, raise fares and parking fees by roughly 30 %, and end service at 9 p.m. The agency’s self-sustaining model—generating 60-70 % of operating revenue from passenger fares—has been strained since the pandemic lowered ridership and the region’s shift to remote work. In 2016 the network carried 435,000 riders each weekday and earned nearly half a billion dollars annually; current figures have fallen far short of that level.

The Guardian

Voters in four Bay Area counties and in San Francisco will decide on two sales-tax proposals in the November election. A half-cent tax across the four counties and a one-cent tax in San Francisco together would raise about $1 billion per year for 14 years, earmarked for the region’s four largest transit operators, including BART. Proponents argue the funding is essential to avoid the service cuts outlined above.

The Guardian

A report by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) projects that, without the measures, peak-hour traffic delays on the Bay Bridge and other choke points could more than double. Commuters would likely drive an additional 10 miles (16 km) each way, incurring roughly $3,280 in extra annual transportation costs—about 3 % of which the proposed sales tax would cover. Low-income workers and people with disabilities, who rely heavily on BART, would face the steepest burdens.

The Guardian

Transportation policy director Laura Tolkoff of SPUR emphasized that the report reflects a “best-case scenario” for traffic conditions, underscoring the urgency of the funding vote. Former San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) head Jeffrey Tumlin warned that losing BART would devastate the Bay Area economy, noting the system’s role in supporting the region’s technology sector and broader business community.

The Guardian

• “Losing Bart destroys the Bay Area economy,” — Jeffrey Tumlin

The Guardian

• “Sometimes I sit here on Bart and just look out the window and laugh – ha, ha, ha! – at the people in traffic,” — Carissa Spencer, an executive assistant for Airbnb in her 40s

The Guardian

• “Traffic is going to get a lot worse and I think this is a best-case scenario,” — Laura Tolkoff, the transportation policy director at Spur and author of the report

The Guardian

• “We refuse to wake up in January to creeping highways and choking bridges; to abandoned bus routes and boarded up Bart stations,” — Anki

The Guardian