San Francisco Transit Riders

Budget Letter Writing Campaign
2023-04-30 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dolores Park
Join us on Sunday at noon to write letters to the governor and state representatives urging them to fund transit. The event is co-hosted by Seamless Bay Area, San Francisco Transit Riders, Streets for People and Friends of Caltrain. We’ll also be joined by State Senator Scott Weiner, BART President and Board Director Janice Li, and other elected officials!
Why does transit need state funding?
As federal COVID relief funds draw down and transit ridership remains well below pre-pandemic levels, Bay Area transit agencies are faced with large budget shortfalls. Revenue deficits for all 27 Bay Area transit agencies are estimated around $3 billion over the next 5 years.
In light of this dire situation, state funding will be essential to avoid the fiscal cliff and help improve the system to regrow ridership.
Without new revenue streams, agencies will have to make tough decisions to cut back on transit service (such as eliminating routes, reduced frequencies, and less weekend service), fare hikes, and transit agency staff layoffs. We cannot afford to let our transit agencies flounder. This would be a disaster for marginalized communities, our state’s climate goals, and all California residents.
How can you help?
By joining our letter writing event on April 30th! You’ll be in good company with transit advocates from all around the Bay. Through our collective efforts and petitioning of the state legislature, we can ensure transit agencies have the necessary funds to sustain services in the immediate future and build back ridership in the years to come.
Thank you and we’ll see you at Dolores Park!

Tabling with SFTR at Earth Day SF
2023-04-22 08:00 - 17:00 | CA
We need volunteers to table with us this Saturday! SFTR will tabling at Earth Day SF, located at SF County Fair Building at 9th Ave & Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park. We’ll talk to people about how our transit and climate are linked. You can volunteer for as long or little as you’d like, sign up below!

Moving for a Greener Future: The Climate Case for Public Transit
2023-04-20 18:30 - 20:00 | 518 Valencia St, San Francisco
We’re all worried about climate change — but what tangible steps can we take? In honor of Membership Month and SF Climate Week, SFTR is hosting a panel about the importance of public transit in addressing San Francisco’s climate goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and stopping climate change. Join us tomorrow, you don’t want to miss this talk!
Event tickets start at $5. Supercharge your donation at checkout to also get access to our post-event happy hour and mixer at Casements Bar – food and drink tickets will be provided!
When: Tomorrow, April 20, at 6:30pm
Where: 518 Valencia St, San Francisco
Who: The event will be moderated by Ellen Wu, Executive Director of Urban Habitat. Our panelists are…

Amanda Eaken, Chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors
Jason Henderson, Professor in the department of Geography & Environment at San Francisco State University and author of Street Fight: The Politics of Mobility in San Francisco
Tom Radulovich, Policy & Planning for Livable City, and a former elected director of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District from 1996 to 2016
John Anderson, 350 San Francisco Coordinating Committee member

What: We will ask panelists about the changes necessary to move towards a greener future in the transportation sector, and some of the challenges that stand in our way. At the end we will dedicate some time to an audience Q&A.
Masks are encouraged. You can also buy tickets at the door.

Rally for Transit Funding!
2023-04-18 12:00 - 15:00 | Polk Street steps at City Hall
Join us, along with Dean Preston and other transit advocates, on April 18th at 12pm to rally for transit funding!
Bay Area transportation agencies are in a dire situation and need state support and need ongoing and reliable funding from the state to support Bay Area transit systems to serve the millions of Californians that rely on public transit everyday.
Based on current ridership, service levels, and cost trends, Bay Area operators forecast annual budget shortfalls in the tens of millions of dollars in FY 2023-24, growing to hundreds of millions of dollars beginning in FY 2024-25 and thereafter.

SFMTA is predicted to face a $130 million budget deficit by FY 2024-2025
Golden Gate Transit will possibly face a $423 million budget deficit over five years and ridership is still 45% of pre-pandemic levels
BART predicts operating deficits to rise over the following five years with a $238 million increase from fiscal year 2023 to 2024

Funding gaps of this enormity could lead to significant cuts in the already limited service levels and could cut off access to critical destinations for those who rely on it most.
In January 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom released his proposed budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which included a $2 billion cut to the Transit Intercity Rail Capital Program and no funding for transit operations.
If the Governor and the State legislature want to truly prioritize equity, the environment, and supporting San Francisco’s economic recovery, then they should prioritize local transit agencies with enough funding to ensure that there are no cuts to service but also enough funding to support increased service to draw riders back to public transit.
Please consider attending the rally on April 18 at 12 pm (Polk Street steps at City Hall) and signing the petition to demand the Governor includes significant public transit funding in the May revision to the budget by May 14, 2023, and the Assembly and the Senate to their own revised versions by June 2023

Join us for an exclusive Member Forum!
2023-03-16 18:00 - 20:00 | CA
Join your fellow San Francisco Transit Riders members and help SFTR form a formal position in response to SFMTA’s consideration of a fare increase and pause in service restoration. SFTR staff will present on recent updates from SFMTA before turning to members for feedback on how we should respond to SFMTA’s proposals. We want to make sure that our position and advocacy centers the voice of riders — riders like you. Please join us as we craft our response.
This meeting is open to SFTR members only. If you are not a member or need to renew your membership, select ‘become a member’ at checkout.
Questions? Email membership@sftransitriders.org

Rally for free student transit passes in CA
2023-03-15 09:30 - 17:00 | California State Capitol
Join Move LA and partners in lobbying members of the California Legislature to ask for their support for Assembly Bill 610 (Holden) to create a groundbreaking statewide student transit pass program that enables every California student—from kindergarten to grad school—to easily access fare-free public transit. Details: March 15 at 9:30am at the California State Capitol.

Attend next week's Senate Committee on Transportation
2023-02-27 15:00 - 17:00 | CA
Date: Monday, February 27, 2023
Time: 3:00pm or Upon Adjournment of Senate & Assembly Sessions
Location: 1021 O Street, Room 1100
Subject: Joint Informational: Short Term Crisis and Long Term Transformation: How to Bring Back and Build Transit Ridership in California
The Capitol and O Street building are open for in-person attendance of committee hearings. Please utilize the teleconference service if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive.
The Senate strongly recommends that all members of the public wear a mask in all shared spaces in the Capitol and the 1021 O Street building. Masks are available at all security entrances.
We encourage the public to submit written testimony before the hearing through the position letter portal. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted.

Distribute "I Ride Public Transit" Pins on Transit Equity Day!
2023-02-04 16:00 - 17:00 | Bayshore and Sunnydale
SFTR is thrilled to be helping raise awareness about San Francisco transit and our rider needs on Saturday, February 4 by passing out these amazing transit stickers along the T-Line. We hope you will join us!
When: Saturday, February 4 at 4pm
Where: We will be meeting at Bayshore and Sunnydale and then riding to Rose Pak station and handing out stickers there. If you’d like to just meet us at Rose Pak, we will be there around 5pm.
Transit advocates and enthusiasts also plan to meet at a local bar or restaurant for mixing and mingling after we finish handing out stickers! We hope to see you there!

Transit Equity Week
2023-01-30 08:00 - 2023-02-04 17:00 | CA
Transit Equity Week and Transit Equity Day are annual celebrations of transit and is meant to increase awareness of the importance of safe, reliable, equitable, and sustainable transportation for all. As we all know, the most disenfranchised communities are also the ones most affected by poor transit in our city. Every city and its residents deserve a transit system that not only allows all residents to participate as fully as possible in our society but allows them to thrive in that society. There are events happening all week!

Exclusive Potrero Yards tour!
2022-12-15 15:30 - 19:00 | Potrero Yards
In honor and celebration of our members, San Francisco Transit Riders will be hosting an exclusive tour of Potrero Yards for SFTR members on December 15! The tour begins at 3:30pm, and children are welcome – but be sure to wear close-toed shoes! You will also receive a small token of appreciation gift from Muni! This is part of SFTR’s End of the Year fundraiser, and you do not need to be an active member to join us! But buying a ticket for $45 also gets you an SFTR year-long membership, and a seat at the table when it comes to transit conversations, policy decisions, and more! The first tour will start at 3:30pm and the second will start at 3:45pm (we will split up into groups once there).
Potrero Yard was built back in 1915, but is currently too small to accommodate the growing fleet of San Francisco Transit vehicles, and cannot be retrofit for new technologies. The tour will take us through the plans for the new and improved Potrero Yard, and we’ll learn more about the history of transit in San Francisco, and see where the future is taking us.
And don’t miss out on our celebratory happy hour after the tour! After the tour, we will head over to Southern Pacific Brewing for a happy hour where we can mix and mingle and talk Potrero Yards, transit, and more! Happy hour is covered in the tickets for the tour.

SFTR Local Funding Working Group
2022-11-10 18:00 - 20:30, 2022-10-13 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-09-15 21:00 | CA
Join us for the first meeting of our local funding working group, open to all active SFTR members. Sign up here: https://sftransitriders.salsalabs.org/workinggroupsignup
By 2025 SFMTA will be almost half a billion dollars in debt. Over 40 lines have been indefinitely suspended and there is no budget to bring them back. It looks increasingly likely that San Francisco will move forward with a major transportation funding measure in 2022. This working group will be examining potential funding sources and building the political will to win at the ballot.

Voter Forum on Measure L in the Tenderloin
2022-10-25 17:30 - 18:30 | CA
Next Tuesday SFTR is hosting a voter forum in collaboration with Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force, the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, and the SF Bicycle Coalition at Boeddeker Park.
This event is for Tenderloin residents who are interested in the history of the ½ cent sales tax, how the funds have previously been spent in the Tenderloin, and the expected impact of the new expenditure plan.
If you live in the Tenderloin, or have friends and family in the Tenderloin, this is a great opportunity to connect with others in the community about transit, and how Measure L relates to service, safety, and sustainability.

Lit Drop for Measure L!
2022-10-23 10:00 - 13:00 | CA
With the election 18 days away, the campaign to pass Measure L is in full swing. Community members, Muni riders, SFTR members, and candidates gathered last weekend at Palou-Phelps Minipark in the Bayview to handout literature about Measure L in the surrounding community.
Building on this momentum, we’re gathering again this Sunday at Dolores & 19th St at 10am in collaboration with the Measure L campaign, the Alice B. Toklas Club, the Harvey Milk Club, and Rafael Mandelman to literature drop in surrounding neighborhoods. Sign up to join us by using the campaigns volunteer form!
Other Measure L mobilizations are also available with the campaign. Check the volunteer form for more details.

Rider First Awards Ceremony
2022-10-07 17:30 - 21:00 | CA
The Rider First Awards cap off a month of events, rallies, and our Transit Ride Contest. Come see old friends and make new ones, with a great group of people who believe in the power of public transit! Sign up here!

San Jose State Students Transit Ride-Along
2022-09-29 16:45 - 19:00 | CA
Join San Jose State Associated Students and SJSU leaders to celebrate public transit and the BayPass all agency transit pass pilot. Meet up at SJSU on 9th street at the corner of the Industrial Studies building around 4:45, or join the gathering at 5:30pm at Cahill park for snacks, speeches, trivia and giveaways. Hosted by San Jose State University and Seamless Bay Area. Sign up here!

Transit Planning Working Group Month Meeting
2022-09-28 21:00 - 22:30 | CA
The Transit Planning Working Group helps craft and advocate for a rider-led vision of San Francisco’s transportation network. It works to implement our vision of a network of Rapid Muni routes that centers the needs of riders and connects neighborhoods across the city with frequent, reliable, fast service that runs end-to-end in 30 minutes by 2030. It also discusses, evaluates and advocates for transit priority improvements including and beyond our 30×30 vision with the support of riders and CBOs in equity priority communities. The Transit Planning Working Group meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6pm.

BART Sound Tracks at El Cerrito del Norte
2022-09-28 17:00 - 20:00 | CA
As part of BART’s 50th anniversary celebration, BART is bringing free live music to the El Cerrito del Norte Station.

Stuttering Stories Across San Francisco
2022-09-27 19:00 - 22:00 | CA
In partnership with SF Transit Month, Proud Stutter and Booksmith are proud to present a special event that puts a spotlight on stuttering and verbal diversity. In “Stuttering Stories Across San Francisco,” hear from people who stutter living and working in San Francisco talking about their stuttering experience and how we can all collaborate to understand that stuttering is just a different way of talking. Panelists include Dustin Wells, MUNI Driver, Nina G, comedian, Sebastian Scala, owner of Tony Nik’s and Proud Stutter’s Maya Chupkov, who will moderate.
Please note:
> Safety: ID and proof of full vaccination, including booster, will be required at the door. Masks will be required throughout the duration of the event, capacity will be limited to allow indoor distancing, and we’ll have extra ventilation in place.
> Because we’re limiting capacity, we can’t guarantee we’ll have space for walk-ins. The best way to ensure you’ll get a seat is to order a ticket through this link.
> If we feel it’s not safe to gather, as the event gets close, we will pivot to a virtual event and your registration will remain valid.
> Questions? Write events@booksmith.com.

Lend Your Voice to Shape Downtown’s Transportation Future II
2022-09-22 12:30 - 14:30 | CA
Hosted by SPUR, this event will discuss San José’s Downtown Transportation Plan. Link coming soon.

BART Sound Tracks at Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza
2022-09-21 17:00 - 20:00 | CA
As part of BART’s 50th anniversary celebration, BART is bringing free live music to the Downtown Berkeley BART Station Plaza.

Bay Ferry Beer and Ride
2022-09-18 17:30 - 22:30 | CA
Celebrate Transit Month with a late-afternoon ferry ride provided by San Francisco Bay Ferry from the Ferry Building in San Francisco to (either Alameda or Oakland). You can then choose from the Federation Brewery (for patrons 21 and over) or a restaurant near Jack London Square (open to everyone). Hosted by Water Emergency Transportation Authority. Link coming soon!

Pacific Bus Museum Tour
2022-09-17 14:00 - 17:00 | CA
Explore the Bay Area’s transit past with a guided tour of the Pacific Bus Museum, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to preserving transit’s history located in Fremont. You will have a guided tour of preserved historic buses, visit a large archive of transit-related memorabilia, and enjoy a ride on one of the museum’s buses driven by one of its volunteers. Hosted by Pacific Bus Museum and San Francisco Transit Riders. Sign up here!

BART to Bike: MLK Shoreline Connectivity Ride
2022-09-17 14:00 - 17:00 | CA
Come join Greenbelt Alliance, TransForm, and East Oakland Collective as we bike from Fruitvale BART to the Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline as part of September’s Transit Month. Join us to explore this beautiful setting while also talking about ways we can expand safe access to the shoreline via bicycle and transit. Sign up here!

East Bay Transit Month Rally
2022-09-17 12:00 - 14:00 | CA
Join us in promoting the use of transit to Cal students and East Bay residents at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Hosted by Telegraph for People, Genesis, and East Bay Transit Riders.

“Yes on L” Kickoff and Lit Drop
2022-09-17 11:00 - 13:00 | CA
Join SFTR and advocates across the city to kick off the field campaign for Measure L the Better roads and transit measure on the ballot this November. This measure, which is not a new tax, would provide essential transit investments throughout the city. Register here!
WHERE: Argonne Playground 441 18th Ave, San Francisco, 94114

All Aboard with Transit CEOs
2022-09-16 15:00 - 19:00 | CA
Join the General Managers/CEOs from various Bay Area transit agencies as they ride multiple modes of transit together, ending with a public happy hour at Line21 Brewery in Oakland. Hosted by BART, along with SFMTA, AC Transit, SamTrans, VTA, WETA, Marin Transit, County Connection, Golden Gate Transit, MTC, WestCAT, Tri Delta Transit, and Seamless. Sign up here!

San Francisco Safe Routes to School Transit Day
2022-09-15 08:00 - 17:00 | CA
Students and schools can celebrate Transit Day any day that week (Sept 12-16). Students are invited to participate individually and support their school’s event by pledging to ride Muni at least once in the week of Sept 12-16 (Join in by taking the pledge here!). Schools registered for the event will receive incentives for organizers and participants, an activation toolkit, and be eligible for prizes based on the number of students who pledge to participate. Any school staff, parent, or student group can register to organize their school’s event (Register your school here!).

The Risky Business of Transportation Megaprojects
2022-09-12 12:00 - 13:30 | CA
Hosted by SPUR, this event will discuss the challenges the Bay Area’s transportation projects face, what the MAP actually does and how to situate it in the context of other plans and policies. Link coming soon.
