What is Transit Month?

This September, join SFTR and Seamless Bay Area in celebrating the buses, trains and people that make the wonderful transit system we all know and ride. During Transit Month, you can look forward to a region-wide ride contest and prizes, a San Francisco Ride-Along and Rally with the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, our Rider First Awards Ceremony, and tons more exciting, transit-themed regional activities. September is also Rail Safety Month and an important opportunity to recognize and support all the workers who make our system safe and reliable.

Over the years through Transit Month (and formerly Transit Day and Transit Week), SFTR, Seamless, and other transit-focused agencies and organizations have reached hundreds of riders through events held across the city. SFTR has spoken directly to those who need and take the train at our Transit Hubs, and there have been in-depth panel discussions around safety on transit and the role of public transit in addressing climate change. Riders logged almost 3,000 transit trips in our Ride Contest in 2022, covering every transit agency in the Bay Area. Over the years during Transit Month, we’ve boarded and chatted with CEOs of agencies, we’ve ridden the train with Supervisors, we’ve seen new parts of town from the bus window and explored the Bay Area, and we’ve raised awareness about the importance of keeping our city moving through transit.

It’s no secret that the past few years have been hard on our transit, and though we scraped by a budget win recently, it’s not enough. That’s why we need to uplift transit all September long and highlight how necessary it is to keep our city equitable, equal, and fun!

It is more important than ever before that we show our elected leaders how important transit is to our city, and that we need to continue funding it. Let’s prove that to them this Transit Month by getting out and taking transit!

Events for Transit Month 2023:

Sept 1-21: BART Scavenger Hunt and Transit Month Happy Hour

YPT is highlighting public art and small businesses throughout the Bay Area via a scavenger hunt across the entire BART system. Complete what you can and share your progress on social media!

We’ll celebrate transit month and the scavenger hunt with a happy hour, complete with trivia — prizes will be included!

Happy Hour

Details: September 21, 2023 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Address: Line 51 Brewing Co

303 Castro St, Oakland, CA 94607

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ypt-x-transit-month-happy-hour-tickets-704904748077?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Hosted by: Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT)

Sept 5: Transit Month Kick-Off Celebration / Rally & Ride Along

On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, The San Francisco Transit Riders will be hosting a ride along to city hall and rally/celebration to kick-off the transit month festivities. The rally will be attended by The Mayor, Board of Supervisors, Sen. Scott Wiener, Asm. Phil Ting, Director Tumlin, Director Jue, SFMTA Board Chair Eaken, and more!

Rally:
 – Tuesday September 5, 2022, 12:00pm-1:00pm at City Hall

Ride Along Routes:
–  11:30am – 5R from Divisadero St to Van Ness Ave with Supervisor Dean Preston and SFMTA Board Chair Amanda Eaken
–  11:15am – J from 20th St to Civic Center with Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
–  11:30am – K, M, or S from West Portal to Civic Center with Assemblymember Phil Ting, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, Director Tumlin, and Director Jue

Please register below for the event so we can update you with the ride along route coordination.

Details: September 5, 2023 | Rally at 12:00 pm

Rally Location: San Francisco City Hall

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, CA 94102

RSVP: https://forms.gle/eL79RwmMF453Lm2SA

Hosted by: San Francisco Transit Riders

Sept 8: Manny Yekutiel in Conversation with BART Officials on a Moving BART Train!
Manny Yekutiel is hosting a conversation on the future of Bay Area public transportation on a moving BART train! 

Manny will be joined by the president of the BART board Janice Li and the General Manager Bob Powers to discuss the state of public transportation across the bay area and in particular the BART system.

We will be meeting at the 16th St. BART station and we’ll be taking over one entire BART car for the conversation down to SFO and back. 

Tickets required to reserve a spot on the car.

Details: September 8, 2023 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Address: Meet at 16th Street BART Station

2000 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-future-of-bay-area-public-transit-on-a-moving-bart-train-tickets-706228858527?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hosted by: Welcome to Manny’s and BART

Sept 9: Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force Annual Event

A community event to highlight and celebrate the Task Forces’ accomplishments through the years and ongoing projects in pedestrian, traffic safety, public space, and public transit. Get community input on Task Force Priorities for 2024.

Family friendly activities by St. Anthonys and 826 Valencia; raffle prizes throughout the event, including $50 clipper cards, bicycle helmets, & a bike! SFMTA’s Sales van will provide information on discount services and sales. SF Transit Riders will be there to promote transit month and rider contests. Learn how to use the 311 App. Ice cream and more!

Details: September 9, 2023 | 12:00 pm-2:00 pm

Address: Golden Gate Greenway

Golden Gate Avenue, between Leavenworth and Jones St.

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/709654414457?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hosted by: Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force, St. Anthony’s, TLCBD, and TNDC

Sept 9: Pacific Bus Museum Tour event
Go on a guided tour of a selection of historic city buses, motor coaches, school buses, and purpose built coaches from the Bay Area and California.

Details: September 9, 2023 | 12:00 pm-2:00 pm

Address: Meet at Fremont BART Station to Pacific Bus Museum

37974 Shinn St., Fremont, CA 94536

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/september-2023-transit-months-pacific-bus-museum-open-house-guided-tour-tickets-698819958307?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Hosted by: Pacific Bus Museum

Sept 9 & 10: Tri Delta Transit takes you to the Pittsburg Seafood and Music Festival
In honor of Transit Month, Tri Delta Transit is the official shuttle for this terrific Bay Area event.  As a perk for riding with Tri Delta Transit, riders receive the opportunity to enter to win a Festival package for two, including tickets, swag and food discounts.  On festival days, September 9th and 10th, riders on Tri Delta Transit and our festival shuttles will receive a coupon for discounts for beverages or the seafood island.  You can only receive this perk by riding on Tri Delta Transit.  

Details: September 9, 2023 and September 10, 2023

Address: Tri Delta Transit routes and shuttle to the Festival at Pittsburg Old Downtown on Railroad

RSVP: www.trideltatransit.com 

Hosted by: Tri Delta Transit and Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce

Sept 10: A Cable Car is Born (Tour)
Cable cars are synonymous with San Francisco, but do you know about their history? The world’s last manually operated cable car system and an iconic San Francisco attraction, the three remaining lines of the cable car system have remained essentially unchanged since its invention in 1873 by an engineer Andrew Hallidie. At night, these historic cars take rest in the cable car barn and powerhouse on Mason Street, where they are meticulously maintained to preserve this piece of San Francisco history. Join SPUR for a special tour of the cable car barn to see where these historic streetcars reside when they’re not in operation, and how they’re restored so locals and tourists alike can continue to enjoy their rides through the city.

Details: September 10, 2023 | 10:00 am

Address: Cable Car Barn

1200 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

RSVP: https://www.spur.org/events/2023-09-10/cablecar-born

Hosted by: SPUR and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Sept 10: VivaCalleSJ by Transit
Viva CalleSJ is a free recreation program that temporarily closes miles of San Jose streets to bring communities together to walk, bike, skate, play and explore the city like never before. Visit different transit organizations at various Activity Hubs: Catalyze SV at the Japantown, CA High Speed Rail at the Tamien Park, 

Transit Instructions:

Japantown – VTA Light Rail: Japantown/Ayer Station 

Tamien Park – Caltrain Tamien Station, VTA Light Rail: Tamien Station 

Kelley Park – VTA 73 bus: Keyes & 12th or Senter & Alma

Details: September 10, 2023 | 10:00 am-3:00 pm

Address: Route runs through central San Jose. See it here:  https://www.vivacallesj.org/

RSVP: https://www.vivacallesj.org/

Hosted by: Catalyze SV

Sept 11: What can California learn from Sweden's world class public transit?
Sweden has significantly increased public transit use over the past two decades, and has reduced emissions of transportation by 23% between 2005 and 2019. Now, responding to the pandemic, Sweden is looking into how to reimagine public transit for the future. Transit leaders from Sweden’s three largest regions, visiting California as part of a study delegation on emerging mobility, will share some of the lessons from successful Swedish public transit, and how the country is approaching the opportunity of new forms of transportation to support public mobility goals.

Panelists will include senior executives from:

  • Trafikförvaltningen (Public transport administration of Stockholm )
  • Västra Götaland (Regional Council of Gothenberg)
  • Skånetrafiken (Region of Skåne – Malmo)

Space is limited; registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

Details: September 11, 2023 | 5:30pm-7:30pm

Address: Bay Area Metro Center, Temezcal Room

375 Beale St., San Francisco, CA

RSVP:  https://actionnetwork.org/events/what-can-california-learn-from-swedens-world-class-public-transit

Hosted by: Seamless Bay Area and Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Sept 14: Transit Stops Drunk Driving

Each year, tens of thousands of people across Alameda County drive drunk, risking their lives and posing a major risk to everyone in the community. Thousands of people each year are arrested for drunk driving, others are hit with massive fines, and ride share apps are everywhere– yet drunk driving is still prevalent in our community. But elected officials have another tool they can use to stop drunk driving: better transit service.

Join Traffic Violence Rapid Response and Mothers Against Drunk Driving for a special Bay Area Transit Month happy hour at one of the most transit accessible bars in Oakland– Temescal Brewing. Special guests include AC Transit Director Jean Walsh, and Registered Nurse Jennifer Esteen.

Details: September 14, 2023 | 5:00pm-7:00pm

Address: Temescal Brewing

4115 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transit-stops-drunk-driving-happy-hour-mixer-tickets-694841879767

Hosted by: Traffic Violence Rapid Response and Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Sept 13 - 21: Santa Cruz County Transit Advocacy at the County Fair!

Meet the friendly and powerful transit advocates in Santa Cruz and learn about the transformative active and public transportation projects happening now, including the famous Rail & Trail projects. Stop by the Friends of the Rail & Trail Booth Sept 13th-21st at the Santa Cruz County Fair and say Hello. Sign-up for updates and to help volunteer at railandtrail.org

Details: September 13 – 21, 2023

Address: Santa Cruz County Fair

2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076

RSVP: https://www.santacruzcountyfair.com/

Hosted by: Friends of the Rail & Trail

Sept 16: Beat the Ridership Record: All Aboard Bay Area Transit Day
On Saturday, September 16, 2023, take as many transit trips your heart desires and help us beat the Saturday September 2022 ridership record!

We will add up the total ridership for the day and report out to the public and news media if we exceeded the Saturday, September 17, 2022 ridership, which was the highest ridership of a Saturday in September during Transit Month 2022.

Details: September 16, 2023

Hosted by: Bay Area Transit Agencies and the MTC

Sept 16: Birding at Cooley Landing
Join us at Cooley Landing Education Center to observe, appreciate and learn about our native bird species of the San Francisco Bay Area. We’ll be led by Environmental Education Specialist & Biologist, Sirena Lao, in identifying and learning about the ways we can conserve our avian friends and inspire you to get outside! We’ll also be led by Climate Resilient Communities and Grassroots Ecology to learn about ways we can do our part to maintain marshland habitats and how to build resilience in our community with climate change.

Details: September 16, 2023 | 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Address: Cooley Landing

2100 Bay Road, East Palo Alto, CA 94303

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outdoors-in-east-palo-alto-bird-walk-at-ravenswood-preserve-registration-691914203007

Hosted by: Climate Resilient Communities, Grassroots Ecology, and San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

Sept 16: Friends of SMART Inspiration Tour
Travel from Larkspur, or any station traveling Northbound, suggested boarding trips SMART trip #2, #4, or #6 and riding the SMART Train from Larkspur to Sonoma County Airport. Using the SMART Connect electric bus to transfer to your chosen destination. 

https://sonomamarintrain.org/ 

Trip Tip: Wings & Wheels Car Show – Sonoma County Airport

Trip Tip: Russian River Brewery – Windsor

SMART Connect is the pilot micro-transit service. 

SMART Connect Weekend Service Zone https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/connect

Details: September 16, 2023 | 9:30 am – 6:00 pm

Address:Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit – Any Northbound Station

RSVP: www.friendsofSMART.com or RSVP suggested for docent connections or help navigating the system. Free!  

Hosted by: Friends of SMART

Sept 16: Meet the BART Anime Mascots
Join BART as their new Anime Mascots overtake Powell St. Station for BART’s 51 anniversary. Take photos with the mascots, snag rare merch only available at the event, make buttons with staff, grab a prize from the BART capsule ball machine, and submit your designs for the BART mascot costume contest. Come in cosplay and get a rare BART anime charm. Also, the Link21 outreach team will be on hand to talk about our project to build a second train crossing connecting Oakland and SF.  

Details: September 16, 2023 | 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Address: Powell Street Station, Concourse Level

899 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103

RSVP: bart.gov/anime  

Hosted by: BART

Sept 16: The Inaugural "Rosie Ride: A Riveting Ferry Adventure"
Join the San Francisco Bay Ferry, the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter Trust and Transbay Coalition for this historic Transit Month event! Take the inaugural “Rosie Ride: A Riveting Ferry Adventure” from the San Francisco Ferry Building to the Rosie the Riveter Visitor center for a self-guided history tour and then ferry back to SF.  

Details: September 16, 2023 | 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Address: Ferry Building Gate F

1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94105

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-inaugural-rosie-ride-a-riveting-ferry-adventure-tickets-703781729097  

Hosted by: Transbay Coalition, San Francisco Bay Ferry, the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter Trust, Columbia Sportswear

Sept 17: Transit to the Beach, North Bay Edition

Celebrate the end of summer at Stinson Beach, one of Marin County’s well-kept secrets, with a picnic (and swimming, if you’d like). You can bring your own food or buy some next to the beach, and you can get there by transit, even on a weekend! (An optional excursion further afield to Bolinas is available. Note: capacity limit of 20 due to small buses used on the line to West Marin.)

Details: September 17, 2023 

Meeting time before noon at Bay & Bridgeway stop near Sausalito Ferry Terminal (bus to Stinson Beach leaves Sausalito at 11:55am, Marin City at 12:10pm). 

Return to Marin City and Sausalito with 3:42pm bus from Stinson Beach (later trips leaving at 5:07pm and 6:47pm also available)

Address: Stinson Beach, CA 94970

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transit-tour-to-stinson-beach-tickets-704998067197?aff=oddtdtcreator

Sept 17: Discover Geology via Transit: East Bay Faults
Tour some of the finest and most interesting geological features of the Bay Area without getting in a car. Join Seamless Bay Area and Dr Austin Elliott of the USGS for a car-free tour of the Hayward Fault in Fremont. Learn how planning for transit and other infrastructure has been influenced by geological hazards, and tap into a wealth of resources to continue exploring on your own. This is the first of two tours of regional geology by transit: be sure to also check out the San Francisco tour later in the month.

Details: September 17, 2023 | 11:00 am – 3 pm 

Address: Fremont BART station

2000 Bart Way, Fremont, CA 94536

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/discover-geology-by-transit-east-bay-faults

Hosted by: Seamless Bay Area 

Sept 20: Thrive with Transit

San Francisco Transit Riders, Kaiser Permanente and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority cordially invite you to Thrive with Transit, a forum about art, belonging, health, and transit. Join us for a tour of Care Essentials Facility at the Salesforce Terminal, and a diverse panel to talk about how San Francisco and we can all Thrive with Transit. Confirmed guests include:

  • Anyka Howard, Executive Director of the Betti Ono Foundation
  • Adam Van de Water, Executive Director, Salesforce Transit Center
  • Tarek Salawy, Kaiser Permanente’s Senior Vice-President/Area Manager of the Golden Gate Service Area
  • Lian Chikako Chang, Vision Zero Advocacy, Walk San Francisco

Details: September 20, 2023

5:30 pm–Tour of Care Essentials Facility

6:00 pm–Panel begins

Address: Downtown Care Essentials

65 Minna St, San Francisco, CA 94105

RSVP: https://sftransitriders.salsalabs.org/thrivewithtransit/index.html

Hosted by: San Francisco Transit Riders, Kaiser Permanente and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority

[POSTPONED] Sept 22: Ride Fearlessly: A Framework for Reimagining Transit Safety

POSTPONED UNTIL OCT 20, 2023

Join us as we delve into the world of reimagining safety on transit through community-led interventions. Confirmed panelists:

  • Janice Li, BART
  • Chris Van Eyken, Transit Center
  • Meghna Khanna, LA Metro
  • Asiyahola Sankara, ACLU

Details: September 22, 2023 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 

Address: Zoom

Hosted by: TransForm

Sept 22: Bay Area TDM Summit 2023
National TDM Week 2023 takes place during the Bay Area’s eighth annual Transit Month for a reason. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) provides people with transportation options that enable them to travel from their location to a destination in an affordable, efficient, and sustainable way. Supported by effective marketing, incentives, and advanced technologies, individuals can make informed choices to meet each trip’s unique needs, while considering cost, time, and convenience. Join the region’s professionals and leaders in the field to learn the latest and greatest on how TDM is one of the most cost-effective ways to meet key policy objectives.

Details: September 22, 2023 | 9:30 am – 2:30 pm 

Address:Bay Area Metro Center, Yerba Buena Conference Room

375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

RSVP: https://www.actweb.org/events/bay-area-tdm-summit-2023-

Hosted by: Association for Commuter Transportation, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Bay Area Council

Sept 22: "Moving Pictures: Art and Transit"
Join SFMTA, San Francisco Transit Riders and 1890 Art Studio for “Moving Pictures: Art and Transit” a Transit Month celebration!

Details: September 22, 2023 | 3:00 pm

Address: 1890 Bryant St, San Francisco,

CA 94110

RSVP: https://sftransitriders.salsalabs.org/movingpictures/index.html

Hosted by: SFTR, SFMTA, 1890 Bryant Street Studios

Sept 23: Coastal Cleanup Day at Cooley Landing, East Palo Alto

Join us at Cooley Landing for a morning of trash cleanup! Coastal Cleanup Day brings communities together throughout the state to clean California’s beaches, lakes, and watersheds. Join us as we remove trash and recyclables from our local watershed to celebrate and enhance our beautiful waterways.

Details: September 23, 2023 | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm 

Address: Cooley Landing

2100 Bay Road, East Palo Alto, CA, 94303

RSVP: https://www.grassrootsecology.org/event-calendar/2023/9/23/2023-coastal-cleanup-day-at-cooley-landing-93bpj

Hosted by: Grassroots Ecology

Sept 23: All Aboard, Peninsula!
Join us on Saturday, September 23rd for All Aboard, Peninsula! and experience how riding climate-friendly transit can be sustainable and fun. We’ll start in Menlo Park on the Library Lawn with storytime, before riding Caltrain up to San Mateo, where attendees can disembark for activities and refreshments on B Street, the vibrant pedestrian mall in downtown. The adventure ends in San Francisco, where attendees can tour Caltrain’s electric trains that are planned to be in operation next year; for more info on Caltrain’s Electric Train Tour, visit the Caltrain event page. 

Details: September 23, 2023 | 10:00 am – 2 pm 

Address:Menlo Park / San Mateo / San Francisco

RSVP: tinyurl.com/allaboardpeninsula

Hosted by: 350 Silicon Valley and other community partners.

Sept 23: Caltrain Electric Train Tour
Caltrain is excited to announce our next public electric train tour at the San Francisco Station. This family-friendly event will feature a tour of the new electric train, booths from Caltrain and community partners, a DJ, food trucks, games, a photo booth, an art demonstration, and more!

Details: September 23, 2023 | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Address: San Francisco Station

700 4th Street San Francisco, CA 94107

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caltrain-electric-train-tour-san-francisco-tickets-695601060497

Hosted by: CalTrain

Sept 23: The Crosstown Trail by Transit
Get ready for an epic adventure as we walk 10 miles of SF’s Crosstown Trail. Use transit to hop on, hop off, or walk the entire distance! Highlights include the Visitacion Valley Greenway, McLaren Park’s Philosopher’s Way, Glen Canyon, the Laguna Honda trail network, the tiled stairways of Golden Gate Heights, and Golden Gate Park.

Details: September 23, 2023 | 9:00 am – 3 pm 

Address:

[Start] Mission Blue, 144 Leland Avenue, SF CA 94134

[Finish] Geary Blvd. & Park Presidio Blvd., SF CA 94118

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-crosstown-trail-by-transit-tickets-703455192417

Hosted by: San Francisco Crosstown Trail

Sept 23 & 24: Bus/Bike to Pacific Coast Fog Fest
Ride Public Transit on BART|Muni->SamTrans. Take your bike and secure it at Pacifica Park, Beach & Rec Bike Corral. Visit the Public Transit Booth at the Fog Fest to learn how to be involved in Improving Bay Area Public Transit (promoting support for transit non-profits: Seamless, SF Transit Riders) and become a transit activist for the coastside. Or just take a short stroll to the beach to look for whales or watch the great seabirds migrating south against an autumn dappled sky.

Details: September 23 & 24, 2023 | 10:00 am – 6 pm 

Address: Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica, CA

RSVP: https://pacificaclimate.weebly.com/

Hosted by: Pacifica Climate Committee

Sept 23 & 24: Muni Heritage Weekend 2023

Step into the past for free rides aboard unique vintage transit vehicles rarely seen on the modern streets of San Francisco. The festivities will unfold near the San Francisco Railway Museum, conveniently located near the Ferry Building and Embarcadero Plaza.  All vintage buses and special excursion streetcars depart for round trip rides from the plaza directly across from the museum.

Details: September 23 – 24, 2023 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm 

Address:San Francisco Railway Museum 

77 Steuart Street between Market Street and Mission Street

RSVP: https://www.sfmta.com/calendar/muni-heritage-weekend-2023

Hosted by: SFMTA

Sept 24: Transit Month Hike: Joaquin Miller Park
Come join for a hike in Joaquin Miller Park! This moderate hike (87 on the Shenandoah Hiking Difficulty index) takes us into the valley of Joaquin Miller Park deep in its redwoods. All of this is a short walk from Montclair, Oakland’s streetcar neighborhood of the hills.

Meet at the 13th & Broadway bus shelter for the AC Transit 33 bus at 11:00am. We’ll catch the bus that leaves at 11:17am.

4.5mi total:

  • 0.7mi to the trail
  • 3.1mi on trail
  • 0.7mi from the trail

860 ft cumulative elevation gain.

RSVPs not required, but greatly appreciated.

Details: September 24, 2023 | 11:00 am

Address:13th Street & Broadway – AC Transit 33 stop

1325 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transit-month-hike-joaquin-miller-park-tickets-692865839377

Hosted by: Hiking by Transit

Sept 24: ECR Bus and Bike Priority

Tour of Sites on El Camino Real with plans for bike and bus treatments concluding at a poster session with corridor overview. 

Details: September 24, 2023 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm 

Address: Mountain View

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/transit-month-el-camino-real-bike-and-bus-tour-multiple-locations

Hosted by: Friends of Caltrain, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and Youth Leadership Institute

Sept 25: Transit Month Labor Tour

Join the Democratic Socialists of America – San Francisco Chapter on a waterfront San Francisco labor tour! We will learn about the history of the labor movement in San Francisco and the connections between labor and transit. The tour should last about an hour, and we’ll see several historic sites along the SF waterfront area related to labor history.

Details: September 25, 2023 | 6:00 pm

Address: San Francisco Ferry Building

1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94105

RSVP: http://bit.ly/sep23sflaborhistory

Hosted by: Democratic Socialists of America – San Francisco Chapter, Ecosocialism Committee & Labor Committee

 

Sept 26: Freedom to Ride: Transit and the Justice System

Join community groups, elected officials, and transit experts as they discuss the impact of the car-centric system on marginalized communities, the connection between reliable transit and reducing incarceration rates. Come learn how increasing government support for comprehensive transit options can make our community safe for all.

Speakers include:
Jovanka Beckles, AC Transit
George Galvis, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
McArthur Hoang, Asian Prisoner Support Committee
Carter Lavin, Transbay Coalition
James Burch, Anti Police-Terror Project

Details: September 26, 2023 | 10:00 am 11:00 am

Address: 1324 Adeline St, Oakland, CA 94607

Hosted by: Transbay Coalition, Anti Police-Terror Project, Oak Center Community Center, CURJ, and ASPC

 

Sept 25 & 28: Rider Recharge Station

We invite transit riders to beat the summer heat with our Rider Recharge Station! Community leaders from NBOP’s Climate Justice Task Force will be tabling at the Santa Rosa Transit Mall to provide riders with drinks, snacks, and mini popsicles provided by local gourmet ice cream shop Frozen Art. In addition to the treats, folks will have an opportunity to connect with leaders from the CJTF to discuss current issues impacting transit riders, and provide feedback about what improvements/changes they hope to see within our local transit system.

Details: September 25 & 28, 2023 | 7:00 am – 5:00 pm 

Address: Santa Rosa Transit Mall

B St & 2nd St, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Hosted by: North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP)

Sept 27: Invest in Transit Accessibility

Underinvestment in transit too often leaves people with disabilities and seniors out in the cold. Access to transit is a fundamental human right, but when our transit agencies are starved by lack of local, state and federal investments they too often are forced to cut back on vital services. California needs to support transit so that our transit systems work for everyone, every single day. Join us at Powell BART/Muni station for a series of talks from community leaders about the importance of investing in transit accessibility so that our elevators and escalators work and so everyone can get where they are going.

Details: September 27, 2023 | 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Address: Market & 5th St

San Francisco

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/SeniorandDisabilityAction 

Hosted by: Senior and Disability Action

 

Sept 27: Transit Tabling at the Salesforce Transit Park

Join current and future operators, and other public transportation orgs for a tabling event. Enjoy Salesforce Transit Park’s Mid-Day Music free park programming, and drinks from rooftop park tenant Barebottle Brewing Co.

Details: September 27, 2023 | 11:30 am 2:00 pm

Address: Salesforce Transit Center/Park Main Plaza

425 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105

Hosted by: Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA)

 

Sept 27: SJSU Transit Ride-Along

Route:

  • Meet outside Student Union near TS office
  • Board bus 22 at 7th & Santa Clara (9 min walk)
  • Deboard at King & Chaucer (17 min ride)
  • Walk to Emma Prusch Park (1 min walk)

Activities:

  • Transit Trivia- giveaways for winner
  • Raffle giveaway- for event attendance
  • Lunch
  • Talk/tour from Veggielution

Details: September 27, 2023 | 4:00 pm – 7:00pm

Address:Start at San Jose City Hall- End at Overfelt Gardens

Hosted by: Transportation Solutions

 

[CANCELED] Sept 30: Antioch eBART to Mokelumne Trail Bridge Bike Ride

Update: This event has been postponed due to a delay in the bridge construction. A new ride date will be posted as soon as the bridge opening is confirmed, but will likely take place outside of Transit Month. RSVP at the link below to get up-to-date information for when the event is rescheduled. 

Ride with Bike East Bay to the new bike/walk bridge over Hwy 4 in deep east Contra Costa County. The bridge now provides a safer route between Antioch and Brentwood, including a connection to the Mokelumne Trail which continues to the east through Brentwood, and to the west through Pittsburg and Bay Point. On this ride we will explore the connection from the Antioch eBART station to the bridge, and then back along the Delta de Anza Trail.

Details: TBA

Address: Antioch BART Station Plaza

1600 Slatten Ranch Rd, Antioch, CA 94509

RSVP: https://bikeeastbay.org/events/mokelumne-trail-hwy-4-bike-bridge-grand-opening-ride-antioch/

Hosted by: Bike East Bay

Sept 22 - Oct 7: Worldwide Car Free Day - No Fares
Skip the car and take public transit! For FREE. To celebrate Transit Month and to highlight our new microtransit service, FAST is offering two weeks of free rides SYSTEMWIDE. Never taken local transit? This is the perfect time! Skip the fares and traffic and take Fast Connect in Cordelia/Green Valley or Northeast Fairfield. Find your bus on www.fasttransit.org.

Details: September 22, 2023 – Saturday, October 7, 2023

Address: Fairfield, CA

Hosted by: FAST

Sept 28: San Jose Transit Happy Hour: Transit Stops Drunk Driving

Come join fellow transit supporters in Santa Clara county for a drink and discussion of how transit can reduce drunk driving, save lives, and allow people to get out into their communities to more safely enjoy themselves. 

Each year, tens of thousands of people across Santa Clara County drive drunk, risking their lives and posing a major risk to everyone in the community. Nearly 100,000 Californians are arrested each year for drunk driving, others are hit with massive fines. Drunk driving persists, but elected officials have another tool they can use to stop drunk driving: better transit service.

Come join fellow transit supporters to raise a glass together at one of the most transit-accessible places in San Jose, San Pedro Square.

Details: September 28, 2023 | 5:30 pm – 7:30pm

Address: 87 N San Pedro St, San Jose, CA 95110

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-jose-transit-happy-hour-transit-stops-drunk-driving-tickets-712109427467 

Hosted by: Monica Mallon and Daniel Strokis

 

Sept 29: All Aboard with Transit CEOs Ride-a-Long and Happy Hour

The Bay Area transit agencies, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) are hosting its third “All Aboard with Transit CEOs,” a multi-modal ride-a-long and social event giving the public a chance to ride with and meet regional transit leaders from across the region. The event is also an opportunity for transit leaders to call for on-going financial support for transit operations and to showcase the coordination happening among agencies to improve the rider experience in the Bay Area.

Details: September 29, 2023 | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Address: Palo Alto Caltrain Station/Transit Center

95 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

RSVP: https://allaboardbayarea.com/all-aboard-with-transit-ceos/

Hosted by: Bay Area Transit Agencies and the MTC

Sept 29: Full Moon Hike in Celebration of Transit Month!
Our public transit deserves to be celebrated and what better way to do that than with a hike! Take the 68 bus to the Santa Teresa and Bailey bus stop to join us for a 1-mile hike to the top of Spreckels Hill. On this hike we will learn about how this land has changed over time and how important it is to the native plants and animals that live here. Parking is not available for this event. Instead, please check out VTA.org for bus tickets and information about transit month! 

For this hike please bring plenty of water, snacks, comfortable hiking shoes, and warm layers. Red light flashlights will be provided.

Details: September 29, 2023 | 6:15 pm – 7:45 pm 

Address: Spreckels Hill, At the corner of Santa Teresa Blvd and Bailey Ave

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/699797431957?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hosted by: Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Sept 30: Biking, Birds, and BART | Fruitvale to San Leandro
Enjoy a flat, family-friendly ride along Oakland’s Martin Luther King Shoreline. Explore the Bay Trail and learn about the birds that live in this coastal habitat. Continue to Drake’s in San Leandro for post-ride snacks and brews outside. The event will be transit accessible, beginning at the Fruitvale BART station and ending near the San Leandro station. You can view the route here.

Details:September 30th, 2023 | 11:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Address: Fruitvale BART Station

3401 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94601

RSVP: https://bikeeastbay.org/events/fallride-sept-30-2023/

Hosted by: Bike East Bay

Sept 30: Discover Geology via Transit: Earthquake Hazards in Downtown San Francisco

Tour some of the finest and most interesting geological features of the Bay Area without getting in a car. Join Seamless Bay Area and Dr Austin Elliott of the USGS for a car-free tour of earthquake geology and hazard mitigation along Market Street in San Francisco. Learn how planning for transit and other infrastructure has been influenced by geological hazards, and tap into a wealth of resources to continue exploring on your own. This is the second of two tours of regional geology by transit: be sure to also check out the Hayward Fault tour earlier in the month.

Details: September 30, 2023 | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 

Address: Salesforce Plaza

100-132 Fremont St, San Francisco, CA 94105 US

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/discover-geology-by-transit-sf-earthquake-hazards

Hosted by: Seamless Bay Area

Sept 30: Downtown Berkeley Transit Month Rally
A rally in support of Transit Month. We plan on hosting a variety of transit speakers, and hosting booths for transit organizations so people can come and learn about different transit organizations in the Bay Area.

Details: September 30, 2023 | 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Address:Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza

2170 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704

Hosted by: Telegraph for People

Celebrating Transit Month at out Rider First Awards!

Join San Francisco Transit Riders and Seamless Bay Area, October 13th at 4:30 pm, to close out Transit Month by celebrating some of the people who have gone above and beyond to improve transit in the past year. We’ll honor bus operators, transit planners, and advocates alike who help us build a more equitable, growing and accessible public transit system and culture for all. Guest speakers include:

  • Assemblymember Phil Ting
  • Nayeli Maxson Velazquez, Public Transit Advocate 

The Rider First Awards cap off a month of events, rallies, and our Ride Contest. It’s also where we’ll be announcing our various Ride Contest winners and handing out prizes – our award ceremony will begin at 6:00pm and you don’t want to miss it!

Details: October 13, 2023 | 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Address: Bay Area Metro Center, Temescal Room

375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

RSVP: https://sftransitriders.salsalabs.org/RiderFirstAwards2023/index.html 

Hosted by: San Francisco Transit Riders and Seamless Bay Area

Ride Transit! Win Prizes! The Ride Contest is part of Transit Month!

Every ride you take on public transit run by a Bay Area transit agency is another entry into our Transit Month raffle. Track your rides to earn badges, win prizes, compete against friends, and show your love for transit!

 

This year there are more ways to win prizes. Some prizes require taking the most rides, but for others, each logged ride will enter your name into a raffle.

Have questions about the Ride Contest? Want to get started but don’t know how? See all FAQs here!

Sign up and log rides at ridecontest.com

Transit Month is proudly hosted by 

Our Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor:

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

MTC helps the Bay Area’s nearly eight million residents — and countless visitors — get around.

Hosting Sponsors:

Premier Sponsors:

Transit Sponsors:

Transit Allies:

Transit Month is generously sponsored by our partners: Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Google, Kaiser Permanente, Golden State Warriors, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), Capitol Corridor Bay Area & N. California Rail Transportation, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Hayden AI, Transportation Workers Union Local 250A, Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), San Francisco Environment Department, and Fehr & Peers.

Rider First Awards

And the winners are:

Natalie Robinson and Stephine Barnes, BART Crisis Intervention Specialists

Crisis Intervention Specialist Natalie Robinson has been with BART since 2005. She is a dedicated member of the community within and outside of BART. In her current role, she has served as a role model, mentor, trainer of new Crisis Intervention Specialists and Ambassadors, and has played an essential role in the CIS team’s development. She has also been instrumental in BART’s suicide prevention efforts and once navigated a response team of officers to find and prevent an individual from taking their life during a time when the Suicide Prevention Hotline was not yet in place. Robinson was recently the recipient of BPD’s Community Service Award.

Crisis Intervention Specialist Stephine Barnes has been with BART for 28 years. In addition to being a role model and mentor to many people at BART, she is dedicated to advocating for those facing homelessness and reducing recidivism. She is passionate about outreach, including intervention/prevention, de-escalation, case management, working with community partners, networking, and family reunification. In her time at BART, Barnes helped to create a skills tune-up training for Station Agents to divert disciplinary action and emphasize work on skills needed to meet standards and improve. She has served on the Transit Security Advisory Committee for two years and participated in many initiatives throughout the Bay Area, including youth outreach, read-a-thons, and more. Around BART, she is known as being very approachable, compassionate, and patient.

Susan Barth, VTA 21 Bus Operator

Susan is a bus operator on VTA route 21 who has made a big impact on the community through her warmth and charisma. At her stops, someone almost always knows Susan and will say hello, even if they’re not getting on the bus. She said herself that she loves being a driver, and it clearly shows. She knows what stops her regular riders got on and off at, and several times she’s stopped to make sure someone – who perhaps wasn’t paying attention – doesn’t miss their stop. Unfortunately, Susan was not able to join us tonight but we still want to honor her for the exceptional work she does and her outsized impact within the transit community.

Annmarie Wong, TrainGirlSummer

Annmarie, known more colloquially as @traingirlsummer on her popular Tik Tok account, is an advocate for public transit in a way we don’t often recognize: through social media-based education and outreach. And trust me, way more people likely know Annmarie and her work than any person in this room tonight. Her videos have a collective 2.7 million likes on TikTok and Annmarie’s videos teach her tens of thousands of followers how to use transit, explaining urban planning issues, and highlights the fun places transit can (and should be able to) take you. Her memes, attitude, and personal style bring vital attention to public transit, which is crucial in encouraging young people to take transit. We want to honor TrainGirlSummer for her work elevating the importance of transit and showing us the “train girl” lifestyle in full picture. Unfortunately, Annmarie also is not able to join us tonight but we still want to honor her for bringing fun and interest to transportation!

Raayan Mohtashemi

Raayan started out his public transit advocacy at the  local and regional level right here in the Bay Area on issues of active transportation and transit funding. Now he is a major advocate for public transportation in his role as a legislative aide for California State Senator Scott Wiener. We honor Raayan for being a staple of the transit community, raising awareness and political will around the need for state funding for transit and all the other excellent work he does to get people on trains, buses, and ferries.

Faster Safer Geary Campaign + Geary Improvement Project

The Geary Boulevard Improvement Project is one of the most important transit projects happening in San Francisco right now. It’s bringing much-needed transit priority and pedestrian safety improvements to this major corridor and the success is already evident. The first phase of the project has resulted in 18% faster bus travel times, a 37% improvement in transit reliability, and an 81% reduction in speeding by private vehicles. 

Liz Brisson and her SFMTA team (Dan Mackowski, Amy Fowler, and David Sindel) worked tirelessly to overcome enormous obstacles and political pressures on the project. Tonight we have Dan and David to accept the award on behalf of the team.

In addition to agency staff, the Faster Safer Geary Coalition played an instrumental role elevating and humanizing the voices of riders who would benefit from the project. Cyrus Hall and Lian Chang are with us tonight as representatives of the Faster Safer Geary Coalition to accept this award. Thank you to both the SFMTA team and Faster Safer Geary Coalition for bringing this project across the finish line and improving the lives of transit riders across San Francisco.

Survive and Thrive Coalition

We had a major success in the state budget this year, securing $1.1 billion in new transit operations funding. This was an unprecedented win thanks to people from across the state. This funding will help stave off the immediate transit fiscal cliff that would’ve resulted in major service cuts. Leading the charge on getting this funding was the Survive and Thrive Coalition, who raised awareness and political will around the issue.The coalition had people working at all levels of activism, including street theater, grassroots campaigning, working with legislators, and educating the public about the dire need to support our transit agencies.

Laura Tolkoff of SPUR, Adina Levin of Seamless Bay Area, Cyrus Hall and Lian Chang are some of the key advocates who made this win possible. 

And we can’t forget the grassroots organizations that mobilized people for the iconic Transit Funeral and other ground-level activism. These include Safe Street Rebel, Kid Safe SF, and Telegraph for People.

 

What the press said:

2023 Coverage

2022 Coverage

SF Leaders, Advocates Kick Off Public Transit Campaign With Ride-Along, Rally (NBC Bay Area)

Contact us

San Francisco Transit Riders

P.O. Box 193341, San Francisco, CA 94119

© 2018 San Francisco Transit Riders, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit

info@sftransitriders.org