Transit Sustainability Project & Transit Performance Initiative
MTC works with Bay Area transit agencies to get transit vehicles out of traffic congestion, so buses and trains can serve travelers better. The Transit Sustainability Project and Transit Performance Initiative work together to help prioritize investments.
Transit Sustainability Project
The recession of 2008-2010 hit Bay Area transit agencies’ balance sheets like an express train. But raising fares and reducing service would not be a plan for long-term success. MTC in 2012 released the results of a two-year Transit Sustainability Project that will help transit the agencies:
- Improve their financial positions
- Improve customer service
- Attract new riders
The project recommendations continue to support these goals, and those of efforts that have come later, including the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force.
Transit Performance Initiative
The Transit Sustainability Project spurred a series of recommendations, including the adoption of MTC’s Transit Performance Initiative. Through this initiative, MTC has invested over $100 million in discretionary funding, including:
- Investment to improve speed and reliability on high-ridership transit lines throughout the Bay Area
- Incentives for transit agencies to boost productivity and increase ridership
Download the Transit Sustainability Project report to get more facts, recommendations, financial findings, performance measures and more.
Improvements for the Future
Many of the improvements identified through the Transit Performance Initiative align with the priorities of the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force. Those projects and priorities will continue to be funded by MTC, including:
- Finding ways to get transit vehicles out of heavy traffic
- Using technology to improve reliability
- Improving transit connections, striving for a seamless Bay Area transit system
MTC coordinates the development of innovative, next-generation transit projects that the Bay Area will rely on as our cities grow and residents seek alternatives to cars.
Frequent rail service and local bus connections are common in the Bay Area. Find out how much transit costs have increased.
The Transit Performance Initiative funding has supported projects that improved travel speeds and reliability on Bay Area transit systems, including:
- AC Transit: Lines 51, 98 and 99 corridors, and the San Leandro Transit Center
- San Francisco Muni: Mission St., N-Judah and 9-San Bruno, as well as red transit lanes for multiple bus lines
- Santa Clara VTA: Stevens Creek, Mountain View and Santa Clara light rail improvements
- LAVTA: Dublin Boulevard
- BART: Vehicle capacity improvements
- SMART: Downtown Novato Station
- SolanoExpress: Fairgrounds Drive Stop
- Tri-Delta: Systemwide communications technology