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.

Credit
Joey Kotfica

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
Transit for the Future

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.

new BART car
How cost-effective is our public transportation system?

Frequent rail service and local bus connections are common in the Bay Area. Find out how much transit costs have increased.

See the data at Vital Signs.
Improving Travel Speed & Transit Reliability

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