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cover of episode BART Meltdowns, Fare Hikes, Budget Cuts and Other Bay Area Transit Woes

BART Meltdowns, Fare Hikes, Budget Cuts and Other Bay Area Transit Woes

2025/5/27
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KQED's Forum
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A
Alexis Madrigal
D
Dan Brekke
L
Laura Tolkoff
T
Ted Lamm
Topics
Alexis Madrigal: 疫情对湾区交通机构造成了严重打击，特别是对市中心的影响。我们正面临资金悬崖，这可能摧毁BART和Muni等机构。失去BART将会是灾难性的，我们必须找到解决方案以避免这种情况发生。 Dan Brekke: BART的乘客人数正在缓慢上升，但本月发生了两次重大故障，这给通勤者带来了痛苦。州议会正在努力制定一项税收措施，以避免交通机构面临的财政崩溃。Muni的乘客量实际上更高，约为疫情前的70%。 Laura Tolkoff: 湾区交通机构受疫情影响严重，因为疫情影响了市中心的工作岗位。通勤导向的交通系统受疫情影响尤其严重，尤其是那些疫情前非常成功并依赖票价收入的系统。Muni的预算有三分之一来自停车收入，但由于到市中心的人减少，停车收入降低。即使乘客量恢复，Muni仍然会面临财务挑战，因为其预算的三分之二受到宏观经济条件的影响。交通乘客量的恢复需要很多因素，但最重要的是资金。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Bay Area transit agencies face a severe financial crisis due to decreased ridership after the pandemic and looming state and federal funding cuts. This could lead to drastic service reductions or even complete shutdowns of systems like BART and Muni. The situation is dire, with potential consequences for commuters and the overall economy.
  • Post-pandemic ridership significantly decreased, especially in downtown areas.
  • Major cuts in state and federal funding are on the horizon.
  • BART faces a $380 million deficit, potentially leading to drastic service reductions.
  • Governor Newsom's budget revision removed transit spending from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

Shownotes Transcript

It has been a tough month for Bay Area transit. BART had two major meltdowns this month, stranding and frustrating commuters, all while the agency plans to raise fares. System wide, Bay Area transit agencies continue to struggle with funding challenges and luring back riders after the pandemic fundamentally altered our region’s commute patterns. And now, major cuts in state and federal funding are on the horizon. We’ll talk about how different transit agencies are bracing for cuts, the federal government’s check on California’s shift toward electric vehicles, and the critical ways our transportation system has changed.

Guests:

Dan Brekke, editor and reporter, KQED News

Ted Lamm, associate director for the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, UC Berkeley Law School

Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director, SPUR

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