San Francisco MTA adopts cost-savings strategies

The MTC is the planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Its financial oversight committee in May approved a Bay Area Financial Efficiency Review (FER), which identified strategies that SFMTA, Bay Area Rapid Transit, AC Transit and Caltrain could pursue to improve operational efficiency, service and revenue sourcing. "[The board] has reinforced our ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility,” said Julie Kirchbaum, SFMTA director of transportation in a press release. "Finding new revenue sources and managing public funds responsibly are vital to securing the agency’s long-term financial health and stability. Smart spending and delivering excellent customer experience can happen at the same time." The following FER recommendations were adopted by the SFMTA: SFMTA's approval of the recommendations positions the agency to build on prior cost-savings strategies launched in response to economic pressures and changing travel patterns from the COVID-19 pandemic, SFMTA officials said. Since 2019, the agency has achieved about $250 million in savings by eliminating vacant positions, strategically reducing service, implementing transit priority improvements and eliminating certain planned one-time expenditures. BART and Caltrain have also adopted the FER's recommendations.