The Palo Alto City Council approved an agreement to join the all-agency BayPass pilot, with $94,640 purchase of all agency transit passes.  The City had previously participated in the single-agency Caltrain GoPass to support sustainable commuting, but found that many employees work in city locations further from the Caltrain station and/or live in places that aren’t on the Caltrain corridor.

This year, the California legislature is considering two bills to streamline building public transportation. SB 71 will permanently exempt sidewalk, bike lane, and bus lane projects from CEQA. SB445 sets timelines for utilities and local governments to approve permits for sustainable transportation projects, and empowers agencies to advance work should the timelines not be met. These bills will help reduce two causes that frequently delay rail and transit projects. Seamless Bay Area supports these bills.

Last week, Senators Wiener and Arreguín announced a new bill that would authorize a regional public transportation funding measure. The first draft of the bill calls for a half-percent sales tax that would fund the regional transit agencies that face likely cuts, including Caltrain, BART, Muni and AC Transit.  The proposed measure includes San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and allows San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties to opt in by July 31. 

Participation in the Clipper START low-income discount program has increased by 77% since the program was standardized with 50% discounts among all transit agencies in January 2024. Now, there are plans to make the Clipper START pilot program permanent and to make it easier to join.

California's Cap-and-Trade program provides billions in funding for public transportation in the Bay Area and statewide. In the Bay Area, funds have supported a range of needs including major rail and bus projects, bus electrification, and student transit discount programs. Reauthorizing the Cap-and-Trade program before its 2030 expiration date is a key piece of the puzzle with statewide, regional, and local funding and reforms needed to save and improve transit.

MTC and transit agencies have opportunities to increase transit ridership by promoting the upcoming capability to pay by credit/debit cards and Apple/Google wallets for tourists and for people taking trips to sports and entertainment who aren’t frequent transit users.

How can California deliver its State Rail Plan, with goals to electrify 1500 miles of rail and create a well-connected network of rail and transit across the state, in a cost-effective and timely manner? This blog post shares the video and slides.

In 2025, policymakers and advocates are working on a set of public transportation funding measures and policy reforms at the local-, regional-, and state-level that could work together to prevent transit service cuts, create a more rider-friendly system, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The recently updated California State Rail Plan is an exciting and ambitious long-term vision for improved, seamlessly connected rail network across the state - but it is particularly notable because it includes, as a fundamental element, an international best practice to plan capital projects based on the service outcomes delivered to riders.

New polling about a potential regional transportation funding measure showed results that could pass with a citizens’ signature gathering effort, and the mood of Bay Area lifting somewhat. Voters continue to value an improved system more than just stemming cuts.  All of the options polled better than 50% - the threshold needed to pass a measure with a citizens’ signature gathering effort. However, none of the options reached the two-thirds threshold that would be needed if a government agency puts a measure on the ballot.

Public transportation (and clean energy and housing) are held back by chronic challenges that make things take too long and cost too much to build in California and the US.  This fall, Assembly Member Buffy Wicks took the lead in convening a Select Committee on Permitting Reform. The discussions will queue up legislation in 2025 - and has the potential to open the door for more discussion, coalition-building, and potential for larger reforms.

Increased ridership on electric trains, lower costs for electricity than forecasted, and financial discipline have improved Caltrain’s financial outlook. Going forward, fare policy will play a key role in efforts to regrow Caltrain ridership, with the region’s coordinated fare and payment initiatives posing promising opportunities.

Looking back on 2024, we’re seeing steady progress toward more seamless transit across the region - a direct result of Seamless Bay Area’s effective advocacy over the last five years. Here’s a summary of what we’ve accomplished this year and the opportunities in 2025 that will need your help and support.