Announcing SB 917, the Seamless Transit Transformation Act

This morning, Senator Josh Becker introduced SB 917, the Seamless Transit Transformation Act, a new bill to create a more coordinated and integrated Bay Area transit system while improving the rider experience. This legislation is a major step forward in our work to build a more seamless, accessible transit system across the nine-county Bay Area.

Sponsored by Seamless Bay Area, the Bay Area Council, and TransForm, SB 917 would require transit agencies in the region to work together to develop an integrated transit fare structure by 2024, create a Connected Network Plan to support schedule coordination and service standards, and develop a single regional transit map and standardized wayfinding system.

“We must act quickly to entice riders back to public transit — and put the rider experience front and center,” said Senator Becker, D-Peninsula, in announcing the bill. “This legislation will help transform our system into a world-class, seamless experience for the public, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving access to jobs and housing for residents.”

The integrated fare structure mandated by the bill — to be developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in consultation with Bay Area transit agencies — will make the price that transit riders pay for transit fairer, simpler, and more equitable, while supporting increased transit ridership in the region. Importantly, the structure must incorporate the following fare policies recommended by transit agency leaders as part of the recently completed regional Fare Integration Business Case:

‘Free transfers,’ or eliminating the financial penalty that riders currently pay when traveling between agencies.
A common fare structure for regional (long-distance) services, including BART, Caltrain, express buses, and ferries.
A multi-agency transit pass that provides access to all transit services in the region for one set price.

SB 917, introduced today by Sen. Josh Becker and co-sponsored by Seamless Bay Area, would require transit agencies in the region to work together to develop an integrated transit fare structure by 2024, create a Connected Network Plan to support schedule coordination and service standards, and develop a single regional transit map and standardized wayfinding system.

The Fare Integration Business Case found that these policies could increase transit ridership by tens of thousands of new daily riders, and eliminate hundreds of thousands of daily driving miles from roads, reducing congestion and emissions from transportation. But despite the strong benefits of these policies, their implementation as outlined in the business case remains contingent upon individual approval by each of the Bay Area’s 27 transit agency boards - now and indefinitely into the future. With SB 917, these policies would become mandatory requirements for receiving state transit funds, with MTC overseeing the annual process to convene transit agencies to collaboratively update the region’s fare structure.

SB 917 also requires agencies to work together to develop and adopt a Coordinated Network Plan for the region by the end of 2023. Unlike past regional plans developed in the Bay Area, the Connected Network Plan would be an integrated service vision for the region, identifying key corridors for rapid transit, desired service levels and frequencies, and target travel times that can optimize connectivity and access across the region. The Connected Network Plan would be a blueprint for transit agencies to be able to operate integrated service and schedules, and would identify the additional funding required to operate higher levels of service. This Connected Network Plan would eventually support creation of a unified regional bus rapid transit system.

Finally, in addition to setting deadlines for fare integration, the bill also sets deadlines for a common transit wayfinding and mapping system, and for real-time transit data standards to ensure bus and train arrival information is universally available and accurate for transit riders across the region.

These strategies would help address longstanding transit coordination and service challenges in the Bay Area. Currently, there are 27 independent transit agencies operating in the nine-county Bay Area. Transit agencies are not well-coordinated, using different fare structures, discounts, loyalty programs, wayfinding apps, mapping, and branding systems. The fragmented nature of transit service leads to a confusing, intimidating, and inefficient experience for Bay Area riders.

“We’ve been talking about integrating transit fares, schedules, and signage for years,” said Ian Griffiths, Policy Director for Seamless Bay Area. “Especially over the past two years, through the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force, we’ve had the chance to study and discuss the benefits and commit to action. Now it’s time for clear deadlines for implementation - that’s what this bill does.”

SB 917 builds upon legislation introduced in previous years by Assemblymember David Chiu, including AB 629 and AB 2057, which were sponsored by Seamless Bay Area and supported by dozens of community groups. In July 2021, the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force - whose goals aligned with key aspects of these legislative efforts - unanimously adopted a Transit Transformation Action Plan, with 27 actions to support rebuilding transit stronger and more connected than before the pandemic. SB 917 builds upon several of the recommendations within the Transformation Action Plan to ensure its timely implementation, an important factor in building public confidence for a future regional funding measure.

“SB 917 is an important step for our region’s leaders to take to show voters that they are serious about creating a more coordinated and effective transit system than the one we had before COVID,” said Adina Levin, Executive Director of Friends of Caltrain and Seamless Bay Area Advocacy Director. “This can also help lay the groundwork for a successful future funding measure for transit, which the region will need in the years ahead.”

Seamless Bay Area supports broader governance reform, including the creation of a Bay Area Network Manager entity, in order to permanently oversee a more integrated and effective transit system. The recently initiated Network Management Business Case will evaluate alternative management structures and ultimately recommend a permanent structure, which could advance in a future year’s legislation.

In the meantime, Seamless Bay Area is pleased that SB 917 commits to advancing the key policies that have been universally endorsed by Bay Area agencies and leaders, and won’t preclude any of the permanent governance options being studied by the business case.

Assemblymember Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, is a principal coauthor of SB 917. Other coauthors include Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa, Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-San Jose, and Assemblymember Marc Levine, D-Marin County, and Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco.

SB 917 is expected to be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee in the spring.

Actions you can take now to support SB 917

Do you support SB 917 as an individual or an organization? Here are the most important ways you can take action right now to show your support for SB 917 and seamless transit in the Bay Area:

Support this bill? Fill out this short form so that we can inform you of action opportunities. We’ll reach out to you or your organization about opportunities to get involved with advocacy around SB 917.
RSVP to our Feb. 8 event with Sen. Josh Becker and Lateefah Simon. On Tuesday, Feb. 18 at noon, join Seamless Bay Area, Sen. Josh Becker, and BART Director Lateefah Simon for a lively conversation and advocacy celebration focused on integrated fares and seamless transit.
Spread the word about SB 917. Share this blog on social media. Amplify the news on social media. Post about how more coordinated transit fares, wayfinding, and service would make your life better. Spread the word to your friends, family, and co-workers.
Donate to Seamless Bay Area. Your contributions are what makes our advocacy to advance a seamless transit system possible. Please donate if you are in the position to do so to keep up this momentum and continue to grow our coalition of support for seamless transit reforms.