Transit usage in the Bay Area remains down, yet there are glimmers of hope

Bay Area Transit Systems Struggle to Recover from Pandemic's Impact

As of mid-2025, the Bay Area's public transit systems are gradually recovering from the pandemic's impact, but the road to full recovery remains challenging. The four major transit agencies – BART, Caltrain, Muni, and AC Transit – are grappling with varying ridership levels, operational challenges, and shifting passenger habits.

BART is experiencing a sluggish recovery, with weekday ridership at around 41% to 46% of pre-pandemic levels. Weekend ridership, however, shows a more promising picture, at about 54% to 63% recovery compared to 2019. The system saw a 13.4% increase in ridership in June 2025, largely due to improved service reliability, safety, and events boosting weekend use. However, ongoing challenges include adapting to a hybrid work environment that reduces daily commuting and managing customer concerns over cleanliness and safety. BART is investing in initiatives like new trains, fare gates, and police presence to enhance rider experience and reduce fare evasion.

Caltrain has been slower to recover, with about 25% to 60% of pre-pandemic weekday ridership restored. The lower recovery is tied to its heavy reliance on commuter trips to San Francisco and Peninsula offices, which remain depressed due to continued hybrid and remote work trends. This makes rebuilding traditional weekday commuting difficult.

Muni, San Francisco’s municipal transit, is the closest to pre-pandemic ridership levels, reaching roughly 75% to 92% recovery on weekends and about 75% on average overall. However, recent service cuts affecting about 2% of its network have caused ridership drops on some lines, even as alternative routes have gained riders. Budget shortfalls continue to pressure service levels, complicating the goal of full recovery and responsive service to changing travel patterns.

AC Transit, serving the East Bay, has regained about 75% of its pre-pandemic ridership. Like other systems, it faces the challenge of adjusting to reduced daily commuting demand and competition from automobile travel, as many former transit users now often drive when they have flexible schedules.

Common challenges for all Bay Area transit systems include reduced weekday commuter ridership due to widespread hybrid/remote work, financial pressures causing service cuts that risk further suppressing ridership, shifting passenger habits favoring leisure, weekend, and off-peak travel rather than five-day workweek commuting, ongoing efforts to improve safety, cleanliness, and rider confidence, and the need to innovate and diversify service offerings to recapture riders and attract new ones.

Weekend traffic across all Bay Area transit systems has recovered best, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in some cases. For Caltrain, weekend service has become particularly important, with spokesperson Dan Lieberman expressing delight at seeing many people taking advantage of the improved weekend service. Large events like concerts, sporting events, and protests have contributed to the resilience of weekend transit use, with Caltrain's new half-hourly weekend service seen as a convenient and affordable option for exploring the Bay Area. Muni's weekend service has increased to about 86% of its pre-pandemic levels, outpacing weekday recovery. BART's weekend ridership has recovered more than 60%, compared to less than 45% for weekdays. In May, BART hit 80% of its pre-pandemic weekend numbers.

However, the budget deficits faced by Muni and BART are significant, with Muni facing a deficit of $322 million and BART threatening to be about $376 million by 2027. Administrators and lawmakers have not yet developed firm plans for addressing these budget deficits.

The Bay Area's transit agencies have made adjustments such as shifting service to more neighborhood-oriented lines, adjusting schedules, and revamping safety measures. A recent survey from the Bay Area Council indicates this trend, with many respondents expressing a preference for transit options that offer more flexibility and convenience.

As the Bay Area continues to navigate its recovery from the pandemic, the region's transit systems face an uphill battle to regain pre-pandemic ridership levels. The shift towards remote and hybrid work, coupled with financial pressures and the need to adapt to changing passenger habits, presents a complex challenge for these agencies. However, the resilience of weekend service and the continued demand for public transportation offer a glimmer of hope for the future.