San Francisco Muni passengers who suspect that others aren’t paying their bus fare can now feel vindicated: According to a new report from urban planning think tank SPUR, the transit agency’s rate of fare revenue per passenger is less than half what it was 10 years ago,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported March 25.
The Chronicle noted that the finding is “buried deep” in the report on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which is asking voters to approve tax increases this year.
“Muni’s fare revenues declined from $283 million in 2015 to $97 million in 2024, adjusted for inflation,” the Chronicle reported. “Accounting for changes in ridership, Muni saw a 53 percent drop in fares per passenger over that period. Much of that dip could be attributed to policy decisions from the Board of Supervisors to institute free Muni for youth and discounts for other groups, including seniors and those experiencing homelessness. Yet, SFMTA leaders also acknowledged an uptick in cheating, which prompted them to ramp up fare inspections last year and led to a 6 percent increase in revenue collected per rider.”
The report also found that the transportation district spends $871 per hour to operate San Francisco’s historic cable cars.