SFMTA raises cable fare
- San Francisco's transit agency approved a budget that increases some fares and parking rates while lowering some fines. - The new budget raises the cable-car fare sharply to $18 per ride. - Fare and fine adjustments show agencies making politically difficult revenue trade-offs amid budget pressure (sfstandard.com).
San Francisco’s transit board approved a budget Tuesday that will raise the cable-car fare to $18 a ride as the agency tries to close a deep budget gap. (sfmta.com) The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency unanimously approved a two-year operating budget on April 21 for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28. The agency said the plan closes a $307 million shortfall in the first year, which starts July 1, 2026, and a $344 million shortfall in the second year. (sfmta.com) The approved budget raises some Muni fares and parking charges while cutting some fines, according to local coverage of the board vote. The cable-car price jump is the biggest change: a single ride now costs twice the current $9 fare. (sfstandard.com) SFMTA framed the budget as a way to avoid immediate service cuts after pandemic relief money runs out in June 2026. The agency said free and discounted Muni fares for youth, seniors, people with disabilities and paratransit service will remain in place. (sfmta.com) The larger problem is not limited to the cable cars. SFMTA said its deficit was projected to reach $434 million within five years, and Axios reported the two-year budget still depends on two funding measures going before voters in November. (sfmta.com) (axios.com) Cable cars have long been treated differently from regular Muni service because they are both transit and a tourist attraction. SFGATE reported SFMTA has raised cable-car fares periodically since the 1980s to help cover the system’s high operating costs. (sfgate.com) Budget documents reviewed earlier this year showed SFMTA weighing tourism-focused revenue options, including a higher-priced “Cable Car Plus” pass and citywide parking meter increases. Those same documents said a regional sales-tax measure could bring San Francisco about $155 million a year if voters approve it. (sfmta.com 1) (sfmta.com 2) The vote keeps Muni service intact for now, but San Francisco’s most famous transit ride is now part of the bill for keeping the broader system running. (sfmta.com)
