San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
| Company type | Public agency |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | November 1999 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | City and County of San Francisco |
Key people | Jeffrey Tumlin (Director of Transportation) |
| Products | Public transit, taxi services, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, paratransit |
| Website | www |
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA or San Francisco MTA) was established by merging the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), the Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT), and the Taxicab Commission. It oversees public transport, taxi services, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as paratransit operations for the City and County of San Francisco.
Overview
The SFMTA is responsible for managing San Francisco’s streets and surface transportation, delegating authority across divisions that specialize in transit services, street planning, parking management, taxi regulation, and additional areas.
San Francisco Municipal Railway
Through its Transit division, known as Muni, the SFMTA operates bus, rail, and other public transportation modes, serving more than 700,000 riders on weekdays across approximately 90 routes. As of 2015, its vehicle inventory consisted of 1,096 units including diesel and trolley buses, cable cars, light rail vehicles, and historic streetcars. The agency determines fare structures; the most recent fare adjustment in July 2017 increased the standard adult fare to $2.75. By controlling both transit operations and street management, the SFMTA has implemented 15.6 miles of dedicated bus lanes and transit signal priority systems to improve service reliability.
In addition to city transit responsibilities, the SFMTA engages in regional transportation planning and holds a seat on the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, which oversees Caltrain commuter rail services.
Streets, Parking, and Taxis
The Streets Division handles the design and planning of San Francisco’s roadways while administering parking regulations, curb space utilization, and enforcement activities. It maintains 434 bicycle lanes and 4,000 bike racks throughout its jurisdiction covering 1,088 miles of streets. The agency manages approximately 277,000 on-street parking spaces alongside several municipal parking garages. Through the SFpark initiative, it employs dynamic pricing strategies for metered parking to balance demand and availability. Certain parking spots are reserved for car-sharing programs such as Zipcar to encourage reduced vehicle ownership.
The Taxi and Accessible Service division regulates close to 2,000 taxi medallions and supervises paratransit offerings. It also monitors private transit providers like Chariot, ensuring their routes complement rather than compete with municipal transit services. Although the agency expresses interest in overseeing ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, regulatory control in California lies with the California Public Utilities Commission.
Funding
The SFMTA’s operating and capital budgets are financed through a variety of sources. Operating funds derive from San Francisco’s general fund, farebox revenue, fines and fees, grants, and income from parking facilities. Capital investments are supported by over 38 local, regional, state, and federal funding programs. The 2014 Proposition B measure ties general fund contributions to population growth within the city.
In 2017, total operating revenue amounted to $1.063 billion, with $206 million generated from transit fares, $293 million from the general fund, and $329 million from parking-related revenues including fines and fees. The capital budget for that year was $829 million, primarily dedicated to projects such as the Central Subway construction, transit system expansion initiatives, vehicle acquisitions, and facility improvements. Significant local and regional funding sources include the 2003 Proposition K sales tax measure, Regional Measure 3 passed in 2018, and the 2010 Measure AA vehicle registration fee.
Current capital projects
The SFMTA is managing several significant capital initiatives focused on upgrading San Francisco’s transportation network:
- The Central Subway project extends the T Third Street Muni Metro line by 1.7 miles, connecting to Chinatown through a new subway tunnel featuring three underground stations and one station above ground.
- Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit represents San Francisco’s inaugural bus rapid transit system, introducing two miles of exclusive bus lanes along Van Ness Avenue.
- The Geary Bus Rapid Transit project aims to enhance the dependability of the heavily utilized 38-Geary bus route by implementing bus priority lanes.
- Better Market Street involves a thorough reconstruction of Market Street to improve access for cyclists, pedestrians, and public transit users.
History
The creation of the SFMTA was authorized by Proposition E in November 1999, which amended San Francisco’s charter to form a semi-autonomous agency merging Muni and the Department of Parking and Traffic. This initiative, championed by the transit advocacy group Rescue Muni, introduced service standards and reorganized agency governance.
Prior to Proposition E, Muni was governed by the Public Transportation Commission, while the Department of Parking and Traffic reported to the Parking and Traffic Commission; both commissions were dissolved with the establishment of the SFMTA.
Proposition E established a seven-member board appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors, with term limits restricting members to three terms. This board holds responsibility for appointing the agency’s executive director.
Michael T. Burns served as the inaugural Director of Transportation (also known as Executive Director/CEO). Following Burns’ departure in 2005, Stuart Sunshine acted as interim director until Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., former CEO of MARTA, assumed the executive director role in 2006. Ford left in 2011, after which Debra A. Johnson served as acting executive director until Edward D. Reiskin—previously head of San Francisco Public Works—was named permanent executive director in August 2011.
H. Welton Flynn was the first chairperson of the SFMTA Board, followed by Cleopatra Vaughns and then James McCray Jr. Most current board members were appointed or reappointed by Mayor Ed Lee from his predecessor Gavin Newsom’s administration. The Board of Supervisors seldom rejects mayoral nominees; an exception occurred in 2005 when Hunter Stern’s appointment was denied.
Proposition E also created a 15-member Citizens Advisory Council tasked with reviewing budgets and providing policy recommendations; members are appointed jointly by the mayor and supervisors.
In 2009, following local legislation, SFMTA incorporated responsibilities previously held by the Taxicab Commission.
A 2005 ballot measure proposing that the Board of Supervisors appoint three SFMTA board members was rejected by voters. However, a 2007 charter amendment passed that expanded SFMTA’s control over labor relations, funding mechanisms, and parking regulations. A 2016 measure suggesting shared appointments and budget oversight was defeated at the polls.
In November 2016, a ransomware attack on SFMTA disabled fare collection machines, resulting in temporarily free transit rides.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, bus service was drastically reduced from 68 lines in February 2020 down to just 17 lines by April 2020. By mid-2020, anticipated revenue shortfalls were projected to exceed $568 million over four years. With escalating pension liabilities and annual maintenance costs reaching $472 million, Transportation Director Jeffrey Tumlin cautioned that up to 40 routes might be permanently discontinued without additional funding sources.
SFMTA Board of Directors
- Janet Tarlov, Chair
- Stephanie Cajina, Vice Chair
- Mike Chen, Director
- Alfonso Felder, Director
- Steve Heminger, Director
- Dominica Henderson, Director
- Fiona Hinze, Director
- Christine Silva, Board Secretary
Chronology of SFMTA Directors of Transportation
| Name | Start of Service | End of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Michael T. Burns | March 7, 2000 | July 15, 2005 |
| Stuart Sunshine (interim) | July 15, 2005 | January 17, 2006 |
| Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. | January 17, 2006 | June 30, 2011 |
| Debra A. Johnson (interim) | July 1, 2011 | August 14, 2011 |
| Edward D. Reiskin | August 15, 2011 | August 14, 2019 |
| Thomas Maguire (interim) | August 15, 2019 | December 15, 2019 |
| Jeffrey Tumlin | December 16, 2019 | December 31, 2024 |
| Julie Kirschbaum (interim) | January 1, 2025 |
According to the city charter, the position is officially designated as Director of Transportation. Earlier in the agency's history, the title "Executive Director" was frequently used. In February 2006, the MTA Board incorporated "CEO" into the title. However, upon taking office in 2011, Edward D. Reiskin chose to use solely the formal designation.
List of SFMTA Board Chairs
| Name | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| H. Welton Flynn | March 7, 2000 | January 20, 2004 |
| Cleopatra Vaughns | January 20, 2004 | May 2, 2006 |
| Michael Kasolas (interim) | May 2, 2006 | May 16, 2006 |
| James McCray Jr. | May 16, 2006 | February 3, 2009 |
| Tom Nolan | February 3, 2009 | January 17, 2017 |
| Cheryl Brinkman | January 17, 2017 | January 15, 2019 |
| Malcolm Heinicke | January 15, 2019 | May 19, 2020 |
| Gwyneth Borden | May 19, 2020 | April 24, 2023 |
| Amanda Eaken | January 17, 2023 | November 9, 2024 |
| Janet Tarlov | January 16, 2025 |