Whether we realize it or not, traffic is a luxury not every Californian can afford. Safe, accessible, and reliable public transportation is a genuine need for people like Lourdes and her daughter, Lulu. From the time she was just a month and a half old, Lulu and her parents came to know the feel of a hospital floor all too well. Lulu received a liver transplant at only six months. Today, Lulu stands resiliently at seven years old, but trips to the doctor remain a constant in her life.

Though they live in Fremont, Lourdes and her husband commute to the San Francisco area to give their daughter the best care possible. Because her husband must use the family’s only car to get to work, Lourdes and Lulu rely on BART and public transportation to get to Lulu’s medical checkups. Using the family car to get to the doctor would mean Lulu’s father is missing work, which would only burden their ability to pay for things like rent, groceries, and other everyday needs.

Lourdes and Lulu are part of the 35% of Californians who don’t rely on a personal vehicle to meet their everyday travel needs. Whether it be doctor appointments, school, or work, many California families depend on public transit to get to where they need to go. 

Transportation is the second-highest expense in California households. The average cost to own a car in California is $12,000-$14,000, making it the 3rd most expensive state to run a car in. This creates a big problem for families living off of minimum wage, families who can’t afford rising gas prices, cut-throat insurance costs, and another monthly bill that would take over half of their income. The impact of upcoming cuts to BART would be devastating, leaving people who can’t afford a personal vehicle stranded and cut off from essential daily destinations.

In spite of this clear need for reliable transit, California’s transportation system is currently designed to reinforce car dependency. And yet, so many people live one breakdown or maintenance requirement away from it not working. 

Shifting from driving to transit will change this narrative and offer dramatic financial relief. In fact, the average cost of a transit pass is 10 times less than the cost of car ownership. California needs a transit system that justifies the switch, but that means putting in the work to invest first. 

Regions like the Bay Area have put in substantial efforts to keep existing transit systems afloat, but only the November 2026 ballot box results will tell whether they succeed. While it’s true that the passing of local measures to preserve transit would be a huge win in and of itself, when we think about long-term transportation sustainability and equity, California still lacks a plan for expansion. The result is unequal access to transit across California, with entire parts of the state getting left behind.

Public transit is collapsing in front of our very eyes. BART is currently running service on emergency funds that will run out in 2026. The rapid transit system is facing a financial deficiency of $350 to $450 million, which hinders their ability to provide high-quality service to the people who need it most. A similar story persists in SoCal where Metrolink has announced severe service cuts as it faces governance and budget challenges, with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System being projected to face $136 million annual deficits after 2028.  These setbacks come at a time when genuine interest in a transit switch is growing: 45% of young people are making a conscious effort to replace driving with transit in their everyday lives.

California’s poorest and most underserved populations rely on affordable and reliable transit. Nine out of ten Los Angeles Metro riders are POC, and 83% make less than $50,000/year. Eighty-four percent of Metro riders do not have a car and rely solely on the service, while 70% of riders use the Metro more than 5 times a week. BART riders are more likely to be low-income than the general population and more likely to identify as black or AAPI than the regional population. And more than half of all MUNI riders are low-income, and almost 60% self-identify as part of a minority group.

Dependable transit systems are about poverty alleviation, economic prosperity, and healthcare and education access. Low income, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with disabilities, and other underserved populations will lose access if a statewide source of funding is not achieved.

Unfortunately, public transit has taken the back seat under this Administration, but with elections for California governor approaching fast, a window to make transit a statewide priority is opening. This is why a broad coalition of more than 80 transit, affordable housing, transportation, environmental, labor, business, local government, and community organizations renewed its call on Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leadership to uphold California's funding commitments to critical climate and community investment programs. Read the letter.

California Funds Transit is an up-and-coming campaign with the goal of winning this critical statewide operating funding for public transit by 2030. We need decisive action at the state level that goes beyond patchwork local ballot measures to fill in the gaps. 

Join us in the early stages of the California Funds Transit campaign as we fight for the funding to keep transit alive. Help us restore the vital funding that was cut from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, and avoid a $2 billion dollar loss to transit investments.

Join us in Sacramento to demand that the State Legislature reverse these cuts! RSVP

We will rally on August 10th at 12:30 at the west steps of the Capitol Building in Sacramento. Following the rally, we will meet with legislators in the Capitol to tell them about what affordable housing, public transit, clean air, and clean water mean for our communities. See you there.