Light Rail Service Suspended in San Francisco, South Bay Area

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced that it would shift resources away from light rail, starting Monday, and then the Valley Transportation Authority announced it was suspending light rail service in the South Bay immediately.

1 minute read

March 27, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


San Francisco

Lowe Llaguno / Shutterstock

"Starting Monday, March 30, there will be no more subway or light rail service in San Francisco," reports Alexa Mae Asperin.

"SFMTA announced Thursday that the new changes are happening in response to a decline in ridership amid the virus pandemic and to 'help us focus resources on routes outside of the downtown area.'"

Bus service will replace light rail service on the J, KT, L, M, and N. Full details of the scheduling changes can be found on the Muni website.

While other transit agencies around the country have reduced service in response to decreased demand, Muni was, to our knowledge, the first system in the country to completely suspend operations of rail transit, but, in fact, the Valley Transportation Authority had already suspended light rail service in the South Bay the night before, after a "person being trained as an operator tested positive for the coronavirus," reports Michael Cabanatuan.

"As of Thursday morning, 60 light rail operators and dozens more maintenance staff were placed on leave as the transit agency works to determine more information about the infected employee," according to a separate article by Julian Glover.

Thursday, March 26, 2020 in KRON

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

2 hours ago - Zachary Whalen

Overlapping highways

The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin

People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.

September 8, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

The Hoover Dam blocking the Colorado River. The river's water level is noticeably low. The cliffs surrounding the blue water are brown and jagged.

US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.

September 11, 2026 - The Arizona Republic

A brick building with a circular sign with the Airbnb logo hanging off of it.

Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin

The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.

34 seconds ago - Smart Cities Dive

One side of the image shows a Chicago bus stop without a bench, the second image shows the bus stop with a yellow and blue bench.

Guerilla urbanists are building DIY bus stop benches in Chicago

A before-and-after of one of the bus stops with a new bench. The new benches are not officially sanctioned or permitted, but the residents who placed them hope they will be the start of a network of DIY benches across the city.

1 hour ago - Block Club Chicago

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami speaks behind a blue podium.

Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals

The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.

2 hours ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.