San Francisco Leans in Hard to Embrace its Transit ‘Superfans’

In an article in The San Francisco Standard, Garrett Leahy profiles some of the Bay Area’s “transit superfans,” a niche community of public transit enthusiasts that express their passion in a variety of quirky ways.

At a moment when Bay Area transit agencies are still clawing back riders and revenue since the pandemic slump, this quirky fandom is thriving. To these subway stans, a train isn’t just a train; it’s a symbol of civic pride, nostalgia, and the weird magic of living here.

Transit agencies are leaning in, with spokespeople saying they value the voices of the transit fans who see trains and buses as much more than a quotidian necessity. “Next month, the third annual SweaterFest will come to BART’s Rockridge station. Attendees are asked (required?) to wear BART-themed sweaters and pose for a family photo. Meanwhile, Muni is hosting a themed ice-skating night in Union Square. Not to be outdone, BART has anime mascots and a dedicated “speedrun” record book tracking who can blaze through the full system the fastest.” 

From speedrunning the systems to collecting transit-themed merchandise to painting BART trains, the transit fans profiled in the article elevate a ]n everyday slice of life into a beloved institution.