Bay Area Commuter Railroad On Life Support

Caltrain, the Peninsula railroad that dates back to 1863 serving points between San Francisco and San Jose, could potentially cease operations or at the least, cut all non-commute service.

1 minute read

April 9, 2010, 9:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"Caltrain has gone broke and will likely need to wipe out half its service - including weekend, weeknight and midday trains - officials said (April 1)."

"And that's only if we're lucky," Caltrain CEO Mike Scanlon told the agency's board of directors. "This is not an April fool's joke. This is real. We're at a watershed moment where there's a possibility this railroad could go away."

Facing a deficit of $30 million, almost one-third its operating budget, the commuter railroad suffers from having no dedicated funding source, relying on contributions from the transit agencies of the three counties it serves: San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Each of those agencies must deal with deficits affecting their local transit agencies.

From Streetsblog:

"At Streetsblog, we've covered a lot of transit cuts over the past year, from Muni to AC Transit to SamTrans. But none of those agencies has seen cuts quite as devastating as what appears to be on the way at Caltrain, where all weekday off-peak and weekend service is potentially on the chopping block."

Thanks to SF Streetsblog

Thursday, April 1, 2010 in Santa Cruz Sentinel

courses user

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges. Corey D, Transportation Planner

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges.

Corey D, Transportation Planner

Ready to give your planning career a boost?

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

'Vertical canyon' on glass-clad residential high-rise in Denver, CO.

Denver's New High-Rise Integrates Vertical Canyon in Architectural Design

Unlike other new builds in Denver, Colorado, a new high-rise reveals a unique “sculptural canyon” running vertically through the facade to foster a sense of community and connection to nature.  

November 29, 2024 - designboom

Close-up of yellow Pacers Bikeshare e-bike parked outdoors with blurred people in background.

Indy Bike Share Sees Sharp Growth Thanks to Free Pass Program

A new fleet of e-bikes and free access for Marion County residents are getting more people on bikes.

10 seconds ago - Pacers Bikeshare

View of snowy buildings and mountains in background in Denver, Colorado.

Federal Resilience Program a Lifeline for Affordable Housing Providers

The little-known Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funds upgrades and repairs that improve efficiency and comfort in existing housing stock.

December 6 - Next City

Woman rides bike on paved walkway through plaza in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fort Worth To Relaunch Bike Share System in January

Trinity Metro shuttered its current system at the end of November and plans to relaunch with a mostly-electric system.

December 6 - KERA News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.