Muni to cut 5 bus lines in San Francisco starting this weekend Here's what to know

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will reduce service on five bus lines starting this weekend, responding to a $50 million budget deficit. The affected routes include the 5 Fulton, 9 San Bruno, and 31 Balboa, which will require riders to transfer to other lines after reaching Market Street. Additionally, the 6 Haight-Parnassus and 21 Hayes will be combined into a single route. Commuters, such as Lauren Hart, express frustration over the service cuts, fearing longer commute times and inconveniences. SFMTA warns that without additional funding, its budget deficit could balloon to as high as $322 million by 2026, leading to possible further service reductions.

Michael Roccaforte, a spokesperson for SFMTA, noted that the agency evaluated these routes due to existing service redundancies. To address the looming fiscal crisis, State Senator Scott Wiener is urging voters to pass a regional sales tax measure aimed at generating approximately $500 million annually for local transit. The proposed funding is critical as pandemic-era government support is set to expire at the end of this year.