Friday’s BART shutdown brought much of the Bay Area to a standstill, offering a sobering preview of what could become a daily reality if public transit agencies are forced to make drastic service cuts due to looming budget shortfalls.

Transportation officials have long warned about a “fiscal cliff” expected in 2026, when one-time federal pandemic relief funds run out. Without new revenue, agencies like BART face multimillion-dollar deficits that could result in severe service reductions.

BART officials confirmed that their remaining one-time federal funds will be depleted by next year, leaving the agency staring down an annual structural deficit estimated at $350 to $400 million beginning in fiscal year 2027.

“If we do nothing, we’re going to see massive service cuts at BART, elimination of an entire line or two, closure of stations, scaling back or elimination of evening and weekend service,” said State Senator Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco).

The impact of Friday’s shutdown was immediate and widespread. Morning commuters scrambled to find alternative routes to work and school, leading to long delays, packed ferries, and costly rideshares.

“I looked at the alert and saw the traffic. I saw everything go not red, but dark red,” said Ian Ratzer, who took the San Francisco Bay Ferry from Oakland to San Francisco.

“Their suggestion is to take some buses. But I looked that up, and it was five different buses and it would’ve taken two hours,” said Laura Braun, who was running late for her job in Downtown.

“The ferry was pretty busy for a Friday,” added Precious Bautista, who traveled into the city from Vallejo.

Angelica Galang, a San Francisco resident, was late for her company retreat in Oakland due to the disruption.

“BART is shut down everywhere, so I Ubered to the Ferry Building. It was $50 for six miles. Now I’m taking the ferry to Alameda, and then taking another Uber to Lake Merritt,” Galang said. What should have been a 30-minute BART ride, she noted, turned into an expensive 90-minute ordeal.

“This is why we need to fund public transportation because this is what it leads to if we don’t,” Galang added.

San Francisco leaders and transit advocates echoed those concerns.

“It affects everyone. And if you are a driver, even if you never take transit, BART failing affects you because it means tons of traffic congestion,” said Senator Wiener, who is working with State Senator Jesse Arreguín (D–Berkeley) to secure $2 billion in state funding for public transportation.

The two lawmakers are also crafting a 2026 regional ballot measure—a proposed half-cent sales tax—to support BART, Muni, and other Bay Area transit systems. Wiener hopes to place the measure on the November 2026 ballot.

Cyrus Hall, a Bay Area transit advocate, emphasized the broader economic consequences of allowing public transit to deteriorate.

“The Bay Bridge would become unnavigable, it would become completely congested and packed with cars. The commute into the city would take hours longer. And we just cannot accept that future as a region. It would be devastating economically,” Hall said.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also stressed the importance of a robust transit network.

“BART and MUNI are critical to our revival here in San Francisco and obviously critical to the region. So we need a well-functioning BART, a well-functioning MUNI. And we’re going to need to go to the voters to discuss it next year,” said Lurie.

For now, riders like Galang are hoping they won’t have to endure another chaotic morning commute anytime soon.

“A lot of stress. My company understands—but it’s been a morning,” she said.