SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The California Department of Transportation is exploring the idea of a high-speed bus system that could travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles, offering an alternative form of transportation for travelers who frequently move between the two regions.

The concept, which remains in its early stages, envisions buses traveling at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour on state freeways. Caltrans officials describe the proposal as part of a broader effort to examine what it calls high-speed buses.

“I think it would be great. We need to build more infrastructure in the state of California,” said Jeff Fisher, a San Francisco resident.

In a recent presentation, Caltrans outlined potential routes and corridors that could support the system. Officials pointed to freeways such as the Harbor Freeway and the San Bernardino Freeway as possible starting points.

“Freeways with some infrastructure may be candidates to start such as the Harbor Freeway and the San Bernardino freeway. Or perhaps it would be best to start with the interregional service that can connect Los Angeles with San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. That would favor I-5 and I-10 as the first freeways,” said Ryan Snyder, Caltrans feasibility studies manager.

MORE: California drops lawsuit seeking to reinstate federal funding for the state’s bullet train

The idea is already drawing interest from some travelers who regularly fly within the state.

“I think it would be a different form of transportation, and I think it might be more accessible,” said Katie Kim, a San Francisco resident who said she flies to Southern California three to four times a year.

“That would be a good idea maybe its faster,” said Arlette Contreras, a tourist.

MORE: Trump administration wants to hand out $2.4 billion it took from California’s high-speed railroad

However, transportation experts say the proposal would face some challenges, particularly in already congested corridors.

“Given the highly congested nature of that corridor on the interstate highways and really some of the secondary roadways, it would be critical that bus lanes would need to be additional lanes. They could not be in place of the existing lanes that people are already traveling on that are already highly congested,” said Rocky Moretti, director of policy and research with TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit.

The proposal also comes as California spent more than $14 billion on a high-speed rail project intended to connect San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to the California High-Speed Rail Authority, something residents say remains top of mind as new transportation ideas are considered.

“Would love not to have to go through the airport. I’m just sort of skeptical that it will be able to work,” said Bradley Powles, a Hercules resident.

MORE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill requiring funding plan for state’s high-speed rail project

Caltrans has not provided cost estimates for the high-speed bus concept. A preliminary report noted that if the 140-mile-per-hour target proves infeasible due to cost, infrastructure or safety limitations, a slower speed of 80 to 100 miles per hour could serve as a practical alternative.

“Something that would be quicker and easier would be wonderful I hope it can be achieved,” Powles said.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you’ll need to reclaim your account by clicking “Forgot your password?” on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Police are warning residents and visitors to stay alert as pickpocketing incidents rise in Chinatown, with officials saying organized groups can steal valuables in seconds.

Newly released surveillance video from the San Francisco Police Department shows a trio working together to target unsuspecting victims. In the footage, two people act as lookouts while another reaches into a victim’s bag, taking items within seconds. Police say the group is linked to multiple thefts, including one case where a victim lost $4,000 worth of valuables. Officers say the thefts can happen so quietly that victims often do not realize their belongings are gone until much later.

“They pulled my hair to get like a distraction and then I turned away. I think that’s the point that they help another person take something from my bag,” said Fay, who described being targeted months ago while riding a bus. Fay said she did not immediately realize anything had been taken until she received fraud alerts on her phone.

“Someone used my card to run in Walgreens. So I was like, how could that happen? I have my card with me. And then I look at my bag, it was like, oh, it’s gone,” she said.

MORE: Popular CA coffee shop hit with another break-in; thieves cause $20K damage but steal just $2

Police are urging people to take preventive steps, including wearing backpacks or crossbody bags in front, keeping valuables in front pockets and staying aware of surroundings – especially in crowded areas and on public transportation.

“It’s very unlikely you’d get your stuff back. But in this circumstance, we were able to recover a lot of stolen property. It’s best to not lose it in the first place,” said SFPD Capt. Chris Del Gandio.

Police say reports of pickpocketing in Chinatown have been increasing since April. In the case highlighted in the video, officers arrested three men who are now facing multiple felony charges, including grand theft, conspiracy and possession of stolen property. Investigators say a search of the suspects’ homes uncovered additional stolen property dating back to 2024 and more than $14,000. Authorities were able to link the suspects to several cases through community reports and matching descriptions.

“We were able to link a lot of these folks to those reports because all of them had that same suspect description. So with the photos and the community input, we were able to link these folks to several crimes in Chinatown,” Del Gandio said.

MORE: Concord police investigating smash-and-grab robbery at jewelry kiosk inside Sunvalley Mall

Police say technology, including drones and license plate readers, played a key role in tracking the suspects and building the case.

“The drone footage pretty much tracks them as they move through Chinatown, and as you can see from the video footage, there were several victims they targeted, all working together in concert. These guys were pros,” Del Gandio said.

For victims like Fay, the experience has led to increased caution.

“From now on, I’ll be more careful,” she said.

Police say anyone who believes they have been targeted should report the incident as soon as possible so investigators can review surveillance footage and potentially recover stolen items.