AASTHA TIKRI
Starting Feb. 1, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) reduced service on the 43 Masonic, 38 Geary and 24 Divisadero Muni lines, especially during times when ridership is low, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The change, announced Jan. 8, aims to adjust service during off-peak hours.
The 24 Divisadero frequency will change from 10 minutes to 12 minutes, resulting in three fewer buses during the time frame. The 43 Masonic line’s frequency will drop from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes, resulting in three fewer buses. The 38 line will decrease from a bus every 8 minutes to every 10 minutes, resulting in four fewer buses during the time frame.
This comes as a precursor to Muni service cuts expected this summer. Beginning July 2025 through June 2026, the SFMTA is facing a $50 million budget deficit. The shortfall comes from lower parking revenue, transit revenue and General Fund reimbursements than expected. Although the SFMTA has cut spending, increased transit enforcement and paused most hiring, it has not been enough to close the gap. A tightened budget means being unable to “afford to replace transit operators, maintenance or cleaning staff.” As a solution, Muni service will be cut by approximately 4%, saving $15 million.
“Some of these changes are not easy decisions for us to make,” SFMTA spokesperson Benjamin Barnett wrote in an agency blog post. “By doing so now, we can continue delivering reliable service. Meanwhile, we can address the SFMTA’s financial stability.”
The cuts are a part of Muni’s preparation for a stringent budget year. According to the SFMTA, Muni could face a budget deficit of more than $300 million by July 2026 when state and federal pandemic relief funds run out. An SFMTA blog post said to address the budget gap, the agency may face eliminating as many as 20 bus lines in the future.
In an article by the San Francisco Chronicle, SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato characterized the frequency changes as “a modest departure from the cost-neutral service changes we have been making for years now.” She also noted that the agency is boosting services to downtown in February, including the 30X Marina Express, to support workers returning to the office.
Some USF students rely on the 43 and 38 busses for commuting. Katie Thurman, a senior politics major said, “I have used all these lines before, and have lived in apartments that rely on these transit lines specifically. I’m quite shocked to hear that the 38 Geary is cutting frequency.”
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Thurman continued, “The 43 as well has also been very popular with USFCA students, and the Sunset doesn’t have the same Muni bus support as other areas of the city. Especially post Great Highway closing, it’s clear that the frequency of lines needs to be expanded.” Average daily boarding on weekdays in December 2024 was 8,200 for the 43 line, 10,100 for the 24 line, 17,100 for the 38 line, and 23,700 for the 38R.
Janista “JJ” Pearson, a senior media studies major said, “I livepretty far out from campus, my commute takes about 25 minutes in total. The 38 is my main bus line because it’s right next to me, so I am a bit worried about the consistency of it. Usually, I don’t have to worry about planning my trips because both the 38 and the 38R come so consistently, but I’ll have to be more aware of the timings of my commutes.”
Stuti Raghuram, a nursing first-year major said, “While money is money, it’s depressing to hear of any sort of cuts being made to San Francisco transits so many use it. [I] just hope they might find a way to square their ledger without complicating life, more than life needs to be, for its riders.”
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