Voters Approve $31 Billion in Transit Funding

Nationwide ballot measures pass to fund transit systems, with Bay Area and Charleston measures among the largest approvals.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Elections

Voters Approve $31 Billion in Transit Funding

Live Poll

Would you vote yes on a new local sales or parcel tax to fund public transit?

Voters approved ballot measures across the country providing approximately $31 billion in transit funding. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Proposition RTM passed with 62% support, and Stronger Muni For All passed with 72% of the vote.

Why it matters

The measures give transit agencies dedicated revenue streams at a time when federal transit and highway programs face uncertainty. Without the funding, Bay Area BART stations and route segments would close and remaining service would be curtailed, according to the reporting.

The figures come from voter-approved ballot measures, with Proposition RTM at 62% support and Stronger Muni For All at 72%. Whether Congress acts before the December 12 deadline to keep federal highway and transit programs running has not been resolved.

The players

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

BART is the regional rail system serving the San Francisco Bay Area, and it is among the agencies receiving funding from Proposition RTM.

Caltrain

Caltrain is the commuter rail service running along the Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, and it is among the agencies receiving funding from Proposition RTM.

AC Transit

AC Transit is the public bus operator serving the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, and it is among the agencies receiving funding from Proposition RTM.

San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni)

Muni is San Francisco's public transit agency operating buses, light rail and cable cars, and it is a direct beneficiary of both Proposition RTM and Stronger Muni For All.

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA is the national trade association representing public transit agencies, operators and businesses across the United States.

The details

Proposition RTM establishes a 14-year sales tax providing $14 billion for BART, Caltrain, AC Transit, and Muni. Stronger Muni For All is a 15-year property parcel tax based on square footage rather than value, funding $2.4 billion for the Muni operations budget gap and service improvements. In Charleston, a 25-year half-cent sales tax provides $860 million for transit, with the remainder of the expected $4.25 billion in revenue funding highways and green spaces.

Nov. 5, 2026: Voters approve the ballot measures.
Dec. 12, 2026: Deadline for Congress to act before transit and highway programs shut down.

Big Picture

Local ballot measures are increasingly used to fill transit funding gaps while federal highway and transit authorization faces a December 12 deadline. The American Public Transportation Association argues that transit reduces congestion, creates jobs and improves connections, a case these measures are designed to sustain.

Residents of the Bay Area and Charleston will see new sales and parcel taxes funding their local transit systems over the coming years. Riders should expect the funded service to continue, while the federal deadline determines whether broader highway and transit programs remain in place.

The takeaway

Local voters are increasingly deciding how their transit systems are funded, and the outcome of the federal deadline will shape how much those local measures can cover. Residents interested in the results should watch both local service changes and congressional action before December 12.