San Francisco, CA – Bay Area Transit Month is returning this September for its fifth year, celebrating public transit’s role in connecting communities and supporting the region’s economy, environment, and quality of life.
Organized by San Francisco Transit Riders and Seamless Bay Area, the 2025 campaign will feature over 50 events across all nine Bay Area counties. The monthlong celebration highlights the importance of public transit and encourages residents to discover new places using buses, trains, ferries, and more.
It also comes with a challenge!
“This year, we’re challenging people to take transit to somewhere they’ve never taken transit,” said Reanne Lacosta, Communications Manager for San Francisco Transit Riders. “Take a friend on board who’s new to transit and use our Transit Month calendar to start your next adventure!”
Transit Month 2025 kicks off with a Rally and Ride Along with San Francisco city leaders on September 4 at City Hall. In San José, a proclamation declaring September as Transit Month will be made at the City Council meeting on September 9 at 1:15 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers. Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei Foley and Councilmember Pamala Campos will lead the announcement.
In addition to events, the popular Ride Contest will return. Participants can log their transit trips throughout the month to win prizes, earn digital badges, and climb the leaderboard. In 2024, riders logged over 18,500 trips covering more than 105,000 miles.
It’s like Pokemon Go, but you’re actually doing something of substance. Check that out here: https://ridecontest.com/
Events are hosted by a wide range of community groups, transit agencies, and local leaders. Activities include guided rides, educational workshops, and public forums aimed at raising awareness about the benefits of transit and the urgent need for funding to protect and improve service.
Transit at a Crossroads
Transit Month comes at a critical time, the organizers say. Although ridership has increased steadily since the pandemic, ongoing funding gaps threaten to reduce service. Advocates say investment is needed to avoid a downward spiral of cuts and declining ridership.
Transit Month began as San Francisco Transit Week in 2016 and has grown into a regionwide initiative. It is supported by sponsors including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, TWU Local 250A, San Francisco Bay Ferry, San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Kaiser Permanente, and others.
