MTS Rider Satisfaction Rises as Fiscal Cliff Approaches
East Village, San Diego – On May 15, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Board of Directors approved a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 that totals just over $473 million, a slight increase of 5.6% from FY 2025. The increase in budget is partially facilitated by an increase in transit ridership, through which MTS saw an 11.7%, or over $9 million, increase in passenger revenue. In the past few years, San Diego has seen a positive increase in transit use, with ridership numbers inching closer to pre-pandemic levels.
MTS Board Chair Stephen Whitburn commended the budget. “With this budget we are improving customer service even more” said the Chair, pointing to a new report showing that the agency’s customer satisfaction exceeded the national average. “This is why more and more people are taking transit in San Diego. And why we predict even more people to take the trolley and bus in the coming years.”
Citizens at the meeting expressed concerns regarding the future of MTS finances. Representatives from the Building Trades and Electrical Workers raised issues with the deferring of projects. Other speakers raised alarm about the Youth Opportunity Pass, a highly successful driver of youth ridership, being potentially discontinued. “We question the apparent lack of urgency concerning this critical initiative” said Ariana Frederico from Mid-City CAN, a youth advocacy organization. “The YOP program has demonstrated tremendous ridership benefits for all communities in the region of San Diego.”
The concerns arise from a “fiscal cliff” MTS is heading into. The agency received funds from the state and federal government that allowed them to enhance service. While their budget is currently balanced, this will not be the case by FY29. When those funds run out and the “cliff” is reached, the agency will have to cut their expenditures or find another source of funding, such as fare increases, to maintain a balanced budget. A proposed solution is a half-cent sales tax, which San Diego residents could vote for in 2026.
MTS Board Director Sean Elo-Rivera urged that MTS must increase its non-operational revenue, stating that the agency is not doing enough in pursuing revenue to support the programs that are most important to San Diegans. The Director stressed the need for a "much more aggressive approach to pursuing non-fare revenue", especially sponsorships.
Securing fresh revenue, via a 2026 half-cent sales-tax measure, sponsorship deals, or additional state funding, will be essential to protect the transit service San Diegans rely on.
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