UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies

Initially, the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to inflict severe and lasting damage to public transit systems in California. Some experts feared that agencies would lay off workers; shutter lines for months, if not permanently; strand essential workers who depend on transit; and even go bankrupt. However, thanks to federal financial relief from three stimulus bills and strongerthan-expected bounce-back of tax revenues from state and local sources, transit agencies in 2022 have avoided that abyss — but still face an uncertain financial future. Meanwhile, operational challenges and, increasingly, workforce issues have hampered returns to regular service, potentially affecting transit budgets.