Latest news with #JulieKirschbaum
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
San Francisco makes upfront taxi pricing program permanent
San Francisco's upfront taxi pricing program is here to stay. The Board of Directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Board voted to keep the program at their May 20 meeting. "We're thrilled to give San Franciscans and visitors a new and more convenient way to access the city's taxi services and to have the peace of mind from knowing their fares before taking a trip," said SFMTA Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum. The Taxi Upfront Fare program started as a pilot in 2022. How it works is if passengers request a ride using apps from Flywheel, Curb, or Arro they would see a locked-in upfront price instead of one determined by the meter during the ride. Under the program riders who request an UberX ride through the Uber rideshare app can also be routed to a nearby taxi instead of a rideshare driver. MJ Keller is the head of U.S. taxi partnerships at Uber she said the company plans to maintain the partnership going forward. "As we continue to strengthen our relationship with the taxi industry, Uber appreciates the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's decision to make the Upfront Fare Program permanent," Keller said. "By integrating taxis onto our platform, we're providing taxi drivers with more flexibility and increased earnings opportunities while giving riders access to new transportation options. We believe this program continues to be a win for drivers, riders, and the City of San Francisco, and we're excited to support its continued growth." According to data from the SFMTA half of the city's 1,300 taxi drivers took part in the pilot program. Those drivers gave close to 400,000 fixed-priced rides and made 25% more on average than drivers not in the program. "I've been driving for a long time, and at first I was skeptical, but this program has been good for the taxi drivers who have been around for a long time, and the newer ones," said Zee Sinada, Yellow Cab Medallion Owner and member of the SFMTA Paratransit Coordinating Council. "I begged the SFMTA to keep this program going, because there wasn't enough business for the taxi drivers. But now, riders have more choices, and taxi drivers do, too. Financially, this is a difference of $600-$700 in extra earnings a week we're talking about – this makes such a big difference." SFMTA officials credit the program at least in part for increasing taxi driving recruitment. They said there have been 300 new drivers since the start of the program compared to 30 new drivers the year before.
Axios
19-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
San Francisco's new transportation director leading agency through turbulent times
As the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's new director, Julie Kirschbaum is leading the agency during one of the most difficult periods in its 108-year history. Why it matters: She's assuming the role at a critical time for the agency as it stares down a $50 million deficit that could reach $320 million by July 2026. Driving the news: Kirschbaum in February was named permanent director after serving in the position on an interim basis following the departure of Jeffrey Tumlin in December. She is the first woman to hold the job as San Francisco's top transportation official and has worked at SFMTA for the past 18 years. What she's saying: Kirschbaum spoke with Axios to discuss her main priorities as she navigates the agency's dire financial crisis. "We do have a really significant funding challenge that we need to address. Financial stability will be my highest priority for the agency," she said. Catch up quick: The agency's financial challenges stem from the city's slow recovery from COVID-19, which led to less ridership and decreased revenue. The crisis is being exacerbated by the loss of state and federal pandemic aid and surging costs from high inflation. State of play: SFMTA is in the midst of developing short and long-term solutions. They include: Reducing service by 4% this summer to save $15 million, with plans to bridge the remaining $35 million budget gap with other cost-cutting measures like cracking down on fare evasion, implementing hiring freezes, raising parking fees and making changes to city parking programs. The agency is also advocating in support of proposed state legislation that would provide struggling public transit systems with $2 billion in state funding over the next two years to address operating shortfalls while they work to find new revenue streams. Between the lines: When asked about more potential solutions, Kirschbaum said a regional sales tax ballot measure next year could help secure an ongoing funding source — not just for SFMTA but for other struggling agencies, including BART and Caltrain, as well. The intrigue: Unlike her predecessor, Kirschbaum does not express the same hostility toward the rise of ridehailing companies like Waymo, Lyft and Uber. Tumlin — a once-polarizing figure — took a hard-line approach against cars to prioritize bicyclist and pedestrian needs and largely blamed rideshare services for the agency's financial woes. Kirschbaum, however, is more concerned with keeping people's many options to get around open. While she's "really proud of how MUNI is running," she said she's also invested in improving conditions for everyone, including drivers. Fun fact: As a resident of Ingleside, Kirschbaum loves the K light-rail line. Her other favorite, she added, is the 14R Mission Rapid because "it takes you to so many amazing places throughout San Francisco." The bottom line: While Kirschbaum acknowledges the challenge SFMTA faces, she said it's also "a really exciting time" as they work toward increasing ridership to pre-pandemic levels, reaching financial stability and improving street safety with initiatives like the city's new speed cameras.
