21-05-2025
San Francisco State University may put the brakes on 1st-of-its-kind traffic reporter class
A unique program teaching broadcasting students at San Francisco State University how to deliver real-time traffic reports is wrapping up a successful first semester, but because of state budget cuts, its future is now stuck in gridlock.
The traffic reports are part of the Broadcasting Electronic Communication Arts "Intro to Radio and Podcasting." The curriculum was put together by longtime Bay Area Traffic Reporter Elaine Leung who has worked as a Lecturer at SFSU for the past six and a half years.
"[KSFS is] the only Northern California college radio station that is offering consistent transit and traffic reports," said Leung. "It's a real skillset to be able to look up transit traffic right before a report, and then leading up to the report, and any breaking elements with, let's say, if there are BART delays, Muni delays, or maybe traffic has recovered after a major crash."
Student Casey Crews, who is graduating this spring, jumped at the chance to add traffic to his resume.
"I saw this as a different skillset that I wanted to learn, and that is important," said Crews. "And if it can impact the community, okay. But I like skills that I can use."
The daily evening traffic reports are broadcast on the KSFS radio app at 4:45 p.m., with a focus on traffic impacting students, faculty and staff at SFSU.
"We have got Muni, the Park 57, 101 to 280 South and North, the M Train to Balboa Park, Daly City Bart, the buses to Sunset," said Crews. "As a commuter student, I drive an hour one way just to get to school. Understanding what's going on in the city before I leave. Helps me navigate getting to school on time."
But the future of the college traffic report could be in jeopardy. Budget issues and low enrollment have the California State University system facing $375 million in cuts.
That is forcing SFSU and other colleges to eliminate hundreds of classes across the board, including the BECA department that could cut at least 13 classes next fall, and not retain several lecturers like Leung who says, her Radio and Podcasting class has already been slated to not return for the fall semester.
But Leung says the advanced radio class will continue the traffic reports, with the idea of expanding to the morning and afternoon commutes. She hopes her "Intro" class will return for the Spring of 2026.
