Caltrain has been named the Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association, an honor the Peninsula railroad's leaders accepted this week even as the agency warns that a large budget gap could force steep service cuts.
Board Chair Rico E. Medina and Executive Director Michelle Bouchard accepted the award at the association's TRANSform and Expo conference in Chicago, Caltrain said in an Oct. 6 announcement. The association recognized the railroad for ridership growth, safety, operating and maintenance efficiency, financial management and customer experience. Caltrain competed among systems with more than 3 million but fewer than 15 million yearly passenger trips, The San Mateo Record reported.
Why Caltrain won
Caltrain says it had the fastest-growing transit ridership in the country in 2025, up 57% from the year before. Much of the growth followed the switch from diesel to electric trains on the main line in September 2024. Caltrain more than doubled its weekend schedule after electrification, from 32 trains a day to 66, according to the Record.
In fiscal year 2026 the railroad carried more than 12.5 million riders, and average weekday ridership topped 40,000, the Record reported, citing Caltrain figures. Riders gave the service a 4.5 out of 5 customer experience score, and 91% said they approved of the agency.
"There is no greater honor a transit agency can receive," Bouchard said. Medina said that having electric trains "available every half-hour" has made the Peninsula "an even better place to live."
Caltrain also picked up a Certificate of Merit for rail safety and a national AdWheel marketing award for its "Driving is for Dodgers Fans" campaign.
The money problem
The recognition comes as Caltrain projects an average deficit of roughly $75 million a year, driven largely by remote and hybrid work. The agency says it has cut $76 million in costs over five years, but that higher ridership and fares are not enough to close the gap.
Without new revenue, Caltrain has outlined possible cuts that include ending all weekend service, running fewer trains, closing more than 30% of stations and stopping service at 9 p.m., according to the Record.
What's on the ballot
Voters will weigh a possible fix on Nov. 3. The Connect Bay Area transit measure, authorized by Senate Bill 63, would add a half-cent sales tax in San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties and a 1-cent tax in San Francisco for 14 years to fund transit agencies including Caltrain. Caltrain says the measure would cover its operating deficit for the full 14 years if it passes.