Muni, BART to receive majority stake in Bay Area transit funding

Just two local transit agencies will receive 85 percent of the entire Bay Area's state and regional transit agencies bailout money, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Yet, BART and San Francisco's Muni will have to find ways to sharply cut the number of passengers who manage to ride without paying.

BART could receive $352 million or 45 percent of the region's transit subsidies and Muni would get nearly $310 million or 40 percent. That could keep both transit systems from considering service cuts for three more years.

Other agencies, including Golden Gate Transit, AC Transit and Caltrain would split the remaining $115 million.

The money is tied to certain conditions, including integrating fare structures and coordinating schedules among the region's 27 transit agencies, and for BART specifically, addressing fare evasion.