Public transit can’t exist without public safety.

For the first time since the pandemic, San Francisco’s public transit system is showing real signs of life. Ridership is climbing, weekend service is strong, and MUNI Metro numbers are inching back toward pre-pandemic levels. That’s good news—not just for riders, but for the entire city; a healthy, functioning transit system is a critical component of San Francisco’s recovery. But as we celebrate this progress, we can’t ignore the reality: for too many San Franciscans, taking MUNI still doesn’t feel safe. And until that changes, we’ll never fully rebuild trust in our transit system or get SFMTA’s finances back on track.

The tragic murder of Colden Kimber last month brought this reality into sharp focus. Kimber, a 28-year-old, was waiting for the K train on Ocean Avenue in Ingleside when he saw a family being harassed by a man later identified as 29-year-old Sean Collins. Witnesses say Collins was shouting menacingly at the group, which included a 14-year old and an eight year-old. Kimber stepped in to protect them. In the struggle that followed, Collins fatally stabbed him in the neck. Kimber died defending strangers from violence in a place that should be safe for everyone: a MUNI stop.

This tragedy was not an isolated incident of disorder, but rather a gut-punch reminder of what’s at stake when the city fails to keep transit secure. Kimber’s death underscores what survey data has already been telling us: far too many riders feel unsafe on MUNI. A December 2024 SFMTA study found that 49% of respondents said they felt safe “always” or “almost always” while using MUNI. When people did feel unsafe, it was most often while riding a MUNI vehicle. The groups most likely to feel unsafe were those already vulnerable in other ways: people of color, non-English speakers, women and nonbinary riders, people with disabilities, and youth. Another SFMTA survey showed that in 2024, just 44% of respondents rated safety from crime while onboard or at stops as “excellent” or “good.”

If San Franciscans feel unsafe taking transit and can afford private options, they’re not going to take public transit - and in doing so, MUNI will have stuck itself in a downward cycle of increased revenue shortfalls that only make the system less reliable and safe for the very people who rely on it the most. Ensuring safety on MUNI is not just a quality-of-life issue; it’s a financial one. SFMTA faces a deficit of more than $300 million. A stronger recovery in ridership is one of the primary ways to stabilize the agency’s finances.

The city has to demonstrate that it takes safety on and around transit seriously—with a more visible safety presence, swifter and more consistent enforcement when crimes do occur, and better coordination between SFMTA, police, prosecutors, and mental health teams. 

The good news is that the recovery is happening. In 2024, MUNI carried 158 million passenger trips, up nearly 9% from 2023. Weekend ridership has been particularly strong—at 86% of pre-pandemic levels—thanks in part to events like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the Portola Music Festival, and the Sunset Night Market. As of June 2025, monthly ridership overall was at 77% of June 2019’s levels. And MUNI Metro numbers are trending steadily back toward pre-pandemic benchmarks. These are real gains, and they reflect something important: San Franciscans want to ride transit again.

MUNI is more than just a way to get around—it’s the circulatory system of San Francisco. It connects people to jobs, schools, neighborhoods, and cultural life. For many residents, especially those without cars, it’s a lifeline. Kimber’s death should be a turning point—a moment where the city decides that safety on public transit is not optional.