Azul is a reporter for KQED focusing on transportation and features. He joined KQED in 2021 as an alumnus of KALW's Audio Academy radio journalism training program.
San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be
SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station
Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’
One Key To California's Climate Goals? How We Cook
‘Beyond Scary’: AC Transit Riders Brace for Potential Service Cuts
Thinking of Taking Waymo to Fleet Week? It’s Complicated
Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas
Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat
California Cracks Down on E-Motos, Youth E-Bike Riders With New Laws
Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds
Muni Cuts to Cost San Francisco Labor Market Up to $48 Million Annually, Report Shows
BART Says Aging Infrastructure to Blame for Substation Fire, Days of Delays
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station",
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"headTitle": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11976600/is-the-smart-train-easing-highway-101-traffic-in-marin-and-sonoma\">Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors\u003c/a> approved a $190.5 million contract on Wednesday to begin building nearly five miles of track from Windsor to Healdsburg. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers wait for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train at the Marin County Civic Center stop in San Rafael on June 1, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11976600/is-the-smart-train-easing-highway-101-traffic-in-marin-and-sonoma\">Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors\u003c/a> approved a $190.5 million contract on Wednesday to begin building nearly five miles of track from Windsor to Healdsburg. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers wait for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train at the Marin County Civic Center stop in San Rafael on June 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The North Bay passenger rail line expects Healdsburg service to begin in late 2028. Geyserville and Cloverdale are next.",
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"title": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11976600/is-the-smart-train-easing-highway-101-traffic-in-marin-and-sonoma\">Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors\u003c/a> approved a $190.5 million contract on Wednesday to begin building nearly five miles of track from Windsor to Healdsburg. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers wait for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train at the Marin County Civic Center stop in San Rafael on June 1, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’",
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"headTitle": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’ | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Danny Bui’s semi-truck, a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, is stocked with the essentials: a bed, a microwave, a refrigerator and a hearty supply of instant noodles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These comforts keep the 49-year-old father of four going during long days driving as a licensed motor carrier — the industry term for an independent contractor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I love the job. I love its independence. You want more money, you work hard,” Bui said in the expansive yard of PCC Logistics, the shipping company he works for at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/port-of-oakland\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past six years, Bui, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when he was 14, has relied on trucking to support his family in San José. But as the wars in Iran and Ukraine have driven diesel prices to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915463/record-setting-diesel-prices-put-pressure-on-bay-area-businesses-and-consumers\">record levels\u003c/a> — over $8 per gallon on average in California, up $3 more than a year ago — Bui and other truckers said they’re struggling to afford loan and insurance payments and meet the high costs of living in the Bay Area, from housing to groceries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Before, you make money. Now, you try to cover the cost. That’s how it works now,” he said. “ We just live day by day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021. (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants. (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You can put 1,000 electric trucks over here, but I don’t have any place to charge them,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ You can put 1,000 electric trucks over here, but I don’t have any place to charge them,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The average price for diesel in California has reached more than $8 per gallon for over a month, pushing some truckers to the edge. ",
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"title": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Danny Bui’s semi-truck, a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, is stocked with the essentials: a bed, a microwave, a refrigerator and a hearty supply of instant noodles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These comforts keep the 49-year-old father of four going during long days driving as a licensed motor carrier — the industry term for an independent contractor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I love the job. I love its independence. You want more money, you work hard,” Bui said in the expansive yard of PCC Logistics, the shipping company he works for at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/port-of-oakland\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past six years, Bui, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when he was 14, has relied on trucking to support his family in San José. But as the wars in Iran and Ukraine have driven diesel prices to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915463/record-setting-diesel-prices-put-pressure-on-bay-area-businesses-and-consumers\">record levels\u003c/a> — over $8 per gallon on average in California, up $3 more than a year ago — Bui and other truckers said they’re struggling to afford loan and insurance payments and meet the high costs of living in the Bay Area, from housing to groceries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Before, you make money. Now, you try to cover the cost. That’s how it works now,” he said. “ We just live day by day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021. (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants. (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You can put 1,000 electric trucks over here, but I don’t have any place to charge them,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "One Key To California's Climate Goals? How We Cook",
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"headTitle": "One Key To California’s Climate Goals? How We Cook | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode Transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:15:01] \u003c/em>You’re welcome. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode Transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:15:01] \u003c/em>You’re welcome. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "If voters reject a regional transit ballot measure, the agency says it will be forced to cut service and lay off hundreds of employees.",
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"title": "‘Beyond Scary’: AC Transit Riders Brace for Potential Service Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "thinking-of-taking-waymo-to-fleet-week-its-complicated",
"title": "Thinking of Taking Waymo to Fleet Week? It’s Complicated",
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"headTitle": "Thinking of Taking Waymo to Fleet Week? It’s Complicated | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>In an effort to prevent a repeat of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">July Fourth traffic meltdown\u003c/a>, city transportation officials have expanded public transit service, restricted autonomous vehicle operations and discouraged spectators from driving to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103039/fleet-week-2026-practice-schedule-blue-angels-ship-tours-where-events\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> this weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first time the city has ever geofenced Fleet Week, although the practice is common for other large-scale events, such as the Outside Lands music festival, according to SFMTA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">More than 30 Waymos became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show on July 4, 2026, blocking parking for hours. (Courtesy of Dr. R, AGI Summit 2026)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the last Fourth of July, thousands of people streamed into the areas around the Golden Gate Bridge to watch a special fireworks show, bringing traffic to a standstill across a large section of the Marina District and surrounding neighborhoods as crowds left en masse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days that followed, city officials said the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090516/too-much-traffic-not-enough-toilets-sf-city-officials-revisit-fourth-of-july-mishaps\">mess\u003c/a> was caused partly by autonomous vehicles that blocked traffic and drivers who illegally used transit-only lanes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have had challenges with autonomous vehicles, and the congestion that they can create sometimes when they brick, for example,” Wise said, referring to when the cars freeze in place. “ We’ve since partnered with them to make sure that we do not have those kind of traffic [disruptions].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Fleet Week is likely to be more popular than past years, Sherrill said at a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097824/could-san-francisco-see-july-4-crowds-for-fleet-week-city-leaders-say-not-exactly\">hearing\u003c/a>, partly because the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team, the Blue Angels, are set to return after last year’s government shutdown canceled them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure that you take the time to get to the events or wherever it is you’re going in the city,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s the first time the city has ever geofenced Fleet Week, although the practice is common for other large-scale events, such as the Outside Lands music festival, according to SFMTA.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the last Fourth of July, thousands of people streamed into the areas around the Golden Gate Bridge to watch a special fireworks show, bringing traffic to a standstill across a large section of the Marina District and surrounding neighborhoods as crowds left en masse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have had challenges with autonomous vehicles, and the congestion that they can create sometimes when they brick, for example,” Wise said, referring to when the cars freeze in place. “ We’ve since partnered with them to make sure that we do not have those kind of traffic [disruptions].” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s Fleet Week is likely to be more popular than past years, Sherrill said at a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097824/could-san-francisco-see-july-4-crowds-for-fleet-week-city-leaders-say-not-exactly\">hearing\u003c/a>, partly because the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team, the Blue Angels, are set to return after last year’s government shutdown canceled them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Make sure that you take the time to get to the events or wherever it is you’re going in the city,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "San Francisco transit officials say restrictions on autonomous vehicles are based on “lessons learned” from the last July 4 traffic meltdown.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>In an effort to prevent a repeat of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">July Fourth traffic meltdown\u003c/a>, city transportation officials have expanded public transit service, restricted autonomous vehicle operations and discouraged spectators from driving to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103039/fleet-week-2026-practice-schedule-blue-angels-ship-tours-where-events\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> this weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first time the city has ever geofenced Fleet Week, although the practice is common for other large-scale events, such as the Outside Lands music festival, according to SFMTA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">More than 30 Waymos became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show on July 4, 2026, blocking parking for hours. (Courtesy of Dr. R, AGI Summit 2026)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the last Fourth of July, thousands of people streamed into the areas around the Golden Gate Bridge to watch a special fireworks show, bringing traffic to a standstill across a large section of the Marina District and surrounding neighborhoods as crowds left en masse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days that followed, city officials said the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090516/too-much-traffic-not-enough-toilets-sf-city-officials-revisit-fourth-of-july-mishaps\">mess\u003c/a> was caused partly by autonomous vehicles that blocked traffic and drivers who illegally used transit-only lanes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have had challenges with autonomous vehicles, and the congestion that they can create sometimes when they brick, for example,” Wise said, referring to when the cars freeze in place. “ We’ve since partnered with them to make sure that we do not have those kind of traffic [disruptions].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Fleet Week is likely to be more popular than past years, Sherrill said at a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097824/could-san-francisco-see-july-4-crowds-for-fleet-week-city-leaders-say-not-exactly\">hearing\u003c/a>, partly because the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team, the Blue Angels, are set to return after last year’s government shutdown canceled them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure that you take the time to get to the events or wherever it is you’re going in the city,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas",
"title": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas",
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"headTitle": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘A gas-heavy state’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n"
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"excerpt": "Electric kitchen conversions are expensive, but as California weans itself off fossil fuels, these chefs say it’s good for food quality, climate and health. ",
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"title": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "commercial-gas-kitchens-expose-workers-to-a-soup-of-pollution-high-heat",
"title": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat",
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"headTitle": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant and foodservice industry provides 15.7 million jobs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said this kind of work shouldn’t require “a bunch of scientists with fancy instruments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It would be interesting to think about ways to require air quality monitoring in commercial kitchens,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The restaurant and foodservice industry provides 15.7 million jobs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It would be interesting to think about ways to require air quality monitoring in commercial kitchens,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A new study from Bay Area researchers found that gas-powered kitchens can expose workers to dangerous levels of indoor air pollution and heat, while all-electric kitchens are cooler and cleaner. ",
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"title": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat | KQED",
"description": "A new study from Bay Area researchers found that gas-powered kitchens can expose workers to dangerous levels of indoor air pollution and heat, while all-electric kitchens are cooler and cleaner. ",
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"headline": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat",
"datePublished": "2026-10-06T06:00:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant and foodservice industry provides 15.7 million jobs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said this kind of work shouldn’t require “a bunch of scientists with fancy instruments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It would be interesting to think about ways to require air quality monitoring in commercial kitchens,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-cracks-down-on-e-motos-youth-e-bike-riders-with-new-laws",
"title": "California Cracks Down on E-Motos, Youth E-Bike Riders With New Laws",
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"headTitle": "California Cracks Down on E-Motos, Youth E-Bike Riders With New Laws | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three laws on Wednesday aimed at addressing some of the most pressing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050242/marin-moves-forward-with-ban-on-some-e-bikes-for-youth-as-research-into-safety-continues\">safety concerns\u003c/a> surrounding e-bikes, as the devices’ popularity continues to rise in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1167 prohibits any electric device capable of traveling faster than 20 mph with a throttle or 28 mph with a pedal assist — California’s existing speed limits for e-bikes — from being sold or advertised as an e-bike. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law groups those devices into the “moped” or “motor-driven cycle” category in the state’s vehicle code, depending on their maximum speed and requires riders to have the necessary vehicle registration and license to operate them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regulating those faster devices was a top legislative priority for Streets for All, a California transportation and land use advocacy organization, said Marc Vukcevich, the group’s director of state policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“While legal e-bikes themselves may not be perfect, the thing we know we need to address are these illegal devices that are making e-bikes and e-bike riders look really bad,” Vukcevich said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A December 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2423-Agrawal-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy.pdf\">report \u003c/a>by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute found it was highly likely that many injury crashes thought to involve e-bikes actually involve e-motorcycles and e-mopeds. The report also found that data on specifically which kinds of bikes are involved in crashes is commonly incomplete, making data-based policymaking more difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, SB 1167’s author, said the legislation “ensures that consumers know if they are buying an e-bike or something else that goes much faster and carries greater risk.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, requires manufacturers, importers and sellers of devices faster than e-bikes to provide a disclosure informing consumers that the device is in fact, considered a motor vehicle in California. It also beefs up reporting requirements on specifically what types of devices are involved in a crash. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>E-bikes in California are regulated as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070694/these-bay-area-researchers-say-the-e-bike-problem-may-be-an-e-moto-problem\">Class I, Class II or Class III devices\u003c/a>, depending on the maximum speed a motor provides assistance and how the motor assists the rider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The devices are an increasingly popular way for Californians to navigate a variety of environments, from suburban sprawl to dense urban cores. E-bike sales accounted for 7% of the U.S. bike market — or nearly a million sales — in 2024, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/e-bike-market-bigger-than-numbers-show\">People for Bikes\u003c/a>, the trade organization for the U.S. bicycle industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the rise in popularity in California has also brought a jump in serious crashes, especially involving youth. A July \u003ca href=\"https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc-san-diego-study-finds-an-exponential-increase-in-e-bike-injuries-in-california\">study\u003c/a> from UC San Diego found that California recorded just two e-bike injuries in 2018, a number that jumped to just over 1,500 in 2024. The study found that e-bike riders with moderate to severe injuries were more likely to be children ages 14 and younger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In enacting legislation, lawmakers and advocates have tried to walk a tightrope between promoting e-bikes, an active transportation mode that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic, while responding to health risks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12036523\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bicyclist rides on the Valencia Street center running bike lane in San Francisco’s Mission District on Aug. 23, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another e-bike bill signed by Newsom allows municipalities in San Mateo County to prohibit children under 12 from riding a class I or II e-bike, which have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph, until Jan. 1, 2031. The bill mirrors similar pilot programs previously approved by the Legislature in Marin and San Diego counties, which also set minimum age requirements for certain classes of e-bikes. State law already prohibits children under 16 from riding a class III e-bike.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill gives each local authority in San Mateo County the option to enact the pilot in its jurisdiction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Foster City Councilmember Stacy Jimenez said she was looking forward to “bringing this tool to Foster City.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Success doesn’t mean fewer kids riding bikes — it means more kids riding and riding safely, and AB 2595 will help cities and our county do that,” Jimenez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marin has reported a \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.gov/news-releases/e-bike-safety-remains-forefront-marin\">reduction\u003c/a> in youth e-bike crashes since enacting its pilot, which bans children under 16 from riding class II e-bikes. But the county said the e-bike accident rate for children aged 10-15 remains nearly four times higher than other age groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noelia Corzo, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said there were “valid concerns in terms of public health and street safety,” but she wouldn’t support enacting the pilot in the county’s unincorporated areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Corzo said she thought the right solutions were to invest more in safe street infrastructure to help prevent collisions with cars and other vehicles. She also expressed concern about how the law would be enforced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How is a police officer going to know if someone is younger than 12?” she said. “The only way is to stop children and ask them, and that’s not an action I feel comfortable with taking place en masse.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot would authorize police officers to issue a fine of $25 to any underage riders 60 days after the law comes into effect.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed AB 2346, from state Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, which requires Class II e-bikes sold after Jan. 1, 2029, to be equipped with a speedometer. The bill also sets a 10 mph speed limit for sidewalk riding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Dr. René Bravo, president of the California Medical Association, thanked Berman and Wilson for “listening to the physicians and other experts who have raised these concerns and putting evidence-based safety measures into law to make e-bikes safer for young riders, pedestrians and everyone on the road.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051115\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“While legal e-bikes themselves may not be perfect, the thing we know we need to address are these illegal devices that are making e-bikes and e-bike riders look really bad,” Vukcevich said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“While legal e-bikes themselves may not be perfect, the thing we know we need to address are these illegal devices that are making e-bikes and e-bike riders look really bad,” Vukcevich said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A December 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2423-Agrawal-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy.pdf\">report \u003c/a>by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute found it was highly likely that many injury crashes thought to involve e-bikes actually involve e-motorcycles and e-mopeds. The report also found that data on specifically which kinds of bikes are involved in crashes is commonly incomplete, making data-based policymaking more difficult. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A December 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2423-Agrawal-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy.pdf\">report \u003c/a>by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute found it was highly likely that many injury crashes thought to involve e-bikes actually involve e-motorcycles and e-mopeds. The report also found that data on specifically which kinds of bikes are involved in crashes is commonly incomplete, making data-based policymaking more difficult. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, SB 1167’s author, said the legislation “ensures that consumers know if they are buying an e-bike or something else that goes much faster and carries greater risk.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, SB 1167’s author, said the legislation “ensures that consumers know if they are buying an e-bike or something else that goes much faster and carries greater risk.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, requires manufacturers, importers and sellers of devices faster than e-bikes to provide a disclosure informing consumers that the device is in fact, considered a motor vehicle in California. It also beefs up reporting requirements on specifically what types of devices are involved in a crash. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, requires manufacturers, importers and sellers of devices faster than e-bikes to provide a disclosure informing consumers that the device is in fact, considered a motor vehicle in California. It also beefs up reporting requirements on specifically what types of devices are involved in a crash. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>E-bikes in California are regulated as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070694/these-bay-area-researchers-say-the-e-bike-problem-may-be-an-e-moto-problem\">Class I, Class II or Class III devices\u003c/a>, depending on the maximum speed a motor provides assistance and how the motor assists the rider. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>E-bikes in California are regulated as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070694/these-bay-area-researchers-say-the-e-bike-problem-may-be-an-e-moto-problem\">Class I, Class II or Class III devices\u003c/a>, depending on the maximum speed a motor provides assistance and how the motor assists the rider. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The devices are an increasingly popular way for Californians to navigate a variety of environments, from suburban sprawl to dense urban cores. E-bike sales accounted for 7% of the U.S. bike market — or nearly a million sales — in 2024, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/e-bike-market-bigger-than-numbers-show\">People for Bikes\u003c/a>, the trade organization for the U.S. bicycle industry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The devices are an increasingly popular way for Californians to navigate a variety of environments, from suburban sprawl to dense urban cores. E-bike sales accounted for 7% of the U.S. bike market — or nearly a million sales — in 2024, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/e-bike-market-bigger-than-numbers-show\">People for Bikes\u003c/a>, the trade organization for the U.S. bicycle industry. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the rise in popularity in California has also brought a jump in serious crashes, especially involving youth. A July \u003ca href=\"https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc-san-diego-study-finds-an-exponential-increase-in-e-bike-injuries-in-california\">study\u003c/a> from UC San Diego found that California recorded just two e-bike injuries in 2018, a number that jumped to just over 1,500 in 2024. The study found that e-bike riders with moderate to severe injuries were more likely to be children ages 14 and younger. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the rise in popularity in California has also brought a jump in serious crashes, especially involving youth. A July \u003ca href=\"https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc-san-diego-study-finds-an-exponential-increase-in-e-bike-injuries-in-california\">study\u003c/a> from UC San Diego found that California recorded just two e-bike injuries in 2018, a number that jumped to just over 1,500 in 2024. The study found that e-bike riders with moderate to severe injuries were more likely to be children ages 14 and younger. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In enacting legislation, lawmakers and advocates have tried to walk a tightrope between promoting e-bikes, an active transportation mode that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic, while responding to health risks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In enacting legislation, lawmakers and advocates have tried to walk a tightrope between promoting e-bikes, an active transportation mode that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic, while responding to health risks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12036523\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bicyclist rides on the Valencia Street center running bike lane in San Francisco’s Mission District on Aug. 23, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another e-bike bill signed by Newsom allows municipalities in San Mateo County to prohibit children under 12 from riding a class I or II e-bike, which have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph, until Jan. 1, 2031. The bill mirrors similar pilot programs previously approved by the Legislature in Marin and San Diego counties, which also set minimum age requirements for certain classes of e-bikes. State law already prohibits children under 16 from riding a class III e-bike.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another e-bike bill signed by Newsom allows municipalities in San Mateo County to prohibit children under 12 from riding a class I or II e-bike, which have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph, until Jan. 1, 2031. The bill mirrors similar pilot programs previously approved by the Legislature in Marin and San Diego counties, which also set minimum age requirements for certain classes of e-bikes. State law already prohibits children under 16 from riding a class III e-bike.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bill gives each local authority in San Mateo County the option to enact the pilot in its jurisdiction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The bill gives each local authority in San Mateo County the option to enact the pilot in its jurisdiction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Foster City Councilmember Stacy Jimenez said she was looking forward to “bringing this tool to Foster City.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Foster City Councilmember Stacy Jimenez said she was looking forward to “bringing this tool to Foster City.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Success doesn’t mean fewer kids riding bikes — it means more kids riding and riding safely, and AB 2595 will help cities and our county do that,” Jimenez said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Success doesn’t mean fewer kids riding bikes — it means more kids riding and riding safely, and AB 2595 will help cities and our county do that,” Jimenez said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marin has reported a \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.gov/news-releases/e-bike-safety-remains-forefront-marin\">reduction\u003c/a> in youth e-bike crashes since enacting its pilot, which bans children under 16 from riding class II e-bikes. But the county said the e-bike accident rate for children aged 10-15 remains nearly four times higher than other age groups. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Marin has reported a \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.gov/news-releases/e-bike-safety-remains-forefront-marin\">reduction\u003c/a> in youth e-bike crashes since enacting its pilot, which bans children under 16 from riding class II e-bikes. But the county said the e-bike accident rate for children aged 10-15 remains nearly four times higher than other age groups. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Noelia Corzo, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said there were “valid concerns in terms of public health and street safety,” but she wouldn’t support enacting the pilot in the county’s unincorporated areas. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Noelia Corzo, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said there were “valid concerns in terms of public health and street safety,” but she wouldn’t support enacting the pilot in the county’s unincorporated areas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Corzo said she thought the right solutions were to invest more in safe street infrastructure to help prevent collisions with cars and other vehicles. She also expressed concern about how the law would be enforced. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Corzo said she thought the right solutions were to invest more in safe street infrastructure to help prevent collisions with cars and other vehicles. She also expressed concern about how the law would be enforced. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“How is a police officer going to know if someone is younger than 12?” she said. “The only way is to stop children and ask them, and that’s not an action I feel comfortable with taking place en masse.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“How is a police officer going to know if someone is younger than 12?” she said. “The only way is to stop children and ask them, and that’s not an action I feel comfortable with taking place en masse.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The pilot would authorize police officers to issue a fine of $25 to any underage riders 60 days after the law comes into effect.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The pilot would authorize police officers to issue a fine of $25 to any underage riders 60 days after the law comes into effect.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed AB 2346, from state Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, which requires Class II e-bikes sold after Jan. 1, 2029, to be equipped with a speedometer. The bill also sets a 10 mph speed limit for sidewalk riding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed AB 2346, from state Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, which requires Class II e-bikes sold after Jan. 1, 2029, to be equipped with a speedometer. The bill also sets a 10 mph speed limit for sidewalk riding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Dr. René Bravo, president of the California Medical Association, thanked Berman and Wilson for “listening to the physicians and other experts who have raised these concerns and putting evidence-based safety measures into law to make e-bikes safer for young riders, pedestrians and everyone on the road.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, Dr. René Bravo, president of the California Medical Association, thanked Berman and Wilson for “listening to the physicians and other experts who have raised these concerns and putting evidence-based safety measures into law to make e-bikes safer for young riders, pedestrians and everyone on the road.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills regulating the most dangerous devices and allowing a pilot ban on youth e-bike riding in San Mateo County.",
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"title": "California Cracks Down on E-Motos, Youth E-Bike Riders With New Laws | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three laws on Wednesday aimed at addressing some of the most pressing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050242/marin-moves-forward-with-ban-on-some-e-bikes-for-youth-as-research-into-safety-continues\">safety concerns\u003c/a> surrounding e-bikes, as the devices’ popularity continues to rise in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1167 prohibits any electric device capable of traveling faster than 20 mph with a throttle or 28 mph with a pedal assist — California’s existing speed limits for e-bikes — from being sold or advertised as an e-bike. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law groups those devices into the “moped” or “motor-driven cycle” category in the state’s vehicle code, depending on their maximum speed and requires riders to have the necessary vehicle registration and license to operate them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regulating those faster devices was a top legislative priority for Streets for All, a California transportation and land use advocacy organization, said Marc Vukcevich, the group’s director of state policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“While legal e-bikes themselves may not be perfect, the thing we know we need to address are these illegal devices that are making e-bikes and e-bike riders look really bad,” Vukcevich said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A December 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2423-Agrawal-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy.pdf\">report \u003c/a>by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute found it was highly likely that many injury crashes thought to involve e-bikes actually involve e-motorcycles and e-mopeds. The report also found that data on specifically which kinds of bikes are involved in crashes is commonly incomplete, making data-based policymaking more difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, SB 1167’s author, said the legislation “ensures that consumers know if they are buying an e-bike or something else that goes much faster and carries greater risk.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, requires manufacturers, importers and sellers of devices faster than e-bikes to provide a disclosure informing consumers that the device is in fact, considered a motor vehicle in California. It also beefs up reporting requirements on specifically what types of devices are involved in a crash. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>E-bikes in California are regulated as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070694/these-bay-area-researchers-say-the-e-bike-problem-may-be-an-e-moto-problem\">Class I, Class II or Class III devices\u003c/a>, depending on the maximum speed a motor provides assistance and how the motor assists the rider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The devices are an increasingly popular way for Californians to navigate a variety of environments, from suburban sprawl to dense urban cores. E-bike sales accounted for 7% of the U.S. bike market — or nearly a million sales — in 2024, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/e-bike-market-bigger-than-numbers-show\">People for Bikes\u003c/a>, the trade organization for the U.S. bicycle industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the rise in popularity in California has also brought a jump in serious crashes, especially involving youth. A July \u003ca href=\"https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc-san-diego-study-finds-an-exponential-increase-in-e-bike-injuries-in-california\">study\u003c/a> from UC San Diego found that California recorded just two e-bike injuries in 2018, a number that jumped to just over 1,500 in 2024. The study found that e-bike riders with moderate to severe injuries were more likely to be children ages 14 and younger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In enacting legislation, lawmakers and advocates have tried to walk a tightrope between promoting e-bikes, an active transportation mode that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic, while responding to health risks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12036523\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240823-ValenciaTelegraphBikeLanes-33-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bicyclist rides on the Valencia Street center running bike lane in San Francisco’s Mission District on Aug. 23, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another e-bike bill signed by Newsom allows municipalities in San Mateo County to prohibit children under 12 from riding a class I or II e-bike, which have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph, until Jan. 1, 2031. The bill mirrors similar pilot programs previously approved by the Legislature in Marin and San Diego counties, which also set minimum age requirements for certain classes of e-bikes. State law already prohibits children under 16 from riding a class III e-bike.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill gives each local authority in San Mateo County the option to enact the pilot in its jurisdiction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Foster City Councilmember Stacy Jimenez said she was looking forward to “bringing this tool to Foster City.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Success doesn’t mean fewer kids riding bikes — it means more kids riding and riding safely, and AB 2595 will help cities and our county do that,” Jimenez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marin has reported a \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.gov/news-releases/e-bike-safety-remains-forefront-marin\">reduction\u003c/a> in youth e-bike crashes since enacting its pilot, which bans children under 16 from riding class II e-bikes. But the county said the e-bike accident rate for children aged 10-15 remains nearly four times higher than other age groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noelia Corzo, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said there were “valid concerns in terms of public health and street safety,” but she wouldn’t support enacting the pilot in the county’s unincorporated areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Corzo said she thought the right solutions were to invest more in safe street infrastructure to help prevent collisions with cars and other vehicles. She also expressed concern about how the law would be enforced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How is a police officer going to know if someone is younger than 12?” she said. “The only way is to stop children and ask them, and that’s not an action I feel comfortable with taking place en masse.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot would authorize police officers to issue a fine of $25 to any underage riders 60 days after the law comes into effect.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed AB 2346, from state Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, which requires Class II e-bikes sold after Jan. 1, 2029, to be equipped with a speedometer. The bill also sets a 10 mph speed limit for sidewalk riding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Dr. René Bravo, president of the California Medical Association, thanked Berman and Wilson for “listening to the physicians and other experts who have raised these concerns and putting evidence-based safety measures into law to make e-bikes safer for young riders, pedestrians and everyone on the road.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-bridge-traffic-delays-would-double-if-transit-tax-measures-fail-report-finds",
"title": "Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds",
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"headTitle": "Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Traffic delays at some of the worst freeway bottlenecks in the Bay Area would more than double if voters reject \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070685/campaign-to-avert-bay-area-public-transit-death-spiral-gets-underway\">two separate\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087755/san-francisco-voters-will-vote-on-munis-future-in-november\">tax measures\u003c/a> intended to fund public transit agencies this November, according to a new research brief published Tuesday by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, or SPUR, a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy think tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report found that while Bay Bridge drivers currently face average delays of 30 minutes during morning and afternoon rush hour, slowdowns would extend to 63 minutes in the morning and 73 minutes in the afternoon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Average afternoon delays at the Caldecott Tunnel on State Route 4 would triple from 13 minutes to 40 minutes, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1122\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic delays at problem areas would more than double if public transit agencies cut service, according to a forecast by SPUR. (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This really paints a picture of how much worse life is going to get for people living in the Bay Area without transit,” said Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART, AC Transit, Muni and Caltrain — which represent 80% of all public transit ridership in the Bay Area, according to SPUR — are facing massive budget deficits driven by pandemic-era drops in ridership and revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agencies plan to make deep service cuts to reduce those deficits, unless voters in five Bay Area counties approve this year’s Regional Transit Measure (RTM). Muni also plans to cut service if San Francisco voters reject a separate parcel tax funding measure, Proposition H, specific to that agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART has said it would close up to 15 stations, and Caltrain has said it would close 10 stations, among other cuts, if the regional transit measure fails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>MUNI plans to eliminate 20 routes, among other cuts, if either Proposition H, a proposed San Francisco-specific parcel tax, or the regional tax measure fails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR projected that BART and Caltrain would close their lowest-ridership stations, as the agencies haven’t yet specified which stations they would close.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit has also proposed service cuts, but SPUR’s forecast doesn’t address these impacts in detail, as the agency had not adopted its reduced service plans by the time SPUR’s analysis started, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR hired Jacobs, an engineering and infrastructure consulting firm, to conduct the analysis, which used public transit ridership, boarding data and traffic volume statistics from September and October 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report considered short-term traffic impacts at eight of the Bay Area’s worst traffic hotspots: the Bay Bridge, I-580, I-880, I-680, State Route 24 at the Caldecott Tunnel, State Route 4 and U.S. 101 in South San Francisco and Burlingame. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Bay drivers will be particularly impacted, as they potentially traverse multiple worsened bottlenecks, according to Tolkoff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1122\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100724\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The research forecast traffic delays at eight of the Bay Area’s worst freeway bottlenecks. (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The impacts are going to compound for people who have to make longer multi-county regional trips, as well as to transit riders who are going to be hit hardest and first,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also quantifies the economic, environmental and quality of life impacts that service cuts would have on the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 430,000 people who live within one mile of a BART or Caltrain station that is expected to close would lose the benefit of easy access to public transit, according to the report. Muni routes proposed for elimination would affect over 27,000 people each weekday; service frequency reductions would affect over 200,000 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tolkoff said the cuts would also have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, who make 80,000 trips on the region’s four major public transit agencies every day, and around one-third of the Bay Area who cannot or do not drive, to move around the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Transit is really key to their independence and ability to have a full life,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report makes the case that paying the sales tax associated with the RTM would be a better deal for transit riders than the increased costs service cuts would bring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters pass the RTM, it would institute a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, generating around $1 billion annually to fund operations and improvements and averting service cuts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report estimated taxpayers would spend $82 a year on a half-cent sales tax, whereas transit riders who switch to driving would pay an additional $3,280 per year for increased transportation costs, such as fuel, tolls and parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ It’s very clear that this is going to push a lot of people over the edge when you think about how transportation is the second largest household expense, second only to housing,” Tolkoff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100014/muni-cuts-to-cost-san-francisco-labor-market-up-to-48-million-annually-report-shows\">report\u003c/a> by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller on Proposition H estimated Muni service cuts would cause a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090212/opposition-group-says-bay-area-transit-doesnt-deserve-more-money-this-november\">Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit\u003c/a>, a campaign launched by the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, is opposed to the RTM. The group has argued that transit agencies should leverage existing funding, including reallocating money from capital projects, to reduce their budget deficits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Committee has said transit agencies could increase efficiencies, reduce pay for some of their highest-paid employees and cease construction on mega-projects to fund operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Connect Bay Area, the campaign in favor of the regional sales tax measure — which is supported by a broad coalition of labor, business and local leaders — has described the opposition campaign’s arguments as “not grounded in reality.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100387\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of logo for AC Transit on a bus, Emeryville, California, Nov. 12, 2025. (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR is a sponsor of the RTM and gave input on San Francisco’s Proposition H as a member of the city’s Muni Funding Working Group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2024, 8% of Bay Area commuters took public transit on a typical workday, while 69% drove, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report showed that although public transit riders aren’t a sizable part of the population, public transit makes a big difference on the Bay Area’s quality of life, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even if you don’t ride transit every day, your life is better because there is transit in the Bay Area,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Traffic delays at some of the worst freeway bottlenecks in the Bay Area would more than double if voters reject \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070685/campaign-to-avert-bay-area-public-transit-death-spiral-gets-underway\">two separate\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087755/san-francisco-voters-will-vote-on-munis-future-in-november\">tax measures\u003c/a> intended to fund public transit agencies this November, according to a new research brief published Tuesday by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, or SPUR, a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy think tank. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report found that while Bay Bridge drivers currently face average delays of 30 minutes during morning and afternoon rush hour, slowdowns would extend to 63 minutes in the morning and 73 minutes in the afternoon. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Average afternoon delays at the Caldecott Tunnel on State Route 4 would triple from 13 minutes to 40 minutes, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Average afternoon delays at the Caldecott Tunnel on State Route 4 would triple from 13 minutes to 40 minutes, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic delays at problem areas would more than double if public transit agencies cut service, according to a forecast by SPUR.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100725\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic delays at problem areas would more than double if public transit agencies cut service, according to a forecast by SPUR.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This really paints a picture of how much worse life is going to get for people living in the Bay Area without transit,” said Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART, AC Transit, Muni and Caltrain — which represent 80% of all public transit ridership in the Bay Area, according to SPUR — are facing massive budget deficits driven by pandemic-era drops in ridership and revenue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agencies plan to make deep service cuts to reduce those deficits, unless voters in five Bay Area counties approve this year’s Regional Transit Measure (RTM). Muni also plans to cut service if San Francisco voters reject a separate parcel tax funding measure, Proposition H, specific to that agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The agencies plan to make deep service cuts to reduce those deficits, unless voters in five Bay Area counties approve this year’s Regional Transit Measure (RTM). Muni also plans to cut service if San Francisco voters reject a separate parcel tax funding measure, Proposition H, specific to that agency. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART has said it would close up to 15 stations, and Caltrain has said it would close 10 stations, among other cuts, if the regional transit measure fails. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>MUNI plans to eliminate 20 routes, among other cuts, if either Proposition H, a proposed San Francisco-specific parcel tax, or the regional tax measure fails. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SPUR projected that BART and Caltrain would close their lowest-ridership stations, as the agencies haven’t yet specified which stations they would close.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>AC Transit has also proposed service cuts, but SPUR’s forecast doesn’t address these impacts in detail, as the agency had not adopted its reduced service plans by the time SPUR’s analysis started, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>AC Transit has also proposed service cuts, but SPUR’s forecast doesn’t address these impacts in detail, as the agency had not adopted its reduced service plans by the time SPUR’s analysis started, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SPUR hired Jacobs, an engineering and infrastructure consulting firm, to conduct the analysis, which used public transit ridership, boarding data and traffic volume statistics from September and October 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SPUR hired Jacobs, an engineering and infrastructure consulting firm, to conduct the analysis, which used public transit ridership, boarding data and traffic volume statistics from September and October 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report considered short-term traffic impacts at eight of the Bay Area’s worst traffic hotspots: the Bay Bridge, I-580, I-880, I-680, State Route 24 at the Caldecott Tunnel, State Route 4 and U.S. 101 in South San Francisco and Burlingame. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report considered short-term traffic impacts at eight of the Bay Area’s worst traffic hotspots: the Bay Bridge, I-580, I-880, I-680, State Route 24 at the Caldecott Tunnel, State Route 4 and U.S. 101 in South San Francisco and Burlingame. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>East Bay drivers will be particularly impacted, as they potentially traverse multiple worsened bottlenecks, according to Tolkoff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>East Bay drivers will be particularly impacted, as they potentially traverse multiple worsened bottlenecks, according to Tolkoff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100724\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The research forecast traffic delays at eight of the Bay Area’s worst freeway bottlenecks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100724\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The research forecast traffic delays at eight of the Bay Area’s worst freeway bottlenecks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The impacts are going to compound for people who have to make longer multi-county regional trips, as well as to transit riders who are going to be hit hardest and first,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report also quantifies the economic, environmental and quality of life impacts that service cuts would have on the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 430,000 people who live within one mile of a BART or Caltrain station that is expected to close would lose the benefit of easy access to public transit, according to the report. Muni routes proposed for elimination would affect over 27,000 people each weekday; service frequency reductions would affect over 200,000 people. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 430,000 people who live within one mile of a BART or Caltrain station that is expected to close would lose the benefit of easy access to public transit, according to the report. Muni routes proposed for elimination would affect over 27,000 people each weekday; service frequency reductions would affect over 200,000 people. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tolkoff said the cuts would also have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, who make 80,000 trips on the region’s four major public transit agencies every day, and around one-third of the Bay Area who cannot or do not drive, to move around the region. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tolkoff said the cuts would also have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, who make 80,000 trips on the region’s four major public transit agencies every day, and around one-third of the Bay Area who cannot or do not drive, to move around the region. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Transit is really key to their independence and ability to have a full life,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report makes the case that paying the sales tax associated with the RTM would be a better deal for transit riders than the increased costs service cuts would bring.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters pass the RTM, it would institute a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, generating around $1 billion annually to fund operations and improvements and averting service cuts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters pass the RTM, it would institute a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, generating around $1 billion annually to fund operations and improvements and averting service cuts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report estimated taxpayers would spend $82 a year on a half-cent sales tax, whereas transit riders who switch to driving would pay an additional $3,280 per year for increased transportation costs, such as fuel, tolls and parking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report estimated taxpayers would spend $82 a year on a half-cent sales tax, whereas transit riders who switch to driving would pay an additional $3,280 per year for increased transportation costs, such as fuel, tolls and parking. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s very clear that this is going to push a lot of people over the edge when you think about how transportation is the second largest household expense, second only to housing,” Tolkoff said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ It’s very clear that this is going to push a lot of people over the edge when you think about how transportation is the second largest household expense, second only to housing,” Tolkoff said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100014/muni-cuts-to-cost-san-francisco-labor-market-up-to-48-million-annually-report-shows\">report\u003c/a> by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller on Proposition H estimated Muni service cuts would cause a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100014/muni-cuts-to-cost-san-francisco-labor-market-up-to-48-million-annually-report-shows\">report\u003c/a> by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller on Proposition H estimated Muni service cuts would cause a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090212/opposition-group-says-bay-area-transit-doesnt-deserve-more-money-this-november\">Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit\u003c/a>, a campaign launched by the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, is opposed to the RTM. The group has argued that transit agencies should leverage existing funding, including reallocating money from capital projects, to reduce their budget deficits. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090212/opposition-group-says-bay-area-transit-doesnt-deserve-more-money-this-november\">Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit\u003c/a>, a campaign launched by the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, is opposed to the RTM. The group has argued that transit agencies should leverage existing funding, including reallocating money from capital projects, to reduce their budget deficits. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Committee has said transit agencies could increase efficiencies, reduce pay for some of their highest-paid employees and cease construction on mega-projects to fund operations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Committee has said transit agencies could increase efficiencies, reduce pay for some of their highest-paid employees and cease construction on mega-projects to fund operations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Connect Bay Area, the campaign in favor of the regional sales tax measure — which is supported by a broad coalition of labor, business and local leaders — has described the opposition campaign’s arguments as “not grounded in reality.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Connect Bay Area, the campaign in favor of the regional sales tax measure — which is supported by a broad coalition of labor, business and local leaders — has described the opposition campaign’s arguments as “not grounded in reality.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100387\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of logo for AC Transit on a bus, Emeryville, California, Nov. 12, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SPUR is a sponsor of the RTM and gave input on San Francisco’s Proposition H as a member of the city’s Muni Funding Working Group.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2024, 8% of Bay Area commuters took public transit on a typical workday, while 69% drove, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2024, 8% of Bay Area commuters took public transit on a typical workday, while 69% drove, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report showed that although public transit riders aren’t a sizable part of the population, public transit makes a big difference on the Bay Area’s quality of life, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report showed that although public transit riders aren’t a sizable part of the population, public transit makes a big difference on the Bay Area’s quality of life, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even if you don’t ride transit every day, your life is better because there is transit in the Bay Area,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Even if you don’t ride transit every day, your life is better because there is transit in the Bay Area,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The new findings show that reduced public transit service and station closures would affect traffic and quality of life throughout the region.",
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"title": "Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds | KQED",
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"headline": "Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds",
"datePublished": "2026-09-22T06:00:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Traffic delays at some of the worst freeway bottlenecks in the Bay Area would more than double if voters reject \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070685/campaign-to-avert-bay-area-public-transit-death-spiral-gets-underway\">two separate\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087755/san-francisco-voters-will-vote-on-munis-future-in-november\">tax measures\u003c/a> intended to fund public transit agencies this November, according to a new research brief published Tuesday by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, or SPUR, a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy think tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report found that while Bay Bridge drivers currently face average delays of 30 minutes during morning and afternoon rush hour, slowdowns would extend to 63 minutes in the morning and 73 minutes in the afternoon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Average afternoon delays at the Caldecott Tunnel on State Route 4 would triple from 13 minutes to 40 minutes, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1122\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-02-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic delays at problem areas would more than double if public transit agencies cut service, according to a forecast by SPUR. (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This really paints a picture of how much worse life is going to get for people living in the Bay Area without transit,” said Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART, AC Transit, Muni and Caltrain — which represent 80% of all public transit ridership in the Bay Area, according to SPUR — are facing massive budget deficits driven by pandemic-era drops in ridership and revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agencies plan to make deep service cuts to reduce those deficits, unless voters in five Bay Area counties approve this year’s Regional Transit Measure (RTM). Muni also plans to cut service if San Francisco voters reject a separate parcel tax funding measure, Proposition H, specific to that agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART has said it would close up to 15 stations, and Caltrain has said it would close 10 stations, among other cuts, if the regional transit measure fails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>MUNI plans to eliminate 20 routes, among other cuts, if either Proposition H, a proposed San Francisco-specific parcel tax, or the regional tax measure fails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR projected that BART and Caltrain would close their lowest-ridership stations, as the agencies haven’t yet specified which stations they would close.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit has also proposed service cuts, but SPUR’s forecast doesn’t address these impacts in detail, as the agency had not adopted its reduced service plans by the time SPUR’s analysis started, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR hired Jacobs, an engineering and infrastructure consulting firm, to conduct the analysis, which used public transit ridership, boarding data and traffic volume statistics from September and October 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report considered short-term traffic impacts at eight of the Bay Area’s worst traffic hotspots: the Bay Bridge, I-580, I-880, I-680, State Route 24 at the Caldecott Tunnel, State Route 4 and U.S. 101 in South San Francisco and Burlingame. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Bay drivers will be particularly impacted, as they potentially traverse multiple worsened bottlenecks, according to Tolkoff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1122\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100724\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/TransitCuts-01-KQED-1536x862.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The research forecast traffic delays at eight of the Bay Area’s worst freeway bottlenecks. (Courtesy of SPUR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The impacts are going to compound for people who have to make longer multi-county regional trips, as well as to transit riders who are going to be hit hardest and first,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also quantifies the economic, environmental and quality of life impacts that service cuts would have on the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 430,000 people who live within one mile of a BART or Caltrain station that is expected to close would lose the benefit of easy access to public transit, according to the report. Muni routes proposed for elimination would affect over 27,000 people each weekday; service frequency reductions would affect over 200,000 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tolkoff said the cuts would also have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, who make 80,000 trips on the region’s four major public transit agencies every day, and around one-third of the Bay Area who cannot or do not drive, to move around the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Transit is really key to their independence and ability to have a full life,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report makes the case that paying the sales tax associated with the RTM would be a better deal for transit riders than the increased costs service cuts would bring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters pass the RTM, it would institute a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, generating around $1 billion annually to fund operations and improvements and averting service cuts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report estimated taxpayers would spend $82 a year on a half-cent sales tax, whereas transit riders who switch to driving would pay an additional $3,280 per year for increased transportation costs, such as fuel, tolls and parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ It’s very clear that this is going to push a lot of people over the edge when you think about how transportation is the second largest household expense, second only to housing,” Tolkoff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100014/muni-cuts-to-cost-san-francisco-labor-market-up-to-48-million-annually-report-shows\">report\u003c/a> by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller on Proposition H estimated Muni service cuts would cause a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090212/opposition-group-says-bay-area-transit-doesnt-deserve-more-money-this-november\">Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit\u003c/a>, a campaign launched by the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, is opposed to the RTM. The group has argued that transit agencies should leverage existing funding, including reallocating money from capital projects, to reduce their budget deficits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Committee has said transit agencies could increase efficiencies, reduce pay for some of their highest-paid employees and cease construction on mega-projects to fund operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Connect Bay Area, the campaign in favor of the regional sales tax measure — which is supported by a broad coalition of labor, business and local leaders — has described the opposition campaign’s arguments as “not grounded in reality.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100387\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2246577688-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of logo for AC Transit on a bus, Emeryville, California, Nov. 12, 2025. (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SPUR is a sponsor of the RTM and gave input on San Francisco’s Proposition H as a member of the city’s Muni Funding Working Group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2024, 8% of Bay Area commuters took public transit on a typical workday, while 69% drove, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report showed that although public transit riders aren’t a sizable part of the population, public transit makes a big difference on the Bay Area’s quality of life, Tolkoff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even if you don’t ride transit every day, your life is better because there is transit in the Bay Area,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "muni-cuts-to-cost-san-francisco-labor-market-up-to-48-million-annually-report-shows",
"title": "Muni Cuts to Cost San Francisco Labor Market Up to $48 Million Annually, Report Shows",
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"headTitle": "Muni Cuts to Cost San Francisco Labor Market Up to $48 Million Annually, Report Shows | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As San Francisco voters weigh in on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087755/san-francisco-voters-will-vote-on-munis-future-in-november\">parcel tax\u003c/a> measure to fund Muni this November, a new economic impact report released Wednesday by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller projects the sweeping toll that massive service cuts to the city’s public transit agency will have. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This analysis suggests that the potential service cuts would be far worse for the local economy than the parcel tax,” the report states. “They would make it more expensive for employers to create jobs in the city, make workers less productive, and consume residents’ leisure time, hurting their quality of life.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If passed, Proposition H would generate an estimated $184 million annually for Muni — which faces the largest budget deficit in its history — through an annual tax on residential, nonresidential and mixed-use property owners based on the square footage of their property over the next 15 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters reject Proposition H, the agency warns it will be forced to reduce service frequencies by up to 50% while suspending less popular routes and its historic trains and cable cars. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given the dire financial outlook, the city’s analysis treated reduced Muni service as a baseline scenario, and Proposition H’s passage as an alternative scenario. Both the proposed tax and the service cuts that would occur if voters do not approve the tax would affect the city’s economy in a number of ways, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers exit a Muni train at West Portal Station in San Francisco on March 3, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings state that reduced Muni service would result in a “poorer-performing” transportation system. The Office of the Controller estimated a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s extremely high labor productivity is partly a function of the number of people who can access jobs here,” the report states. “When slower commuting reduces that number, overall productivity is affected.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonwork trip delays would result in a decline in the amenity value — a measure of the quality-of-life benefits a resource provides to those living in San Francisco — by $118 million to $197 million per year, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Property values will take a hit in either scenario: The report estimates that Muni service cuts would reduce residential property values by as much as 0.9%, or around $14,100 on average, given current housing prices, as a reduction in transportation accessibility can reduce property values. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonresidential properties, such as offices, retail buildings and hotels, will be more impacted, suffering up to a 1.2% drop in property values on average across the city, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city makes the case that the tax is a better deal for residential property owners, driving down property values by less than service cuts would, at 0.2% on average over the 15-year life of the tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report says the reverse is true for nonresidential property owners who will see a bigger drop in property values over the life of the tax — as much as 1.9% — than they would with service cuts because they bear a higher percentage of the parcel tax’s burden. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 25% of the tax would be paid by residential property owners, while the remaining 75% would be paid by nonresidential property owners, the report says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the tax, most single-family homeowners would pay $129, with added fees for homes that exceed 3,000 square feet. Base rates for multi-family parcels start at $249; nonresidential and mixed-use parcels start at $799, with additional tax levied if parcels exceed a base square footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Taking into account all the variables — including the cost of the tax to property owners, preventing travel-time delays for businesses and residents, and impacts to the local economy and labor market — the net economic impact from the passage of the parcel tax is positive, according to the report. In a high-end economic impact scenario, the tax would create over 1,400 jobs and grow the city’s gross domestic product by about $400 million on average over the next 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition H is supported by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, as well as the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and Labor Council.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089405\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 39 bus drives through the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on June 30, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Safe, affordable, reliable transit gets our kids to school, people to work, and our seniors to the grocery store,” Lurie said in a statement. “As we make critical investments in Muni, we will continue to make it more accountable and more reliable so we can serve every San Franciscan.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure is opposed by the San Francisco Republican Party, which argues the measure writes a blank check to the city’s Municipal Transit Agency but does not require the SFMTA, which runs Muni, to cut costs, hit efficiency targets or act on recommendations from a mandated efficiency review. The party argued the tax is unfair because it is based on square footage, not property values, and owners of rent-controlled units can pass 50% of the tax onto their tenants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure will need a simple majority to pass this November. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The passage of Proposition H would not completely resolve Muni’s budget deficit. The agency is also banking on a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084841/campaign-to-fund-bay-area-transit-smashes-signature-gathering-goal\">regional sales tax measure\u003c/a> that is set to go before voters in five Bay Area counties this November to prevent service cuts. Regional Measure RTM would establish a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, to generate around $1 billion annually over 14 years to fund operations at major Bay Area transit agencies including Muni. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller did not address the economic impact of Regional Measure RTM.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This analysis suggests that the potential service cuts would be far worse for the local economy than the parcel tax,” the report states. “They would make it more expensive for employers to create jobs in the city, make workers less productive, and consume residents’ leisure time, hurting their quality of life.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If passed, Proposition H would generate an estimated $184 million annually for Muni — which faces the largest budget deficit in its history — through an annual tax on residential, nonresidential and mixed-use property owners based on the square footage of their property over the next 15 years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If passed, Proposition H would generate an estimated $184 million annually for Muni — which faces the largest budget deficit in its history — through an annual tax on residential, nonresidential and mixed-use property owners based on the square footage of their property over the next 15 years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters reject Proposition H, the agency warns it will be forced to reduce service frequencies by up to 50% while suspending less popular routes and its historic trains and cable cars. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Given the dire financial outlook, the city’s analysis treated reduced Muni service as a baseline scenario, and Proposition H’s passage as an alternative scenario. Both the proposed tax and the service cuts that would occur if voters do not approve the tax would affect the city’s economy in a number of ways, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Given the dire financial outlook, the city’s analysis treated reduced Muni service as a baseline scenario, and Proposition H’s passage as an alternative scenario. Both the proposed tax and the service cuts that would occur if voters do not approve the tax would affect the city’s economy in a number of ways, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers exit a Muni train at West Portal Station in San Francisco on March 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075355\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers exit a Muni train at West Portal Station in San Francisco on March 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The findings state that reduced Muni service would result in a “poorer-performing” transportation system. The Office of the Controller estimated a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The findings state that reduced Muni service would result in a “poorer-performing” transportation system. The Office of the Controller estimated a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s extremely high labor productivity is partly a function of the number of people who can access jobs here,” the report states. “When slower commuting reduces that number, overall productivity is affected.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s extremely high labor productivity is partly a function of the number of people who can access jobs here,” the report states. “When slower commuting reduces that number, overall productivity is affected.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nonwork trip delays would result in a decline in the amenity value — a measure of the quality-of-life benefits a resource provides to those living in San Francisco — by $118 million to $197 million per year, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nonwork trip delays would result in a decline in the amenity value — a measure of the quality-of-life benefits a resource provides to those living in San Francisco — by $118 million to $197 million per year, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Property values will take a hit in either scenario: The report estimates that Muni service cuts would reduce residential property values by as much as 0.9%, or around $14,100 on average, given current housing prices, as a reduction in transportation accessibility can reduce property values. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Property values will take a hit in either scenario: The report estimates that Muni service cuts would reduce residential property values by as much as 0.9%, or around $14,100 on average, given current housing prices, as a reduction in transportation accessibility can reduce property values. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nonresidential properties, such as offices, retail buildings and hotels, will be more impacted, suffering up to a 1.2% drop in property values on average across the city, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nonresidential properties, such as offices, retail buildings and hotels, will be more impacted, suffering up to a 1.2% drop in property values on average across the city, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city makes the case that the tax is a better deal for residential property owners, driving down property values by less than service cuts would, at 0.2% on average over the 15-year life of the tax.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city makes the case that the tax is a better deal for residential property owners, driving down property values by less than service cuts would, at 0.2% on average over the 15-year life of the tax.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report says the reverse is true for nonresidential property owners who will see a bigger drop in property values over the life of the tax — as much as 1.9% — than they would with service cuts because they bear a higher percentage of the parcel tax’s burden. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report says the reverse is true for nonresidential property owners who will see a bigger drop in property values over the life of the tax — as much as 1.9% — than they would with service cuts because they bear a higher percentage of the parcel tax’s burden. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 25% of the tax would be paid by residential property owners, while the remaining 75% would be paid by nonresidential property owners, the report says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About 25% of the tax would be paid by residential property owners, while the remaining 75% would be paid by nonresidential property owners, the report says. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the tax, most single-family homeowners would pay $129, with added fees for homes that exceed 3,000 square feet. Base rates for multi-family parcels start at $249; nonresidential and mixed-use parcels start at $799, with additional tax levied if parcels exceed a base square footage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under the tax, most single-family homeowners would pay $129, with added fees for homes that exceed 3,000 square feet. Base rates for multi-family parcels start at $249; nonresidential and mixed-use parcels start at $799, with additional tax levied if parcels exceed a base square footage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Taking into account all the variables — including the cost of the tax to property owners, preventing travel-time delays for businesses and residents, and impacts to the local economy and labor market — the net economic impact from the passage of the parcel tax is positive, according to the report. In a high-end economic impact scenario, the tax would create over 1,400 jobs and grow the city’s gross domestic product by about $400 million on average over the next 15 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Taking into account all the variables — including the cost of the tax to property owners, preventing travel-time delays for businesses and residents, and impacts to the local economy and labor market — the net economic impact from the passage of the parcel tax is positive, according to the report. In a high-end economic impact scenario, the tax would create over 1,400 jobs and grow the city’s gross domestic product by about $400 million on average over the next 15 years. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition H is supported by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, as well as the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and Labor Council.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089405\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 39 bus drives through the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on June 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089405\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 39 bus drives through the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on June 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Safe, affordable, reliable transit gets our kids to school, people to work, and our seniors to the grocery store,” Lurie said in a statement. “As we make critical investments in Muni, we will continue to make it more accountable and more reliable so we can serve every San Franciscan.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Safe, affordable, reliable transit gets our kids to school, people to work, and our seniors to the grocery store,” Lurie said in a statement. “As we make critical investments in Muni, we will continue to make it more accountable and more reliable so we can serve every San Franciscan.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure is opposed by the San Francisco Republican Party, which argues the measure writes a blank check to the city’s Municipal Transit Agency but does not require the SFMTA, which runs Muni, to cut costs, hit efficiency targets or act on recommendations from a mandated efficiency review. The party argued the tax is unfair because it is based on square footage, not property values, and owners of rent-controlled units can pass 50% of the tax onto their tenants.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The measure is opposed by the San Francisco Republican Party, which argues the measure writes a blank check to the city’s Municipal Transit Agency but does not require the SFMTA, which runs Muni, to cut costs, hit efficiency targets or act on recommendations from a mandated efficiency review. The party argued the tax is unfair because it is based on square footage, not property values, and owners of rent-controlled units can pass 50% of the tax onto their tenants.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure will need a simple majority to pass this November. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The passage of Proposition H would not completely resolve Muni’s budget deficit. The agency is also banking on a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084841/campaign-to-fund-bay-area-transit-smashes-signature-gathering-goal\">regional sales tax measure\u003c/a> that is set to go before voters in five Bay Area counties this November to prevent service cuts. Regional Measure RTM would establish a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, to generate around $1 billion annually over 14 years to fund operations at major Bay Area transit agencies including Muni. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The passage of Proposition H would not completely resolve Muni’s budget deficit. The agency is also banking on a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084841/campaign-to-fund-bay-area-transit-smashes-signature-gathering-goal\">regional sales tax measure\u003c/a> that is set to go before voters in five Bay Area counties this November to prevent service cuts. Regional Measure RTM would establish a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, to generate around $1 billion annually over 14 years to fund operations at major Bay Area transit agencies including Muni. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller did not address the economic impact of Regional Measure RTM.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The findings project fallout related to Proposition H, a proposed parcel tax meant to fund the transit agency.",
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"title": "Muni Cuts to Cost San Francisco Labor Market Up to $48 Million Annually, Report Shows | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As San Francisco voters weigh in on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087755/san-francisco-voters-will-vote-on-munis-future-in-november\">parcel tax\u003c/a> measure to fund Muni this November, a new economic impact report released Wednesday by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller projects the sweeping toll that massive service cuts to the city’s public transit agency will have. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This analysis suggests that the potential service cuts would be far worse for the local economy than the parcel tax,” the report states. “They would make it more expensive for employers to create jobs in the city, make workers less productive, and consume residents’ leisure time, hurting their quality of life.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If passed, Proposition H would generate an estimated $184 million annually for Muni — which faces the largest budget deficit in its history — through an annual tax on residential, nonresidential and mixed-use property owners based on the square footage of their property over the next 15 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters reject Proposition H, the agency warns it will be forced to reduce service frequencies by up to 50% while suspending less popular routes and its historic trains and cable cars. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given the dire financial outlook, the city’s analysis treated reduced Muni service as a baseline scenario, and Proposition H’s passage as an alternative scenario. Both the proposed tax and the service cuts that would occur if voters do not approve the tax would affect the city’s economy in a number of ways, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260303-MUNIFILE00411_TV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers exit a Muni train at West Portal Station in San Francisco on March 3, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings state that reduced Muni service would result in a “poorer-performing” transportation system. The Office of the Controller estimated a labor market impact between $30 million and $48 million annually, due to workers dealing with delayed commutes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s extremely high labor productivity is partly a function of the number of people who can access jobs here,” the report states. “When slower commuting reduces that number, overall productivity is affected.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonwork trip delays would result in a decline in the amenity value — a measure of the quality-of-life benefits a resource provides to those living in San Francisco — by $118 million to $197 million per year, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Property values will take a hit in either scenario: The report estimates that Muni service cuts would reduce residential property values by as much as 0.9%, or around $14,100 on average, given current housing prices, as a reduction in transportation accessibility can reduce property values. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonresidential properties, such as offices, retail buildings and hotels, will be more impacted, suffering up to a 1.2% drop in property values on average across the city, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city makes the case that the tax is a better deal for residential property owners, driving down property values by less than service cuts would, at 0.2% on average over the 15-year life of the tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report says the reverse is true for nonresidential property owners who will see a bigger drop in property values over the life of the tax — as much as 1.9% — than they would with service cuts because they bear a higher percentage of the parcel tax’s burden. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 25% of the tax would be paid by residential property owners, while the remaining 75% would be paid by nonresidential property owners, the report says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the tax, most single-family homeowners would pay $129, with added fees for homes that exceed 3,000 square feet. Base rates for multi-family parcels start at $249; nonresidential and mixed-use parcels start at $799, with additional tax levied if parcels exceed a base square footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Taking into account all the variables — including the cost of the tax to property owners, preventing travel-time delays for businesses and residents, and impacts to the local economy and labor market — the net economic impact from the passage of the parcel tax is positive, according to the report. In a high-end economic impact scenario, the tax would create over 1,400 jobs and grow the city’s gross domestic product by about $400 million on average over the next 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition H is supported by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, as well as the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and Labor Council.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089405\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-MUNI-30-FOOT-BUSES-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 39 bus drives through the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on June 30, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Safe, affordable, reliable transit gets our kids to school, people to work, and our seniors to the grocery store,” Lurie said in a statement. “As we make critical investments in Muni, we will continue to make it more accountable and more reliable so we can serve every San Franciscan.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure is opposed by the San Francisco Republican Party, which argues the measure writes a blank check to the city’s Municipal Transit Agency but does not require the SFMTA, which runs Muni, to cut costs, hit efficiency targets or act on recommendations from a mandated efficiency review. The party argued the tax is unfair because it is based on square footage, not property values, and owners of rent-controlled units can pass 50% of the tax onto their tenants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure will need a simple majority to pass this November. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The passage of Proposition H would not completely resolve Muni’s budget deficit. The agency is also banking on a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084841/campaign-to-fund-bay-area-transit-smashes-signature-gathering-goal\">regional sales tax measure\u003c/a> that is set to go before voters in five Bay Area counties this November to prevent service cuts. Regional Measure RTM would establish a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, to generate around $1 billion annually over 14 years to fund operations at major Bay Area transit agencies including Muni. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report by San Francisco’s Office of the Controller did not address the economic impact of Regional Measure RTM.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "BART Says Aging Infrastructure to Blame for Substation Fire, Days of Delays",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bart\">BART \u003c/a>substation fire that snarled commutes and disrupted airport service and travel across the Bay Area this week was caused by aging infrastructure that had been previously shortlisted for repairs, agency officials said Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire is one of several equipment issues the agency has faced since Tuesday, resulting in major setbacks for riders and the periodic suspension of service on multiple lines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I want to apologize to our riders, who’ve had some really terrible experiences over the last 48 hours,” BART Board of Directors Vice President Edward Wright said at a board meeting on Thursday. “I’ve certainly heard from a lot of folks who missed flights, who missed appointments, who were late to work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART Assistant General Manager Sylvia Lamb told board members that crews assessing damage from Tuesday’s fire found a faulty cable on an aerial structure which caused a main breaker to short, sparking a fire in a piece of electrical equipment in the substation near the agency’s Daly City station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The platform at the Daly City Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station on April 8, 2020, in Daly City, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because all but one of the agency’s five lines converge at Daly City station, Lamb said it’s “impactful” when service is interrupted in that area specifically. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said both the substation where the fire occurred and the faulty cable that failed were “original” to when the agency’s “W Line” was put in — making the substation at least 40 years old and the cable at least 30, according to Alicia Trost, a BART spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said the substation was previously identified as one of the “top five” to be replaced, out of the system’s 74 substations, 70% of which are original. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This is a very clear failure that is due to aging equipment,” Lamb said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of a three-day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098923/bay-area-heat-wave-breaks-records-in-these-4-cities-with-relief-ahead\">heat wave\u003c/a>, riders were forced to alter their commute early Thursday morning when the agency announced it had suspended service on its Green line, providing service between Daly City and Berryessa stations, as crews worked to repair train control equipment damaged by the fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire and fallout were just some of the problems BART faced since Tuesday night. Lamb said an HVAC failure in a train control room, likely caused by the current regional heat wave, also caused delays in the Daly City area earlier on Tuesday, and that the fire and the HVAC failure did not appear to be related. Lamb said the agency had placed a 2-ton portable air conditioning unit in the room while it waited for repairs in the meantime. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agency also halted all train service between San Bruno and Colma stations for several hours on Thursday morning — impacting service to San Francisco International Airport — due to a “train control issue.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The substation fire led BART’s Board of Directors to question how the agency prioritizes replacing its aging infrastructure. Lamb said substation repairs cost between $3 million and $5 million, and replacing one costs $60 million. She said the agency currently has funding to replace only one, but that the fire has led her team to put the Daly City substation next on the list. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What will not be done in response to us putting this at the top of the list? What other risks are we now creating that we were previously able to address?” Wright said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said the agency constantly prioritizes what infrastructure to replace based on risk analyses, and that it would seek additional funding and grants to do that. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I want to apologize to our riders, who’ve had some really terrible experiences over the last 48 hours,” BART Board of Directors Vice President Edward Wright said at a board meeting on Thursday. “I’ve certainly heard from a lot of folks who missed flights, who missed appointments, who were late to work.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART Assistant General Manager Sylvia Lamb told board members that crews assessing damage from Tuesday’s fire found a faulty cable on an aerial structure which caused a main breaker to short, sparking a fire in a piece of electrical equipment in the substation near the agency’s Daly City station. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because all but one of the agency’s five lines converge at Daly City station, Lamb said it’s “impactful” when service is interrupted in that area specifically. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lamb said both the substation where the fire occurred and the faulty cable that failed were “original” to when the agency’s “W Line” was put in — making the substation at least 40 years old and the cable at least 30, according to Alicia Trost, a BART spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lamb said the substation was previously identified as one of the “top five” to be replaced, out of the system’s 74 substations, 70% of which are original. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This is a very clear failure that is due to aging equipment,” Lamb said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire and fallout were just some of the problems BART faced since Tuesday night. Lamb said an HVAC failure in a train control room, likely caused by the current regional heat wave, also caused delays in the Daly City area earlier on Tuesday, and that the fire and the HVAC failure did not appear to be related. Lamb said the agency had placed a 2-ton portable air conditioning unit in the room while it waited for repairs in the meantime. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency also halted all train service between San Bruno and Colma stations for several hours on Thursday morning — impacting service to San Francisco International Airport — due to a “train control issue.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The substation fire led BART’s Board of Directors to question how the agency prioritizes replacing its aging infrastructure. Lamb said substation repairs cost between $3 million and $5 million, and replacing one costs $60 million. She said the agency currently has funding to replace only one, but that the fire has led her team to put the Daly City substation next on the list. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ What will not be done in response to us putting this at the top of the list? What other risks are we now creating that we were previously able to address?” Wright said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lamb said the agency constantly prioritizes what infrastructure to replace based on risk analyses, and that it would seek additional funding and grants to do that. \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bart\">BART \u003c/a>substation fire that snarled commutes and disrupted airport service and travel across the Bay Area this week was caused by aging infrastructure that had been previously shortlisted for repairs, agency officials said Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire is one of several equipment issues the agency has faced since Tuesday, resulting in major setbacks for riders and the periodic suspension of service on multiple lines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I want to apologize to our riders, who’ve had some really terrible experiences over the last 48 hours,” BART Board of Directors Vice President Edward Wright said at a board meeting on Thursday. “I’ve certainly heard from a lot of folks who missed flights, who missed appointments, who were late to work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>BART Assistant General Manager Sylvia Lamb told board members that crews assessing damage from Tuesday’s fire found a faulty cable on an aerial structure which caused a main breaker to short, sparking a fire in a piece of electrical equipment in the substation near the agency’s Daly City station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/DalyCityStationGetty-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The platform at the Daly City Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station on April 8, 2020, in Daly City, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because all but one of the agency’s five lines converge at Daly City station, Lamb said it’s “impactful” when service is interrupted in that area specifically. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said both the substation where the fire occurred and the faulty cable that failed were “original” to when the agency’s “W Line” was put in — making the substation at least 40 years old and the cable at least 30, according to Alicia Trost, a BART spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said the substation was previously identified as one of the “top five” to be replaced, out of the system’s 74 substations, 70% of which are original. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This is a very clear failure that is due to aging equipment,” Lamb said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of a three-day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098923/bay-area-heat-wave-breaks-records-in-these-4-cities-with-relief-ahead\">heat wave\u003c/a>, riders were forced to alter their commute early Thursday morning when the agency announced it had suspended service on its Green line, providing service between Daly City and Berryessa stations, as crews worked to repair train control equipment damaged by the fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire and fallout were just some of the problems BART faced since Tuesday night. Lamb said an HVAC failure in a train control room, likely caused by the current regional heat wave, also caused delays in the Daly City area earlier on Tuesday, and that the fire and the HVAC failure did not appear to be related. Lamb said the agency had placed a 2-ton portable air conditioning unit in the room while it waited for repairs in the meantime. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agency also halted all train service between San Bruno and Colma stations for several hours on Thursday morning — impacting service to San Francisco International Airport — due to a “train control issue.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The substation fire led BART’s Board of Directors to question how the agency prioritizes replacing its aging infrastructure. Lamb said substation repairs cost between $3 million and $5 million, and replacing one costs $60 million. She said the agency currently has funding to replace only one, but that the fire has led her team to put the Daly City substation next on the list. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What will not be done in response to us putting this at the top of the list? What other risks are we now creating that we were previously able to address?” Wright said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lamb said the agency constantly prioritizes what infrastructure to replace based on risk analyses, and that it would seek additional funding and grants to do that. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"soldout": {
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"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
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