METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

S.F.'s new Salesforce Transit Center open for business

In the future, the Transit Center will link to eleven transit systems, and high-speed rail.

August 14, 2018
S.F.'s new Salesforce Transit Center open for business

The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) officially opened its new Salesforce Transit Center with inaugural Transbay bus service by AC Transit and others on August 12, 2018. Photo: © Tim Griffith

2 min to read


The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) officially opened its new Salesforce Transit Center with inaugural Transbay bus service by AC Transit and others on August 12, 2018. Photo: © Tim Griffith

The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) officially opened its new Salesforce Transit Center with inaugural Transbay bus service by AC Transit and others. In the future, the Transit Center will link to eleven transit systems, and high-speed rail.

The transit center replaces the seismically deficient Transbay Terminal with a modern regional transportation hub connecting transit systems throughout the Bay Area. It includes a 5.4-acre rooftop public park programmed with year-round free activities, a public art program, and 100,000 square feet of shopping and dining.

Ad Loading...

At one million square feet, the center stretches four blocks with four stories above ground and two stories below. The transit center will help ease traffic congestion, reduce pollution, and make transit easier and more efficient.

At one million square feet, the new Salesforce Transit Center stretches four blocks with four stories above ground and two stories below. Rendering: © Steelblue

Planning and design is underway for Phase 2; a 1.3-mile Downtown Rail Extension that will bring Caltrain from its current terminus at Fourth and King to the transit center. The center will also be the northern terminus for California’s high-speed rail system.  

With more than 600 trees and 16,000 plants incorporated into its rooftop park, the Transit Center's ecosystem will capture 12 tons of carbon annually.

The Transit Center will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The  annual energy consumption is projected to be 50% lower than the 2008 Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards. Its associated carbon emissions will be reduced by approximately 40%.

The transit center’s name is the result of a naming rights agreement with San Francisco-based cloud computing company, Salesforce. Photo: © Tim Griffith

Additionally, the Transit Center’s roof, by virtue of having the park, retains and reuses storm water that would otherwise flow into sewers. The building’s water reuse system is among the first of its kind in San Francisco. It is also the first project in San Francisco with a rooftop wetland filtration system. This will save 13.9 million gallons of water and 17,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year due to water conservation and reuse.

The project is on track to receive a Gold certification under the LEED 2009 rating system.  

The center is owned and operated by the TJPA, managed by Lincoln Property Co.,
and designed by award-winning Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. It was built by Webcor-Obayashi Joint Venture.

Ad Loading...
With more than 600 trees and 16,000 plants incorporated into its rooftop park, the Transit Center's ecosystem will capture 12 tons of carbon annually. Photo: © Tim Griffith

The transit center’s name is the result of a naming rights agreement with San Francisco-based cloud computing company, Salesforce.

More Management

Managementby StaffMarch 19, 2026

People Movement: The Latest from TARTA, STV, and More

METRO’s People Movement highlights the latest leadership changes, promotions, and personnel news across the public transit, motorcoach, and people mobility sectors.

Read More →
A BART railcar
Managementby StaffMarch 19, 2026

BART Monetizes Empty Parking With New Online Leasing Tool

BART began offering select parking lots to non-BART riders to generate new revenue to help address its FY27 $376M operating budget deficit brought on by remote work.

Read More →
MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber sits with a customer service employee and takes calls.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 19, 2026

Transit Agencies Nationwide Celebrate 2026 National Transit Employee Appreciation Day

Agencies across the U.S. honored transit workers on March 18, recognizing the essential roles they play in keeping communities moving daily.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover for METROspectives with Inez Evans Benson
ManagementMarch 18, 2026

Inez Evans-Benson on Leadership and the Future of Transportation

Drawing on decades of industry experience, Evans-Benson offered insights into the differences between the two, along with tips for better customer engagement and more.

Read More →
An RTC of Washoe County bus driving down Virginia Street.
Managementby StaffMarch 18, 2026

Keolis Lands 3 Contract Renewals

The renewals include continued operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida; the PRTC in Virginia; and RTC Washoe in Nevada.  

Read More →
A MARTA employee using the new Better Breeze fare ticket machines.
Managementby StaffMarch 17, 2026

MARTA’s New 'Better Breeze' Fare System Nears Launch

The new system introduces tap-to-pay, touchscreen kiosks, and updated Breeze cards, with both old and new systems running through May.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A wide angle view of two MTA buses with three people walking between them.
Managementby StaffMarch 16, 2026

Proposed Auto Insurance Reform Would Save New York’s MTA Millions Annually

The governor’s proposed auto insurance reforms could save the agency $48 million annually by limiting payouts in crashes where buses are not primarily at fault.

Read More →
paratransit bus
SponsoredMarch 16, 2026

Measuring the True Cost of Paratransit Fleets

What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.

Read More →
Cover photo for METROspectives with The Bus Coalition
Busby Alex RomanMarch 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Amanda Wanke
Managementby StaffMarch 13, 2026

Des Moines DART CEO Joins Minneapolis Metro Transit

Amanda Wanke, who has worked at DART for 10 years, including the past 2½ years as CEO, will join Metro Transit as deputy chief operating officer, operations administration.

Read More →