The Great Train Heist

The California SMART Taxpayer Rip-off

Michael J. Coffino

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Business
• eBook ISBN:
  9781510786387
• Subtopic: Government & Business
• Index: Business

California's Billion-Dollar SMART Train: America's Most Expensive Transit Failure

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train stands as one of the most catastrophic government transportation investments in U.S. history. After burning through over $1 billion in taxpayer funds, this suburban rail system carries fewer than 3,000 daily riders while subsidizing 94% of operating costs—making it among the nation's most expensive transit failures per passenger.

The Great Train Heist exposes how political ambition created a "ghost train to nowhere" that primarily serves affluent commuters. The average SMART rider earns nearly $100,000 annually, meaning working-class taxpayers subsidize recreational train rides for the middle class. Despite promises to reduce Highway 101 traffic congestion, SMART's impact on vehicle miles traveled remains virtually zero—the diesel-powered trains often run nearly empty.

Author Michael J. Coffino reveals the shocking financial mismanagement, misleading voter campaigns, and conflicts of interest that enabled this boondoggle. From hidden cost overruns to inflated ridership projections, SMART exemplifies everything wrong with government transportation planning. With sales tax funding expiring in 2029, taxpayers face a critical decision about continuing to subsidize this failed experiment.

Perfect for readers interested in government accountability, transportation policy failures, and California politics, this meticulously researched exposé demonstrates how unlimited budgets and good intentions can create transit disasters that burden working families while serving only the wealthy. This is what every voter should know about the upcoming SMART sales tax measure.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction: Why Do We Bother? An Introductory Statement from the Gallaher Family
• Prologue: Be Careful What You Ask For
• Chapter 1: Best-Laid Plans?
• Chapter 2: A Pattern of Ballot Box Failure: How Many Times Do Taxpayers Have to Say No?
• Chapter 3: The SMART (Mis)information Campaign
• Chapter 4: An Ethical Conundrum: Can Taxpayers Trust The Press Democrat?
• Chapter 5: The Delayed (and Inauspicious) SMART Launch: Life Support on Arrival
• Chapter 6: Ridership Reality: The Ghost Train to Nowhere
• Chapter 7: What Were (and Are) They Thinking?
• Chapter 8: SMART Today: Not So Good
• Chapter 9: If Things Weren’t Bad Enough . . .
• Chapter 10: The Burn-the-Boats Strategy
• Chapter 11: Rigging the Rules
• Chapter 12: The Unfairness of It All
• Chapter 13: The Future of SMART
• Conclusion: The End of the Line
• Notes
• Plates