Hundreds attend rare Board meeting and tour of Hayward Maintenance Complex
You would think the tour took place at Disneyland, judging solely by the enthusiasm from the crowd and the number of photographs taken.
On Thursday, Oct. 27, the BART Board hosted – possibly for the first time ever – a Board meeting at BART’s Hayward Maintenance Complex (HMC), one of four facilities where BART maintains its fleet of vehicles.
More than 200 people came for a rare look inside the HMC, joined by BART Board members and employees. They arrived at the warehouse, located off Whipple Road, on BART-provided shuttles from South Hayward Station, carrying cameras and plenty of excitement.
Upon arrival, attendees were ushered inside a large loading dock. Board President Rebecca Saltzman kicked things off with remarks, saying she immediately “said yes” to the HMC tour because “I knew it would be a really unique experience.” Also in attendance were Hayward Mayor Barbara Halliday, Union City Vice Mayor Jamie Patino and Union City Manager Joan Malloy, as well as representatives from the offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, Representative Eric Swalwell, and California State Assemblymember Bill Quirk.
The tour made four stops at different sites around the complex, with employees positioned at various places along the route to explain the equipment and technology.
Between touring the facility, the group stopped as the Board and BART staff delivered reports and updates on everything from the Core Capacity Program and Train Control Modernization Program to the Fleet of the Future and Traction Power upgrades. The tour also highlighted the federal, state, regional, and county funding partners -- many of whom attended the tour -- who crucially made billions of dollars of financial contributions to these capital infrastructure investments.
One of the highlights of the tour was walking through the Component Repair Shop, a cavernous warehouse where BART staff troubleshoot and repair faulty equipment. Inside, attendees viewed everything from HVAC systems to traction power tools, asking plentiful questions of the employees in yellow vests with answers at the ready.
Danielle Baskin, a member of the public, called the opportunity to tour HMC “incredible.” She said the coolest part was seeing the wheels in the repair shop and the waste management system.
“It’s fascinating the Board hosted a tour like this. It’s a testament to transparency and accountability,” said Anthony Nachor, another member of the public.
“Riding BART is a passion,” he continued. “Having a tour like this reinforces my belief that it’s great to spend money on public transit.”
For more information about the BART Board and future meetings, visit bart.gov/board. The next Board meeting will be held at BART Headquarters, 2150 Webster St., Oakland, on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m.