BART provides more details about computer equipment problem preventing the start of service on 9/5/25

Update 9/11/25

BART General Manager Bob Powers, Deputy General Manager Michael Jones, Assistant GM of Operations Shane Edwards, and Assistant GM for Infrastructure Delivery Sylvia Lamb provided an update (video above) of two recent service disruptions. On September 5, a computer equipment problem following overnight network upgrade work prevented the on-time start of Friday morning BART service. East Bay service was started at 9:30am and full service was available at 11:45am. On August 29, a report of smoke in the Transbay Tube impacted BART service between Oakland and San Francisco for several hours during the Friday evening commute.

Update 9/6/25

BART is providing more details about Friday's disruption in this memo to our Board of Directors. It will be discussed at Thursday's (9/11/25) Board of Directors meeting that starts at 9am during the General Manager's Report. 

Update 09/05/25, 11:45am:

Regular BART service has resumed throughout the system. All stations are now open. 

East Bay service was restored at 9:30am and full service was restored at 11:45am.

This service disruption occurred due to a computer equipment problem following overnight network upgrade work. The work is part of an ongoing multi-year project to replace the communications and computer systems, including  hardware such as switches and routers, that support BART operations.

This is not a new project and BART has been doing this work during the hours we are not running without issues previously. 

Something related to the upgrade work last night triggered a problem preventing all of our communication systems to function properly. Crews were able to isolate where the problem was coming from and they stabilized the system. We are investigating exactly what went wrong. 

Update 09/05/25, 9:15am: 

Limited East Bay service will start at approximately 9:30am. There is currently no service through the Transbay Tube and no service at any San Francisco stations or on the Peninsula.

Yellow Line will service will resume from Antioch to 12th Street Oakland. Blue Line service will resume from Dublin to MacArthur. Orange line service will resume from Berryessa to Richmond. BART to Antioch service is resuming now.

A computer equipment problem following network upgrade work is preventing the start of service this morning. Seek alternative means of transportation. bart.gov/alternatives provides options without BART service.