The BART stories that moved us in 2025
As we leap into the new year, we’re taking the time to reflect on the stories that moved us this past year.
From chance encounters to behind-the-scenes heroes, these stories reflect what makes BART so much more than a mode of transportation.
Read about BART’s Top Accomplishments in 2025
All about the trains
In 2025, our trains were front and center. From welcoming the 1,000th Fleet of the Future car to celebrating the legacy cars that built the system, we spent the year telling their stories.
- The Grand Meet makes sure late-night riders can get anywhere in the system before the end of service
- Cleaner trains than ever: Meet the team that has five minutes to clean every BART train
- The 1,000th Fleet of the Future car was just delivered. Here's what happens next.
- Oakland Ballers step up to the plate to save legacy BART car the A's rejected
- BART unveils Cab Cam video series, showcasing the entire system in 4K
- A legacy BART car prepared for its next act: A vacation rental in the Sierra foothills
- Meet the Tango team, the mainline technicians who fix trains while they’re moving
Riders take BART on the town
BART gets people where they need to go, and in some cases, changes their lives for the better. This year, our riders showed us where they went and who they met along the way.
- They chatted in the Transbay Tube in 1983. This fall, they celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary
- Your best BART summer (by BART’s biggest fans)
- The Bay Area camp that field trips on transit
- Announcements recorded by local youth with autism playing in BART stations for Autism Acceptance Month
Rail tales
There’s more to running a railroad than trains and track. These stories zoomed in on the infrastructure, equipment, and teams that power our system.
- “A great feat”: BART constructs new power substation in one of its busiest stations
- How BART replaced a key transformer in the core of the system on a whirlwind schedule
- How BART’s Earthquake Response Team is preparing for the next “Big One”
- This 1,200-pound gear makes escalators run. Fixing it is no simple task.
- Meet the artists who created original works for BART’s Downtown San Francisco escalator canopies
- BART’s Inspector General is asking tough questions and saving taxpayers millions of dollars
BART employees go above and beyond
BART employees come from the communities the system serves. We celebrated their dedication (and fascinating life experiences) with storytelling.
- Transit is punk: Kamala Parks went from cofounding 924 Gilman Street to urban planning at BART
- BART managers take to the trains to hear directly from riders
- BARTy: The official history of BART's beloved mascot
- BART PD honors 20 individuals for their dedication to system safety
- BART Leans into ideas from employees to save money and improve the rider experience
- I was one of the first female train operators at BART. This is my story.
- Holiday Toy Drive: BART employees donate more than 1,020 gifts and $3,275 in gift cards to organization supporting local youth and families
- BART's Mark Nagales honored his grandmother’s memory with one final trip on a legacy train
- BART Police welcomes new hires from a variety of backgrounds and experiences
BART’s impact
These stories zoomed out to show how BART supported the region and its vibrant economy.
- Millbrae Station uplifts the city’s economy and community
- How Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station supports a city’s businesses, residents, and tourists