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BART seeks input on proposed pilot program for low-income rider discount
BART’s Office of Civil Rights is sponsoring outreach on a proposed pilot program that would give a fare discount to low-income riders. This outreach is required as part of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in programs that receive
BART partners to host 12th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration
Schoolchildren and seniors alike were captivated by the Lion Dancers at the 2016 Lunar New Year celebration on February 9, 2016 at the Lincoln Square Recreation Center. On January 26, 2017, Alameda County, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the Asian Community Collaborative will host the 12 th
Revisit some of our favorite BART stories from 2024
There are a million stories on BART. In 2024 we talked to riders, artists, train operators, transit fans, and more about what BART means to them. We celebrated the Transbay Tube and the Fleet of the Future.
Here are some of our favorites stories from 2024:
Bay Area history reclaimed: The story of 95-year-old artist Janet Bennett and her longstanding tile artworks at 16th and 24th St. stations
Janet Bennett’s tile murals have come to define the character of BART's Mission District stations, and yet, in the fifty-plus years since the tiles were placed, her contribution has gone unattributed...This past Women’s History Month, BART was honored to bring forward the story of the artworks as well as that of the wonderful midcentury artist who made them.
The mother of all Train Operators: BART's Mama Linda on the miles she’s traveled, the meals she’s shared, and the ancestors who shaped her
After 33 years as a Train Operator, Linda Yee-Sugaya, better known as Mama Linda, has seen a lot. She’s watched the old trains become the new; stations built and BART lines lengthen; and thousands of faces stream past the windows of her train.
An artist creates fantastical pop culture scenes with BART as her canvas and riders as her subjects
"Some people read, some people work, some people apply makeup,” says Joanna Sokua of riding BART. “I draw.”
Since 2017, Sokua has been creating what she calls “BARToons” during her morning and evening commute. You might say she is a seasoned BARTist. In the past seven years, she has drawn more than 170 BART illustrations. While on the train, she snaps photos of scenes and passengers that spark an idea, and when she gets home, she’ll sketch them out or, most often, superimpose pop culture figures onto the images using a digital pen.
The biggest BART fan in Japan flew to the Bay for a day to ride a legacy train one last time
On Friday, April 19, at 3pm, Atsushi Goto’s plane touched down at San Francisco International Airport. He hastily collected his carry on, went through customs, and dashed toward the SFO BART station. A train was waiting for him on the platform.
The 24 hours that followed his touchdown were a whirlwind of a trains, buses, cable cars, and one big party for a bunch of old trains at MacArthur Station – BART’s retirement celebration for the legacy trains. On the night of Saturday, April 20, just over a day after arriving, Atsushi was on a plane again, headed back home to Japan. Atsushi is an automobile designer, and on Monday, he had work.
BART Connects: This rider uses their BART System Map tattoo to give directions
When Sam Johnson sees someone lost in a BART station, they roll up their sleeve and show them a bicep.
Etched five layers deep into the epidermis of Sam’s left arm is a tattoo of the BART System Map. It’s Sam’s first and only tattoo, and in a pinch, it comes in handy.
“I’ve helped a bunch of people figure out where to go,” Sam said. “I point to my arm and say, ‘We’re here in Concord, you’re going to transfer to this station, then ride along here, and get off at this station.’”
It’s a practical tattoo but also a piece of art, an homage to the Bay, a love letter to transit. And let’s be honest, said Sam, “It looks good on me.”
Podcast: The future is now; the journey of the Fleet of the Future from blueprint to backbone of BART’s daily service
BART’s base train schedule now consists of all new Fleet of the Future trains, a major milestone for a project that’s been more than a decade in the making. Project Manager John Garnham reveals how fast the new cars speed along BART’s test track, explains why the process of building the outer shell is a bit like using a classic DIY toy and other insider nuggets on our podcast, “Hidden Tracks: Stories From BART.”
The Transbay Tube turns 50: Inside the groundbreaking history and future of the Bay's underwater crossing
On the Transbay Tube’s 50th anniversary, BART honored this one-of-a-kind structure that has ferried millions of passengers across the Bay for five decades and will continue to do so for decades to come. In the above video, we invite you to look inside the engineering opus for yourself.
BART Connects: BART showed Steve and Vanessa that "there is life out there"
July 26, 2024, marked the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. The ADA protects the rights of those with disabilities and is recognized as a watershed milestone for civil rights in the U.S.
More than 7% of BART riders have a disability (as self-reported in a 2022 survey), including Steven Howell and Vanessa Castro. Steven and Vanessa use BART to get just about everywhere. Says Steven: "[BART] showed me there is life out there."
Hear more from the couple in the above video.
BART earns high marks in review by Federal Transit Administration
A review by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) found BART is meeting standards in nearly two dozen categories including financial management, ability to utilize federal grants, and project implementation. This latest oversight is based on the FTAs examination of a sample of BART’s award management and program implementation practices.
The FTA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Triennial Review of BART is the result of a nearly 10-month-long process that included multiple site visits to BART. The initial report found BART to be in compliance with 20 of 23 federal standards. After that initial review, BART was able to provide the FTA with corrective action responses that resulted in BART being found in compliance with all 23 standards in the final report. You can read the FTA’s final report here.
“The kind of outside review provided by the Federal Transit Administration is vital for BART to build public confidence in our operations,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “There’s no substitute for outside experts reviewing our procedures to reassure the public that we are being responsible with their tax dollars. We welcome this and similar reviews by outside experts.”
“The FTA has given us an exceptionally clean report,” said BART Board of Directors President Mark Foley. “This report demonstrates we are doing all we can to be financially responsible to our riders and the Bay Area.”
BART is also subject to review by an independent Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG conducts performance audits and investigates allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse. BART has accepted 92% of the OIG’s recommendations and already implemented 64%. BART is the only transit agency in the Bay Area with an OIG.
BART holds open houses to get feedback on design concepts for new trains
BART invites you to an Open House to help us design the next generation of BART trains. BART has the oldest cars in the nation and the fleet needs to be replaced to avoid future breakdowns and delays. We will have drawings of three interior design concepts and one exterior design concept for the Fleet of the
BART Board elects Janice Li President and Mark Foley Vice President
BART Director Janice Li urged fellow Board members to “push ourselves to do more” as she assumed the Board Presidency December 15th following a unanimous vote to elect her to the leadership position. Li, who represent District 8 in San Francisco, served as Board Vice President in 2022 and she thanked outgoing
BART to hold a community meeting to discuss the Pittsburg Center Station, Feb 26
BART is holding a community meeting at Pittsburg City Hall in order to provide information on the benefits and the construction impacts of Pittsburg Center Station. This station is part of the eBART Project, which is planned to run from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station eastward along the median of State
Public hearing held on proposed BART revenue enhancements, comments still welcome
BART's Board of Directors won't make a final decision about whether to increase parking fees, add ticket surcharges or reduce the generous discounts offered to seniors, the disabled or children until either the May 26 or June 9 board meetings. The Board held a public hearing on Thursday, April 28, 2005 to
October 17: BART participates in Great California ShakeOut 2024
BART will participate in the 2024 International ShakeOut Day earthquake drill on Thursday, October 17, to test our emergency response systems and to help raise public awareness of the importance of having a plan and being prepared.
At 10:17am, BART staff will trigger our ShakeAlert early warning earthquake system to ensure it is functioning and working correctly. Once triggered, trains will automatically slow down to 27 mph. Then all trains will come to a very brief stop. BART will also make a systemwide public announcement encouraging riders to be prepared for earthquakes. BART will also test our internal communications systems to notify employees and the Operations Control Center will observe earthquake alarms and our train control systems to ensure they are working properly.
ShakeAlert Early Warning Earthquake System
BART is an early adopter of the ShakeAlert system, which is connected to seismic stations located throughout Northern California. When the alarm is triggered, the system sends a speed restriction command to trains. This system removes human response time and can even slow trains down before the shaking occurs depending on how far away the quake is centered.
BART to Simulate Damage Inspections
BART has added simulated damage inspections to its ShakeAlert drill. Shortly after ShakeAlert is triggered Thursday, about 60 engineers will divide into teams and fan out to all 50 stations to conduct structural assessments. The engineers will inspect walkways, support structures, elevators, escalators – anything that could sustain damage in a powerful earthquake. The simulation is designed to identify areas for improvement and to exercise “muscle memory” for BART’s earthquake response.
Emergency Response Plan
BART has an Earthquake Emergency Response Plan, and we hold several drills a year to ensure staff is trained and ready to respond. In the event of an earthquake, riders should listen for instructions from BART personnel. Employees are trained to evacuate the public from dangerous areas. Following an earthquake, BART trains are held in place (except for trains in the Transbay Tube and BART Caldecott Tunnel) until it is determined it is safe to move the train to the nearest station where riders will be offboarded.
Earthquake Safety Tips
Where will you be and what will you do when the next big earthquake hits? Taking time to consider these questions now could help if you ever do find yourself in an earthquake.
LISTEN FOR INSTRUCTIONS
That’s one reason why the first guideline in a BART emergency is to follow instructions from BART personnel. The BART Operations Control Center is in constant communication with trains and Station Agents and is in the best position to manage emergencies and provide direction for the public.
ON A TRAIN
If you’re on a train during an earthquake, Train Operators will follow BART’s established emergency plan and provide you with important information. Sit down or grab a handhold to avoid injury. If an evacuation is necessary, emergency response personnel will coordinate.
IN A STATION
If you’re in a station during an earthquake, back away from the edge of the trackway. If you’re in the station concourse, don’t proceed to the platform. Instead, prepare to evacuate the station under the direction of BART personnel.
TRY TEXTING
No matter where you are, emergency experts recommend using text messaging instead of cell calls to communicate with family and loved ones in an emergency. Cell networks can be overwhelmed if everyone’s trying to call at the same time; text messages can be more efficient.
Earthquake Safety Program Completed in 2024
In September 2024, BART completed its Earthquake Safety Program, which retrofitted vulnerable high traffic portions of the original system to make it safer in a large quake. The Earthquake Safety Program was funded in part by Measure AA, a $980 million general obligation BART bond approved by voters in 2004. The program focused on upgrading portions of the original system not only for life safety but also to ensure that we can return to operation shortly after a major earthquake.