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The Passenger Information System on BART’s train cars is being updated to show major transit transfer connections at stations as part of a larger effort to make it easier for riders to navigate the Bay Area’s transit systems. The screens now also include the color of the BART line – not just the destination – to provide consistent information across all platforms and BART system maps.

Riders can now look at the six screens inside each BART train car as they approach a station to see major transit lines they can board nearby. The screens will not only show transfers to other BART lines at that station but also transfers to San Francisco Muni Metro light rail Metro trains, cable cars, and street cars near BART’s San Francisco stations.  

Amtrak connections will also appear at Richmond and Coliseum stations, and riders approaching Embarcadero Station will see an icon for ferry connections. 

The screen update demonstrates how Bay Area transit agencies are acting as one network to better serve the Bay Area. The effort is also part of BART’s ongoing efforts to make navigating the Bay Area’s transit connections and transfers easier so that people can seamlessly move between systems. Transit coordination is a key priority for Bay Area transit general managers, who meet on a weekly basis to discuss how regional transit can become even more rider-focused and efficient.  

Last month, BART, Bay Area transit agencies, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) unveiled new test transit maps and signs designed to help make transit journeys easier to understand for both existing and new riders by delivering information that is clear, predictable, and familiar across service areas and county lines.

By making maps, signage, and wayfinding easier to navigate for riders, we hope to improve the overall rider experience and boost ridership across the regional transportation network.  

BART General Manager Bob Powers has announced the hiring of Kevin Franklin as Chief of Police and tasked him with marshaling every available resource to bolster the BART Police Department’s visible safety presence in the system and maximizing recruiting efforts to fill vacant officer positions. The selection of Chief Franklin is the result of a thorough, nationwide search process involving a collaboration between BART, the Police Citizen Review Board, and BART’s Independent Police Auditor.  Watch the Chief's introductory news conference.

Franklin was appointed interim BPD Chief in May and quickly established his commitment to ensuring BART is the safest way to travel around the Bay Area. 

“Chief Franklin is a life-long BART rider with an intimate knowledge of the system and its police department,” said General Manager Bob Powers. “Kevin was instrumental in BPD’s new deployment strategy that has significantly increased the presence of uniformed police personnel on trains and in stations. He is not only detail-oriented, but a creative thinker with a deep commitment to our community. I am confident his leadership will help BART continue to improve the safety of our riders.”

Recent BPD accomplishments for rider safety spearheaded by Franklin include:

• 349 felony arrests through July, the highest year-to-date total since the pandemic.
• Average response times to Priority 1 calls at approximately 4 minutes, among the fastest in the Bay Area.
• Working with the BART Board to ensure BPD is offering competitive salaries to attract qualified officer candidates.
• Earned advanced certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), ensuring BPD is meeting and exceeding the industry’s highest standards.

Chief Franklin will join General Manager Powers during an upcoming Safe and Clean Plan Listening Tour at BART stations to meet with riders and get feedback about BART’s efforts to regain ridership and provide the best service yet. 

“A clean, safe, rider-focused BART is critical to the Bay Area economy and to the hundreds of thousands in our community who rely on our service every day,” said Franklin. “Ensuring all our riders feel secure will be my first and last priority as Chief. I’m proud of the community-oriented policing strategies we are deploying, and I know we can do even better. The crises of addiction and mental health are bigger than any single agency, but BART PD is already implementing innovative alternative strategies to address these tremendous challenges. I’m going to keep rolling up my sleeves to make sure we are leading the way forward in support of a healthier, safer Bay Area.”

Chief Franklin is a 27-year veteran of the BPD, an Oakland native, and an East Bay resident. He began his law enforcement career at the Oakland Police Department where he served as a Police Cadet and Police Officer before transferring to the BART Police Department in 1996.

Chief Franklin’s BPD career includes serving as interim Chief since May, Deputy Chief of both the Operations and Support Services bureaus, leading BPD’s Internal Affairs division, serving as Manager of Security Programs as well as extensive patrol experience as he worked his way up the chain of command after starting as a Police Officer.

A University of California, Berkeley graduate, Chief Franklin also holds a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California Coast University and has graduated from the FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police. 

Chief Franklin has had a connection to BART from its very first day of service. As a three-year-old toddler, he and his family attended the opening day of the regional transit system on Sept. 11, 1972, taking the train from Lake Merritt Station to Fremont Station and back.

BART saw significant ridership increases across the system from Friday through Sunday as sunny weather and a weekend-long closure of a stretch of eastbound Interstate 80 in San Francisco prompted thousands of people to turn to transit as a reliable alternative. The sharp increases underscore BART’s critical role in keeping the region moving when major infrastructure is out of commission. 

On Friday, April 17, BART recorded 182,570 trips, a 16% increase compared to the previous Friday, with nearly 25,000 additional riders. Growth accelerated over the weekend, with Saturday, April 18, reaching 139,700 trips – up 46% week over week – and Sunday, April 19, totaling 98,850 trips, a 46% increase over the prior Sunday. The increases were also bolstered by warm weekend weather; the previous weekend was rainy, which typically decreases BART ridership. 

April ridership to date is about 10% higher than a year ago, continuing an overall upward trend. March broke multiple post-pandemic ridership records. 

BART as a backbone during disruptions 

The weekend’s ridership surge highlights how BART serves as essential infrastructure for the Bay Area, not only for daily commutes and events, but also during unexpected or planned disruptions to the region’s transportation network.  

When major roadways like I-80 are unavailable, BART provides a high-capacity, reliable alternative that can quickly absorb increased demand. The system’s ability to accommodate tens of thousands of additional riders in a single weekend demonstrates its importance to the region’s mobility and resilience. BART had the capacity to accommodate this increase in ridership while running standard 5-line weekend service. 

BART will continue to play a vital role in supporting the Bay Area during major events, infrastructure projects, and other moments when reliable transit is needed most.