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BART PD’s aggressive public outreach campaign to hire more officers is getting a boost from a just released recruitment video. The new video highlights the real-world experience of BART PD officers and shows what it’s like to work in a dynamic transit environment. The department has been going all-out to fill all its vacant officer positions. In the latest quarter BART PD received 837 officer applications, a record high for any quarter in the department’s history.

“This video is the latest tool we are adding to our hiring arsenal,” said BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin.  “We have been reaching out to officer candidates by hosting recruitment open houses, attending job fairs,  promoting open positions on social media, and various other methods of outreach. We are doing whatever it  takes to find high-quality candidates who want to join  us on our mission of ensuring that BART is the safest  way to travel around the Bay.”

BART PD currently has 23 officer vacancies, which is down from 29 just two months ago. BART PD is now onboarding 7-9 new officers per month.

A key focus of BART PD’s recruitment campaign has been to highlight the recent 22% salary increase for officers. The BART Board of Directors approved that increase in June to ensure pay at BART PD remains competitive with other law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area. Since that time, BART PD has seen a nearly 50% increase in its monthly sworn officer new hire rate. The pay increase is in addition to the $15,000 hiring bonus currently being offered to new hires. BART PD has increased the frequency of its testing and has also streamlined the hiring process so qualified candidates can join the department more quickly.

BART PD has launched the Join BART PD website, which is exclusively geared towards providing candidates with all the information they need to apply. Since its launch in July the site has attracted more than 80,000 views.

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, One Book One BART hosted an author talk with Hua Hsu, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the first BART book club selection, Stay True, moderated by award-winning writer, historian, and thinker Jeff Chang. Watch a recording of the talk below. 

To keep up with all things BART book club, visit bart.gov/bookclub, and sign up for the mailing list at the top of that page. 

Stay tuned for the launch of our next book club on Monday, September 18, 2023

The next book selection is Oakland-based author Margaret Sexton Wilkerson's "On the Rooftop." Reese Witherspoon called the novel, set in San Francisco's Fillmore District, "an utterly original and brilliant story."

Questions? Ideas? Suggestions? Email [email protected]. 

We look forward to reading with you! 

One Book One BART – the official BART book club – invites members of the public to a free, virtual author talk with Hua Hsu, the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir and official book club selection, Stay True. The event, which marks the culmination of the Spring/Summer ‘23 One Book, One BART club, will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, August 2, at 4pm. A Q&A will follow the discussion.

The talk will be moderated by Jeff Chang, author of acclaimed book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, which was named one of the best U.S. nonfiction books of the last quarter century. His other books include Who We Be: A Cultural History of Race in Post Civil Rights America and We Gon' Be Alright: Notes On Race and Resegregation. Chang has received the American Book Award, the Asian American Literary Award, and the USA Ford Fellowship in Literature.

When: Wednesday, August 2, 4pm to 5pm

Join the meeting online via Zoom (no registration required): https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84824326758

For updates about upcoming One Book One BART events, including the launch of the Fall/Winter ’23 book club, visit bart.gov/bookclub.

Sign up for the One Book, One BART mailing list by visiting BART’s Profile Center and adding your information. On step 3 – “Manage Subscriptions” – click the caret next to “Other” and check the One Book, One BART box.   

Questions? Email [email protected].

BART will run a Sunday service schedule for Thanksgiving this year. This means on Thursday, November 28, 2024, BART hours will be 8am-midnight with all five lines running until 9pm and three lines running from 9pm-midnight. 

On Friday, November 29, we will be running regular weekday service (5am-midnight). 

Free parking at BART on Thanksgiving Day  

Parking will be free at all stations except for Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose, which are operated by the Valley Transportation Authority. All other parking rules will be enforced. 

The day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 29, is not a parking holiday. Those who need to park can purchase Daily Fee parking using the official BART app. Click here for instructions to pay by app. 

Parking at a BART station for your Thanksgiving trip 

Airport parking can be a hassle and is always expensive, except at BART stations. We offer inexpensive multi-day parking (see options below) at many stations with easy online reservations. Purchase parking on the official BART app or pay by website. 

Single/Multi-Day Reserved parking is for consecutive overnight stays of up to 20 weekdays. You will need to provide the license plate of the car you plan to drive and a phone number. Reference our guide for paying for Single/Multi-Day Reserved parking here.

Monthly Reserved parking is for stays of up to 24 hours at a time, charged on a recurring monthly basis, and provides a guaranteed space until 10am. This is not to be used while travelling for several days in a row.

Reserved parking signs are blue + white or yellow. During the holidays we experience a higher demand in Reserved parking; if there is not a reserved spot available when you arrive, park in the Daily Fee area and you will not be cited. Daily Fee parking is only allowed in the Daily Fee area. 

Another option to travel to SFO via BART is to purchase Multi-Day Reserved parking and drive to Millbrae Station or San Bruno Station, then take a quick ride to SFO Airport. 

Find an overview of parking at BART at bart.gov/parking. 

Taking BART to SFO or OAK 

Traveling by plane for the holiday? It’s easy to ride BART to the airport. You can take the train directly to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Oakland International Airport (OAK). Plan your trip and find fares by using BART’s online Trip Planner and read our comprehensive guide on riding BART to the airport.