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BART continued in 2023 to pioneer sustainability initiatives aimed at enhancing rider experience while prioritizing environmental stewardship. With a legacy rooted in forward-thinking transportation solutions, BART reaffirmed its commitment to reducing carbon footprints and advancing sustainable transit practices. The accomplishments of 2023 are detailed in the annual Sustainability Report, officially presented to the Board of Directors on July 11, 2024. 

"BART’s sustainability efforts were all about innovation in 2023," said BART Board President Bevan Dufty. "We are dedicated to integrating creative solutions that not only improve the rider experience, our immediate priority, but also emphasize long-term sustainability." 

Established over fifty years ago with a vision to alleviate regional traffic congestion through eco-friendly transit options, BART has continually evolved its practices to reflect contemporary environmental standards. Notably, engineers initially opted to power trains with electricity rather than fuel, a decision that laid the foundation for ongoing sustainability achievements. 

In a poignant farewell to its legacy fleet, BART hosted a memorable "retirement party" in February 2024, marking the culmination of efforts to retire older vehicles. Thousands of attendees gathered to bid farewell to the trains that had served millions of passengers over the years. The decommissioned cars are being repurposed for various projects, including a BART car short-term rental in the Sierra Nevada and a youth bike shop and clubhouse in East Oakland, demonstrating BART’s commitment to sustainability beyond transit operations. 

The introduction of new, energy-efficient train cars has furthered BART's sustainability goals, boasting a 7% reduction in energy consumption compared to previous train car models. By running shorter trains during off-peak hours, BART has achieved significant energy savings. 88% of BART’s electricity comes from greenhouse gas-free sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. 

"Our shorter trains not only save energy and reduce costs but also enhance safety and efficiency in maintenance," BART General Manager Bob Powers added. "These innovations underscore our holistic approach to sustainability across all facets of our operations." 

In addition to transit improvements, BART expanded its Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program, constructing 531 new housing units near BART stations. Projects like the Gateway at Millbrae Station and the Upper Yard at Balboa Park Station not only address regional housing needs but also promote sustainable urban development and economic revitalization. 

Highlighting unique environmental initiatives, BART's Sheep and Goat Fire Mitigation program has grown substantially, utilizing over 500 grazers to mitigate fire risks across its properties. Meanwhile, the Falconry-Based Nuisance Bird Control program, now implemented at 12 stations, effectively manages pigeon populations through pesticide-free methods. 

For more information on BART's sustainability initiatives and ongoing projects, visit bart.gov/sustainability. 

View an interactive map of some of the businesses, places, and people that contribute to the neighborhood's economic and cultural vibrancy

How do you measure BART's impact on the Bay Area?

You might look at the numbers. In fiscal year 2024, for example, BART contributed an estimated $2.7 billion* in economic activity to the five counties it serves. Another metric: Riders traveled over 750 million miles that same year – that's nearly a billion miles traveled on our tracks! 

But other impacts go beyond stats and figures: BART makes people’s lives easier, BART reduces traffic, BART helps the environment. Numbers don't tell the whole story.

So, where to begin? Let's start small. 

To understand BART’s impact, we will start by looking at a single station – Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre. From this zoomed-in vantage point, we can illustrate how just one station transforms and sustains not just a neighborhood, but a broad community of residents, workers, businesses, travelers, and families. 

Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station sits at the convergence of Highway 680, the Iron Horse pedestrian and bicycle trail, multiple hotels and office buildings, and a vibrant mixed-use transit village with restaurants, gyms, bars, a dance school, 600-plus apartment complex, the list goes on . The station is the beating heart that enables these resources to exist and prosper.  BART stations are not simply destinations -- stops on a line to get you here and there. 

BART stations create destinations. 

We connected with local homeowners, small business owners, a commuter, a major hotel chain, restaurants, neighborhood hangouts, and an apartment complex to understand firsthand why BART is essential to their bottom lines and the well-being of their community. 

Hear what they had to say in the interactive map below or view the map in a new tab by clicking here. 
 

By looking at this single station – one of fifty – we begin to understand why public transportation is so crucial to the Bay Area. The impact of one station is immense; imagine the impact of all of BART’s 50 stations taken together! Public transportation facilitates economic growth and livable communities, and that equates to a booming region that will grow and flourish for generations to come. 

“Locating by a BART station is a great move for businesses,” said BART Director Matt Rinn, whose district includes Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station. “You have in-built customers, who are coming and going from the station, you can increase capacity by not needing a parking lot, and your employees can get to work affordably.” 

Rinn knows business. He opened his insurance agency in Pleasant Hill and was named the city's Businessperson of the Year in 2011. He learned the role transit plays in sustaining and building communities when he was elected to the Pleasant Hill City Council and became a board member on the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, for which he later served as Chairman of the Board.

“These experiences helped me understand and appreciate how vital transit is to our communities. It builds a vibe. BART has helped attract a demographic that wouldn’t necessarily settle in the suburbs – young families, people who work in tech – who can experience all the amenities of a suburban environment, including more housing options, but can easily commute into major urban centers for work.”

- BART Director Matt Rinn

*Calculated with the APTA Economic Impact Tool

The New Brewery in Town
 

“BART and breweries go hand in hand. Promoting ‘Ride BART to Headlands Brewing’ is a key part of our marketing strategy."

- Austin Sharp, CEO Headlands Brewing

The new kid on the block in the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village is Headlands Brewing, the third East Bay outpost of the craft beer brewery.

The family-friendly beer garden, set amongst tall redwoods with fire pits and a kids’ play area, opened in March 2025. For the grand opening, Headlands offered $1 off your first pint when you showed your Clipper card. 

“Proximity to BART was key” in choosing the location, CEO Austin Sharp said. “It’s by far the easiest way to get to our location.” 

Transit accessibility isn’t important just for Sharp’s customers, but his employees too. Headlands recently launched commuter benefits for its employees. All of Headlands’ locations are BARTable, including its main brewery in Pittsburg (it’s closed to the public). 

The Cycling Family

“We moved to our neighborhood because it’s close to Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station. One hundred percent. I wanted to live by BART to open up job opportunities so I wouldn’t have to drive."

- Kristin Tennessen, Walnut Creek Resident

“A community is built by interacting in a positive way,” said Kristin Tennessen, whose family of five lives a short bike ride from Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station. “Bicycling on the trail system here has made facilitating those connections easy.”

To get to work each morning, Tennessen and her husband ride their bikes along the Contra Costa Canal Trail to the station – it takes about eight minutes – lock their bikes up, and ride BART to their offices. They also regularly ride their bikes to BART with their kids, ages six, nine, and eleven, to take them on various adventures, like the Oakland Museum of California and the Exploratorium.

“People in their cars can’t stop and talk to each other like you can on a bike,” Tennessen said. “I run into people on the trail while I’m heading to BART, and we stop and chat. It facilitates interaction with your community.”

The Restaurant
 

“People live here because BART is here, and that brings us business. We complement each other."

- Giorgio Palacios, General Manager of Parada

Ten years ago, Peruvian restaurant Parada opened on the corner of Treat Boulevard and Sunne Lane. One of the main reasons for selecting the sunny corner spot: its proximity to BART.

“It’s very common for customers to take BART here from Antioch, from Concord, from Oakland,” said Giorgio Palacios, Parada General Manager. “Employees take BART, too, especially the younger people who don’t want to worry about their parents picking them up at the end of their shift.”

Parada is known for its succulent pisco sours, “and because we serve alcohol, we want to make sure our customers are safe and can get home without getting in trouble.”

The restaurant group, Altamirano, owns two other BARTable restaurants: Sanguchon Eatery in San Francisco’s Mission District and Barranco in Downtown Lafayette.

The Hotel

"One of the key benefits of staying with Embassy Suites Walnut Creek is its location across the street from a BART station. Guests rave about it. They love that they can skip the hassle of renting a car and just take BART."

- David Burri, Director of Sales and Marketing, Embassy Suites – Walnut Creek

It’s not uncommon for travelers to discover Embassy Suites in Walnut Creek by googling, “hotels near BART,” said David Burri, Director of Sales and Marketing, Embassy Suites – Walnut Creek.

“Our location is just a four-minute walk to BART. It's a huge selling point for groups, conventions, and individual travelers, especially because it’s an easy trip from the San Francisco and Oakland airports,” he continued. “That’s one of the first things we discuss with people interested in hosting conferences and events at the hotel – BART is right here, and it makes it simple to travel back and forth to San Francisco, Oakland, and local attractions.”

Burri said he has posters in the hotel lobby that promote using BART, and it’s one of the first conveniences mentioned on the hotel’s website and promotional material.

“Our Guest Services team gets a lot of questions about how to travel to local attractions: What’s the fastest way to the Moscone Convention Center? How do I get to Fishermen’s Wharf?” Burri said. “We always encourage them to skip the traffic and take BART.”

The Commuter
 

"Taking BART versus driving gets me to my office so much faster. If I’m driving during commute hours, four to five miles can take up to 45 minutes. It takes a long time to even get to the highway."

- Michael Blasky, daily commuter

Every weekday, Michael Blasky takes BART from his home in Concord to his office in the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village.

“BART gets me to my office so much faster than driving,” said Blasky, who works for the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority. “The road infrastructure is pushed to the max for commuters here. If you’re taking the local highways or the thorough streets through Contra Costa County, you’re going to be backed up in traffic.”

Blasky said his commute is also “essentially free” because the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village offers significant commuter benefits, like $80 on a Clipper card for $5.

“My wife and I were considering buying an electric car when I got this job, but because of the commuter benefits program, it made absolutely no financial sense," Blasky said.

The Neighborhood Hangouts

"BART is a convenient way for people not to drink and drive. When customers take BART, they can fully enjoy what we have to offer."

- Baldeep Sangha, co-owner of Hops & Scotch and Bill & Bali's

Baldeep and Gurpreet Sangha own two businesses by the station – the bar Hops & Scotch and the pizza-and-pints place Bill & Bali's. They're just around the corner from each other. 

“The BART station and the location itself were the biggest draws for us,” he said. “And then all the Avalon residents upstairs. There’s in-built community here.”

After work, people will walk over from BART to grab a quick drink with friends at Hops & Scotch or pick up their kids for some fresh slices at Bill & Bali's. It's a nice alternative to having to schlep into downtown, Sangha said.

“There’s a lot of foot traffic here, so we get a good deal of exposure,” he concluded. “If the BART station disappeared for whatever reason, that would significantly hurt our pocketbook.”

The Apartment Complex
 

"I had a blast living at Avalon Walnut Creek. It’s located right next to Pleasant Hill [Contra Costa Centre] Station, which makes the commute into the city as convenient as it can be on BART."

- Piotr G., former Avalon resident (via Yelp)

Avalon Walnut Creek is a shining example of transit-oriented development, a form of urban development that concentrates high-density, mixed-use development by public transit stations.  

The community features over 600 apartment homes, including affordable housing, just steps from the BART station.

“The people who live here value accessibility to public transit and walkability,” said Katrina Gaasterland, Community Manager at AvalonBay Communities. "We get a lot of feedback from prospective residents that BART is one of the highlights for leasing in our community. They use it to get to work and entertainment, and it cuts down on costs associated with owning a vehicle. Plus, it’s just easy!”  

BART will offer its most robust service ever for the annual San Francisco Pride Parade. The parade will be held on Sunday, June 30, beginning at 10:30am, along Downtown San Francisco’s Market Street.  

We encourage you to take BART and “ride with Pride” to get to and from the parade safely and expediently. Embarcadero, Montgomery St, Powell St, and Civic Center stations are all along the parade route (see rider guide). 

BART will open at 8am and run 5-line service with trains every 5 minutes through Downtown San Francisco. Additional event trains will be dispatched as ridership warrants. After 9pm, BART will run 3-line service.  

In the morning, event trains will bolster our service between Millbrae and Downtown San Francisco as well as between Pleasant Hill and Downtown San Francisco from 9:30 to 11am. Later in the day, event trains will start at 2pm in and continue into the evening, supplementing scheduled service. 

The parade begins at 10:30am at Market and Beale streets, closest to Embarcadero Station. It will end at Market and 8th streets, closest to Civic Center Station.  

Riders should expect large crowds at Embarcadero Station before 10am and large crowds all day at Civic Center Station, as well as heavy ridership to and from all Downtown San Francisco stations and 16th St Mission Station. Riders are encouraged to use Montgomery St and Powell St instead of Civic Center or Embarcadero stations.  

Last year, BART handled 140,006 trips as riders took advantage of expanded Sunday service. That's about 6,000 more riders than took BART for Pride 2022 and 117% of pre-COVID ridership projections for a June Sunday. At the time, it was BART's busiest Sunday since the start of the pandemic.  

Tips for taking BART to the SF Pride Parade and Celebration 

• Before you leave home put a Clipper card on your cellphone through either Apple Pay or Google Pay. There is no $3 new-card fee for riders who add either of the mobile options. Please ensure you have sufficient funds for a round trip.  
• Embarcadero, Montgomery Street, Powell Street and Civic Center stations can all be used to get to the parade route. 
• Download the official BART app to plan your trip, get real-time departures, and pay for parking. 
• Be patient. It could get crowded on trains and in our stations. BART’s busiest hours are expected to be from the parade start until 2pm and from 4 pm to 8 pm leaving the parade and celebration. 
• When boarding trains, move to the center of the car so more people can fit and remove backpacks. 
• Don’t jam a train door, which can take the whole train out of service. 

Getting to BART/Parking 

Consider taking a bus, getting dropped off, riding your bicycle, or walking to your station. 

BART offers free parking on weekends, except at Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose stations, which are owned by VTA and VTA's parking rates still apply. More info on parking at BART: bart.gov/parking.  

BART in the parade + booth at Civic Center Celebration 

BART staff, their families, and friends will march in the San Francisco Pride Parade with the BARTmobile and a specialized Hi-Rail vehicle that is typically used to transport BART workers around the system when trains are not running. 

BART will also have a presence at the Civic Center Celebration in Civic Center/UN Plaza (served by Civic Center Station) on Sunday, June 30, ONLY. We will no longer be at the celebration on Saturday. 

On Sunday, Railgoods will sell BART merch, including new Pride 2024 items, at the booth. Pick up your swag in person and skip the shipping fees! 

Have a safe and happy Pride! 

San Francisco Pride is the largest annual gathering of LGBTQ+ people and allies in the nation and has come to symbolize the long history of LGBTQ+ dignity, the freedom of all people to meaningfully and proudly express their sexual and gender identities, and the commitment of LGBTQ+ people to combating oppression. 

BART wishes everyone attending a safe and happy celebration. 

BART is moving forward with changes to its financial operations to improve efficiency and transparency with the creation of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) reporting to the General Manager. 

This new financial structure brings together the functions from the Office of the Controller-Treasurer, who has traditionally reported to the BART Board of Directors, and the Performance & Budget Office, who reports to the General Manager, into one group, reporting to a new CFO position. 

The CFO will have the authority to implement strategic business changes to streamline BART’s financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting of financial data. The new structure will create greater accountability under the General Manager to realize long-term cost savings. Creating a CFO position requires state legislation to amend the BART Act.

“This is a significant reform to show we are committed to using our limited financial resources in the most efficient manner possible,” said BART Board President Janice Li. “A new CFO will help drive a culture of financial discipline as we navigate economic uncertainty.”

Last year, the Board of Directors, at the recommendation of the Office of the Inspector General, approved modifying BART’s organizational structure in an effort to focus on improving efficiency and financial operations. 

“This is a tremendous step for BART and reflects how well the OIG recommendation for a CFO structure was embraced,” said Claudette Biemeret, BART’s Inspector General. “I applaud the BART Board and Executive Leadership for taking on this change. CFO leadership is crucial to transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.”

In response, BART’s General Manager hired a consulting team to develop a roadmap for implementing the financial organization structure. The BART Board of Directors approved the new structure at its December 7 meeting and BART will move quickly to identify and onboard a new CFO role.

View the presentation.