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BART ridership continues to grow, with notable gains on weekends as Saturday ridership this September was nearly 20% higher compared to the previous year. More than 5 million trips were taken on BART in September, exceeding expected trips by 5%. Overall, ridership saw a nearly 10% increase over the same month last year.  

The increase in ridership on the weekends, especially Saturdays, demonstrates that people are taking BART for purposes beyond getting to the office. For example, the Japan v. Mexico soccer match on Saturday, September 6, drew 23,000 trips to Coliseum Station, the third-highest ridership day for the station since the pandemic. In fact, ridership for the match was nearly a third higher than the average Saturday ridership for A’s games in 2019.  

Ridership growth is only part of the solution to BART’s significant financial crisis. To close BART’s $375 million deficit with only fare revenue, current ridership levels would need to more than double; BART’s latest budget forecast estimates a 4% ridership increase in 2026. 

BART’s slow and steady ridership recovery correlates with work from home rates in the region. While individual riders are returning to BART, they’re taking fewer trips, likely due to remote and hybrid work schedules. 

September ridership highlights at a glance:  

• September ridership was 10% higher compared to previous year (5,047,000 total trips).
• Saturdays in September of this year grew 20% over a year ago.
• Highest ridership day: Wednesday, September 10 (220,073).
• BayPass, the region’s all-in-one transit pass, ridership more than doubled over last September, driven primarily by UC Berkeley students voting to expand the program to the entire study body of ~45,000. The BayPass referendum was approved with 90% "yes" votes. Ridership growth at Downtown Berkeley Station has outpaced systemwide growth since the start of the Fall 2025 semester.  
• Tap and Ride usage accounted for approx. 8% of total trips on weekdays and 12% on weekends. SFO Station accounts for nearly 30% of all Tap and Ride trips. Tap and Ride gives riders the ability to pay adult fares at BART fare gates using physical contactless credit or debit cards or mobile payment methods, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.  
• Usage of Clipper START, the region’s low-income discount fare program, is at an all-time high and accounted for 3.4% of total trips in September. BART has more Clipper START rides than any other agency. 

Additional ridership information is publicly available and posted monthly at bart.gov/about/reports/ridership. 

BART ridership continued its steady upward trend in November, with double digit growth at most stations and overall ridership increasing 11.6% compared to the previous year.  

In total, riders took more than 4.4 million trips in November, many taking advantage of new fare programs and innovations, such as Tap and Ride and Clipper BayPass.  

‘Tis the season to take BART to the airport. Ridership to SFO and OAK around Thanksgiving grew 12% over last year. 

Riders are also increasingly using BART on the weekends. In November, Saturday ridership increased by 19% and Sunday ridership by 16% over last year. These gains come as ridership dipped modestly from October, a pattern consistent with seasonal shifts and variations in weekday and weekend travel.  

Ridership growth reflects changing commuter trends, increased use of weekend and off-peak service, growing adoption of new fare programs, and an improved customer experience at BART. And on Wednesday, Dec. 10, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission released Next Generation Clipper, a new-and-improved fare payment system that makes paying for BART and other Clipper agencies faster and more convenient.  

Many stations experienced robust increases in average weekday exits compared with last year this November. Some examples: 

• Downtown Berkeley saw ridership rise nearly 20%
• 19th St/Oakland and 12th St/Oakland City Center ridership increased by more than 20%
• West Oakland and Embarcadero also posted notable gains of 24% and 17% respectively 

Riders also continue to embrace flexible and discounted fare options: 

• 11% of total trips in November used Tap and Ride, which lets you pay adult fares directly at the fare gates with a contactless debit or credit card or Apple Pay and Google Pay. BART became the first Tap and Ride agency in August; MTC rolled out the program to other Clipper agencies on December 10 with the launch of Next Generation Clipper. 
• Clipper BayPass usage jumped 173% compared to the same month last year.
• Discount programs such as Clipper START also saw gains. Usage of the discount fare program increased by 37% compared to a year ago. 

BART’s budget crisis 

Despite encouraging ridership gains, BART continues to face a $375 million budget deficit. To close that gap solely with fare revenue, current ridership would need to more than double. BART’s most recent budget forecast projects a 4% ridership increase in 2026.  

BART’s gradual recovery is closely tied to work-from-home trends in the region. While more riders are returning to the system, they are generally taking fewer trips due to remote and hybrid work schedules.  

Additional ridership information is publicly available and posted monthly at bart.gov/about/reports/ridership.   

Sound Tracks, BART’s free summer concert series, returns for three shows in August and September.  The outdoor series, presented by the BART Art Program, is part of BART’s rider engagement strategy to activate stations, show appreciation for riders and neighbors, and support local artists – all for the love of music. 

Performances will be held in the unpaid areas of stations, and attendees are encouraged to take BART. Dance bands have been so successful at past events that for this series, we’re bringing out musicians that know how to get a crowd on their feet. 

Said Jennifer Easton, BART Art Program Manager: “The BART Art Program centers supporting local artists and delivering arts and cultural programming to enhance rider and community experience. Sound Tracks encourages riders to take a minute to celebrate with station neighbors, support local businesses, and enables BART to show our appreciation for all the people who ride the system and to those that make the station areas vibrant.”  

Up next on the schedule:

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Wednesday, Sept. 4, 5 pm to 630pm, Balboa Park: Kiazi Malonga (Congolese drummer performing with full percussion band) 

Previously:

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Wednesday, August 21, 5pm to 630pm, El Cerrito del Norte Station: Patron Latin Rhythms (Latin jazz, Latin rock, Mambo). Special reading by winners of the BART Lines Teen Poetry Contest.  

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Wednesday, Aug. 28, 5pm to 630pm, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre: Chris Trinidad y Con Todo featuring Mestiza (Cuban Timba, Puerto Rican Bomba, and Afro-Caribbean genres mixed with Latin jazz, soul, and R&B)  

It's the most BARTable time of the year! 

Celebrate our third year of the immensely popular BART holiday sweater at SweaterFest '23! Wear your BART holiday sweater from any year and join BART staff and fellow riders for a group photo at Rockridge Station on Sunday, December 10 from 2-3:30pm.

For riders who did not pre-order the 2023 BART holiday staff but would like to purchase one, staff will be selling the 2023 holiday sweater at SweaterFest '23. We will have contests, prizes, other BART merch for sale, music, and more to make it a true holiday event! Winners of our SweaterFest '23 Raffle can win exclusive BART prizes. (Raffle contestants must be present to win prizes)

Extra 2023 BART holiday sweaters will go on sale at railgoods.com after Thanksgiving. 

For pre-orders who selected the pick-up option, your holiday sweater is available for pick-up at BART HQ, 2150 Webster Street in Oakland (walkable distance from 19th St Oakland Station) on weekdays from November 22 until December 7. The hours for pick-up are between 8:30am until 4pm. November 23 and November 24 will not be open due to Thanksgiving. 

Starting December 11, pre-order pick-ups will be moved to the Customer Services Center at Lake Merritt Station on the concourse level.

Don’t be left out in the cold…grab your sweater and join us for a family-friendly, holiday-celebrating SweaterFest ’23!

We plan to introduce our new stamp rally passport at SweaterFest. If you attend the Meet the Anime Mascots event at Powell Street, be sure to bring your stamp from that event and we will add it to our passport.

At its national conference the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) reaffirmed the BART Police Department continues to meet the standard of the group’s Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation. BART PD – which is in the process of filling 29 sworn officer vacancies this fiscal year - was already among the fewer than 6% of law enforcement agencies across the country that has earned accreditation from CALEA. This advanced accreditation places BART PD in an even smaller pool of departments and acknowledges the department’s commitment to following industry best practices, building community trust, and engaging in more than decade long commitment to reform.

“BART PD is working around the clock to ensure every rider feels safe from the moment they step into a station to the moment they arrive at their destination,” said interim BART PD Chief Kevin Franklin. “Our accreditation from CALEA wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of everyone in the department. Certification from CALEA is the gold standard for law enforcement. It shows the confidence of outside experts in the work being done by our department to continue improving, while ensuring we are keeping BART riders and workers safe across the Bay Area.”

BART PD first earned CALEA accreditation in 2019 and had to demonstrate at the conference the department has been meeting or exceeding CALEA’s standards. “We recognize that accreditation is a process, not a destination,” continued Franklin. “We are committed to continuing with the hard work to measure up to CALEA’s high standards as well as the demands of our riders who expect us to do everything we can to keep them safe every time they ride.”

BART PD earned its original CALEA accreditation as part of its more than decade long commitment to police reforms. The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) recommended in its final report issued in 2010 that BPD seek this accreditation. NOBLE conducted a top-to-bottom review of BPD after the tragic shooting death of Oscar Grant in 2009.

BART PD must prove compliance with nearly 400 standards annually as part of the Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The comprehensive process included an on-site review by CALEA which focused on facility inspections, staff interviews, and gathering public input.

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BART Director Bevan Dufty said he was “extremely hopeful” about the upcoming year following a vote today that elected him president of the BART Board. Dufty said he will work hard to support and collaborate with the BART team to solve problems and to anticipate the challenges ahead.

“I am so proud of the work this agency does to support the Bay Area community,” President Dufty said. “I look forward to working hand in hand with the rest of the Board in 2024.”   

President Dufty was first elected to the BART Board of Directors in November 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. He represents District 9, which includes portions of San Francisco. Dufty served as president in 2019.

Director Mark Foley, who was elected vice president, said 2024 will be an exciting, but challenging year. 

“There are a lot of great things happening at the agency we should celebrate,” Vice President Foley said. “People in the Bay Area love BART and what we do. We mean so much to people and provide a crucial lifeline for people traveling to school, to doctors’ appointments, and to work.” 

Vice President Foley was first elected to the BART Board in November 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. Vice President Foley represents District 2, which includes Antioch, Brentwood, Concord (partial), and other cities and unincorporated communities in Contra Costa County. 

Vice President Foley served as board president in 2021 and vice president in 2020 and 2022. 

Watch Janice Li’s outgoing remarks as Board President, during which she highlights BART’s top accomplishments of 2023.

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An innovative community partnership initiative that leverages BART capital funding to help local agencies make it easier for riders to safely walk and bike to BART stations is awarding funding to seven projects. The Measure RR Safe Routes to BART (SR2B) grant program’s third and final cycle will provide $16 million in funding for the projects, which are located across the three counties that make up the BART District (Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco). The program is made possible through Measure RR which was approved by District voters in 2016 and provides $3.5 billion to rebuild BART’s core infrastructure to make the system safer and more reliable.

The selected projects are focused on improving bike and pedestrian connections to BART. SR2B makes the most of Measure RR dollars by using them to support projects that can offer a minimum funding match of 30% and can provide evidence of governing body support, a full funding plan, and a minimum of 35% design completion.

Here are the projects selected for Cycle 3 awards.

Project                                                                                              Safe Routes to BART funding

• Lakeside Dr/Lake Merritt Blvd. Complete Streets Paving Project              $3 million
• Clement Avenue/Tilden Way: Broadway/Tilden Intersection                     $2.1 million
• Central Embarcadero Safety Projects                                                             $1 million
• Fremont Blvd. Elevated Bikeway                                                                      $3 million
• Union City BART Pedestrian At-Grade Railroad Crossing                            $3 million
• Ohlone Greenway Modernization and Safety Project                                  $3 million
• North Bailey Road Active Transportation Corridor Project                         $0.9 million

The projects awarded SR2B funding were selected from 16 applicants. Equity was a key factor in determining the award recipients. Applicants had to show how projects would improve active access for members of disadvantaged communities. Projects were also graded on readiness, leveraged funding, connectivity, rider experience, community desire, and other factors.

Projects now completed thanks to earlier rounds of SR2B funding include the 5th Street Improvement Project which enhances access to Powell Street Station in San Francisco and the Walnut/Liberty Protected Intersection Project which makes it easier and safer for riders to walk and bike to Fremont Station.