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Read more stories and see interactive maps about BART’s impact at bart.gov/impact.

BART's Impact

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. 

Case Study: Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station

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. 

"Locating by a BART station is a great move for businesses. 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."

- BART Director Matt Rinn, whose district includes Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station. 

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. 

View a larger version of the interactive map by clicking here. 

Let’s all ride BART to the movies... 

Buy tickets on Railgoods.com

• Single tickets
• Discounted family pack (4 tickets)

BART invites you to join us beneath the big Bay Area sky for a family movie night on Saturday, August 16, at Concord Station. 

We’re transforming the station parking lot into a camp-themed movie theatre, where we'll screen the beloved film Madagascar once the sun sets and stars emerge. The king of the lemurs likes to “move it move it” almost as much as BART likes to move the Bay Area. 

Before that iconic song gets stuck in our heads, BART will be screening never-before-seen footage filmed from a Train Operator’s point of view along all 131 miles of the BART System. The virtual ride offers a sped-up and mesmerizing perspective of the Bay Area from the five BART lines end to end.  

While we wait for the sky to darken, attendees can enjoy a series of family-friendly activities, including crafts and lanyard making, face painting, a BART uniform try-on station, photo ops, and Under the Stars stickers and giveaways. 

Bring your BART Stamp Passport (or pick one up at the event) to get the Under the Stars stamp. Fill up the pages of your passport to redeem a cool prize. Stamps are available at select BART events.  

On Railgoods, you can purchase single tickets (click here) or a discounted family pack of 4 (click here). Your Railgoods receipt will act as your ticket. Everyone must have their own ticket. The price includes admission to the event, a bag of popcorn, a small disposable water, and fruit snacks.    

We will be selling tickets at the door (credit/debit/Apple Pay/Google Pay only). 

Railgoods will also sell a selection of BART merchandise, including a new BART System Map fleece blanket to be unveiled at the event. 

The station parking lot will be covered with turf, but attendees should bring their own low chairs, blankets, pillows, and whatever else they might need to be comfortable for the duration of the screening, expected to be just under two hours. We will have ADA-accessible bathrooms, misters to keep people cool, and hydration stations onsite – bring a water bottle. 

BART hosts events throughout the year to encourage people to ride BART and gather with their community. Learn more about fun stuff happening at BART at bart.gov/fun 

Under the Stars BART Family Movie Night 

Where: Concord Station parking lot 

When: Saturday, August 16. Doors open at 7pm for 8pm showtime 

This April, the voices of local youth on the autism spectrum can be heard in BART stations across the system in recognition of Autism Acceptance Month. The PA announcements will be mixed in with usual station announcements and play in more than twenty stations.  

A sample of what your ears have in store: “Hi BART riders, I’m Zayn. I love BART because I can sit and relax and see everything that’s going on in the Bay. I hope you enjoy your trip!”  

Thirteen-year-old mega-BART-fan Zayn was one of 17 Bay Area youth who came to BART Headquarters in March to record announcements as part of the Autism Transit Project. The project was founded in 2022 by Jonathan Trichter, who runs multiple schools for children with autism and neurological differences.  

“Children on the spectrum often have a special affinity for trains,” Trichter said. “That is a well-documented phenomenon that is also well-known by transit workers and people at BART. They see it every day as these kids take their parents on joy rides or ask the operators questions so complicated they're stumped.”  

Language does not come easily to some children on the autism spectrum, Trichter said, so they sometimes grab onto phrases they hear frequently.  

“That means the first sentence a child on the spectrum says might be, ‘Stand clear of the closing doors,’” Trichter explained. “So I put two and two together and came up with the idea to have these kids make their own public service announcements.” 

This is BART’s third year participating in the Autism Transit Project. In addition to the recording sessions, which took place in BART’s professional studio, BART staff and board members joined in on the fun to talk about their jobs, including how to schedule trains, what it’s like to be a train operator; to show off some cool train parts, engineering devices, and BART uniforms; and to answer questions from the children, some more relevant to BART than others.  

“What’s your star sign?” eighteen-year-old Lucy asked General Manager Bob Powers during his Q&A. She followed with a question about his favorite non-revenue vehicle (he chose BART’s Rail Inspection Vehicle).  

Other BART celebrities joined in for the day, including BART Board President Mark Foley, who told the children, “I see you all, and I love you,” as well as BART Director Victor Flores, who spoke about the importance of community and supporting one another. BART Chief of Police Kevin Franklin was also on-hand to pass out junior officer badge stickers and to help kids try on BART uniforms.  

One of the biggest celebrities of the day, however, was Pac-Man, the hardworking Harris hawk who is stationed at select BART stations to help mitigate pigeon presence. He arrived perched on the arm of his handler, Ricky, ready for his closeup.  

Most of all, the day was an opportunity for children and their families to connect with one another.  

“For the autism community, events like this help us to feel seen,” said BART employee Jennifer Tom, whose brother, Sam, recorded an announcement. “We can feel swallowed up sometimes [so this event] is really meaningful to me...I feel really blessed to be here today.” 

Ten-year-old Bella recorded an announcement last year and couldn’t wait to come back to BART once more.  

“This whole experience inspired her to be a radio DJ,” said her mom, Christelle Cicero-Lopez.  

Hearing her announcement last year, said Bella, “was my dream come true." 

Scenes from the recording studio during the Autism Transit Project at BART.

The participant’s name and stations where their announcement is playing are listed below. To listen, click on the blue hyperlink – or better yet, visit a station! 

A'lexius – Dublin

Bella – South Hayward

Cameron – Coliseum / West Oakland

Careem – Rockridge / Lake Merritt 

Eden – Lafayette

Ethan – SFO 

Lucas – San Leandro / 19th St. / Embarcadero

Lucy – Glen Park / Warm Springs

Max – Castro Valley

Michael – Hayward

Milo – Fruitvale

Olympia – Walnut Creek

Robert – Fremont

Sam – Union City

Vicente – 12th St. / Concord 

Zayn – El Cerrito Plaza / North Berkeley

Bust out your bicycle and join BART in celebrating Bike to Wherever Day on Thursday, May 16. 

BART is sponsoring the annual celebration of cycling and hosting 24 “energizer stations” throughout the system. If you visit one of the BART stations listed below on Thursday morning, you’ll be greeted by Bike to Wherever Day volunteers handing out thousands of commemorative swag bags.  

Bike to Wherever Day began in 1994 as Bike to Work Day as a way to encourage people to ditch their cars and hop on their bikes. Things have changed since that first Bike to Work Day, and the annual event has transformed into a monthlong celebration of bicycling, called Bike to Wherever Days. The cornerstone of the month is Bike to Wherever Day on Thursday, May 16 – exactly thirty years after that first Bike to Work Day.  

Local organizers of Bike to Wherever Day include BARTable partner Bike East Bay, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and BikeHUb, which operates bike stations at some BART stations (more on bike stations below).  

Energizer stations will be positioned throughout the BART system on the morning of Thursday, May 16. For exact times and to view the full list of energizer stations, visit Bike East Bay’s Bike to Wherever Day webpage. 

Participating BART stations include:   

• Ashby 

• Antioch  

• Concord  

• Downtown Berkeley BART Bike Station  

• Daly City  

• Dublin/Pleasanton  

• El Cerrito del Norte  

• El Cerrito Plaza  

• Fruitvale  

• Hayward  

• Lake Merritt  

• Millbrae  

• Orinda  

• Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Center  

• Richmond  

• San Bruno  

• San Leandro  

• South San Francisco  

• South Hayward  

• Union City  

• Uptown/19th Street Oakland BART Bike Station  

• Warm Springs/South Fremont  

• West Dublin/Pleasanton  

• West Oakland  

This year, Bike to Wherever Days will also include a family-focused and BARTable ride called East Bay Kidical Mass. The group will gather on Saturday, May 11, at 10:30am at Lake Merritt Station for a relaxed and inclusive ride around Lake Merritt. 

Bikes on BART 

Click here to learn everything you need to know about bikes and BART, including rules and the locations of bike storage facilities. 

BART loves bikes, and we even changed our rules recently to allow bicycles on escalators throughout the BART system with the exception of ten narrow escalators (at 19th Street/ Oakland, Antioch and the Oakland Airport Connector).  

Our stations feature high-security bike racks, bike lockers, and both valet and BikeLink self-park Bike Stations. The staffed Bike Stations at Downtown Berkeley, Fruitvale, and 19th Street/Oakland are open for parking weekdays 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. and even have retail and maintenance services, in case your bike needs a tune up.  

Plan your route using BART's Trip Planner, which offers multi-modal, end-to-end itineraries for bike + transit trips. It features customizable bike speed options, including an option for e-bikes (select the settings/tool icon to customize your options). BART's Trip Planner includes results for more than 30 transit systems in the Bay Area and is available on web, mobile, and the official BART app.  

Click here for b-roll of car leaving Hayward Yard and arriving at Raimondi Park

On Thursday, April 17, a legacy BART car was delivered to the Oakland Ballers, a professional baseball team that burst onto the Bay Area athletics scene in 2024. The Ballers are a BARTable partner and wear the BART logo on their jerseys.  

A flatbed truck carried the legacy car from BART’s Hayward Yard to a temporary home near Raimondi Park, where the Ballers play. Over the next year, the car will be transformed into a park concessions stand, which will be unveiled next season. BART gave the Ballers the car at no cost as part of its legacy car decommissioning program. The team was responsible for the cost of transporting of the car. 

“Adding this BART legacy car is one of many examples of how our ballpark is going to continue to grow with us,” said Ballers Co-Founder Paul Freedman. “We want Raimondi Park to be a living museum full of tributes to Bay Area culture. We can’t wait to repurpose and creatively feature our BART legacy car in the near future."

Said Ballers Co-Founder Bryan Camel: "We often say we are driving the train while laying down the tracks with the Ballers. So this BART legacy car being stationed at Raimondi Park is a perfect way to celebrate the history of the Bay Area while also acknowledging the rapid development of our team’s future."

This same car was initially reserved for the Athletics, the professional baseball team that departed the Bay Area in 2024. Team officials emailed BART in 2023 to inform them they would no longer be accepting the car, which they intended to bring with them to their new stadium to commemorate their long history in the Bay Area. 

“It was disappointing when the Athletics notified us by email that they no longer wanted this car,” said BART Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost. “So, we asked Oakland’s newest professional sports team if they’d like to have it, and they responded with an immediate, ‘Yes!’ We are grateful to the team for saving this piece of Bay Area history so that Oakland baseball fans will be able to enjoy it." 

This won’t be the first time the Ballers have repped BART. BART and the Ballers entered into a partnership ahead of the team’s inaugural season, with the Ballers hosting BART Night at the park in August 2024 to celebrate the role transportation plays in ensuring fans can watch their favorite teams play. 

"I'm thrilled about the delivery of a legacy train car to our co-marketing partner, the Oakland Ballers! Its future home at their ballpark honors our shared history and the ongoing journey of community, connection, and celebration," said BART Principal Marketing Representative Jill Buschini, who oversees BART's co-marketing partnerships.

Raimondi Park is under a mile from West Oakland Station, and the Ballers offer free shuttles that run every 20 minutes from the station to Campbell St. between 18th and 20th, starting three hours before game time and a half hour after the game ends. Opening Day at Raimondi Park is May 20.

The BARTmobile on the field at Raimondi Park during BART Night at the Ballers in 2024.

BART officially retired its legacy fleet, which carried passengers for more than 50 years since the opening of the system, at a ceremony and final ride in April 2024. All BART trains in service are now made up of new cars.  

“We are extremely excited to see these legacy cars being delivered to their new homes.  Although this particular car was initially slated to move with the Athletics to their new ballpark in Las Vegas, we are equally as thrilled to know that this car will be staying local for Bay Area residents to continue to enjoy for years to come!” said Brian Tsukamoto, BART Legacy Car Decommissioning Manager. 

BART’s legacy cars have a tremendous sentimental value with passengers in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and we wanted to ensure the historic vehicles would have a second life. BART gave the public the opportunity to submit proposals for repurposing retired cars, and eight recipients were selected after describing what they planned to do with the vehicle. Two recipients, the Athletics among them, later declined.  

The recipients are reusing their cars for a multitude of purposes, including a short-term rental in the Sierras, a regional fire training center in Hayward, and a bike shop and clubhouse for Oakland youth. Three cars were also awarded to the Western Railway Museum, which is establishing a Rapid Transit History Center.  

New tactile maps of BART, developed by the Bay Area’s Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, are now available to assist blind and low vision riders in confidently navigating the system. The maps are available by request – see info below – and will be distributed to Station Agent booths for reference inside BART stations.  

LightHouse’s Media and Accessible Design Lab (MAD Lab) is producing and distributing the maps for BART and several other Bay Area transit systems, including Caltrain, SF Muni, and AC Transit. The BART map collection includes tactile maps of every BART station at street, concourse, and platform levels, as well as a BART System Map showing all lines on one page and individual maps for each line.  

The maps combine braille and tactile graphics to provide a hands-on way to explore these transit systems, understand station layouts, and build confidence in navigating independently.  

“BART is grateful to the MAD Lab team for their work in expanding access to tactile transit information and assisting BART in its mission to make transit more accessible for everyone,” said Ryan Greene-Roesel, Director of Customer Access and Accessibility  

How to request maps 

Using the following links to request maps of BART and other systems. Once a request is submitted, LightHouse will provide confirmation and updates on delivery timing. Additionally, BART will distribute the maps to Station Agent booths so they are available for reference within BART stations.  

• BART Map Request Form 2026  (also includes Salesforce Transit Center) 
• Caltrain Map Request Form 2026  
• AC Transit Map Request Form 2026  
• SFMTA Central Subway Map Request Form 2026 

The maps are free through October 2026, thanks to Caltrans FTA 5310 grant funding. Beginning in November, they will continue to be available for purchase through the LightHouse Adaptations Store. The tactile maps are available to individuals who are blind or low vision, orientation and mobility instructors, educators and service providers, and community partners and agencies. Individuals can request a limited number of station maps, while instructors and other professionals can request additional maps based on need. 

For more information, write to [email protected] or contact them through this website form. 

Friday, Feb. 14, marks the start of the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, hosted by the Golden State Warriors. BART looks forward to carrying fans to the games and events happening on both sides of the Bay. We’re also proud to partner with the NBA Players Association for the big weekend. 

Follow our directions below to make your journey to games and events as smooth as Curry’s free throws. BART will adjust train lengths to accommodate ridership. Find a list of all the NBA All-Star Weekend events here. 

Win free tickets and prizes 

Those looking to win free tickets and other prizes can download the NBA Events app, which has partnered with BART and other Bay Area agencies to encourage riding transit around the Bay.  

After creating a free NBA ID account, visit the participating stations (see below), tap the tile on the dashboard corresponding with the station, and earn your check-in via your mobile device in mixed reality. Each check-in will also count towards unlocking NBA All-Star prizes through the NBA ID All-Star Rewards Program.  

Participating stations: 

• 16th St./Mission Station
• Coliseum Station
• Embarcadero Station
• Lake Merritt Station
• Powell St. Station 

The Grand BART Prize will be in the form of digital Railgoods.com gift cards in amounts ranging from $10 to $100. 

Take transit to Chase Center 

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni, and the special event trains will read “S Shuttle Mission Bay.” Disembark Muni at UCSF/Chase Center.
• Take BART to 16th St./Mission Station and transfer to special Muni 78X bus service. Disembark at 16th St. & Illinois St.  

*Your event ticket is your Muni ticket. Ride Muni to Chase Center for FREE with your event ticket (excluding cable cars). For more information, visit the Chase Center website. 

Friday, Feb. 14, 6pm: Castrol Rising Stars 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 5pm: State Farm All-Star Saturday Night 

Sunday, Feb. 16, 5pm: 74th NBA All-Star Game 

Take transit to Oakland Arena 

BART takes you directly to the Oakland Arena. Take BART to Coliseum Station and walk across the overpass and around the Coliseum to the arena. Use the arena’s North Entrance for a shorter walk.  

Friday, Feb. 14, 4pm: Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 11am: NBA All-Star Practice presented by AT&T 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2pm: NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T 

Take transit to Moscone Center 

Take BART to Montgomery Station and walk a short distance to Moscone Center.  

Friday, Feb. 14, to Sunday, Feb. 16: NBA Crossover interactive fan experience 

Sunday, Feb. 16: NBA G League Next Up Game 

Take transit to the NBA All-Star Concert Series at Pier 48 

The NBA will host a three-day concert series from Friday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 16, at Pier 48. Headliners include Noah Kahan, The Chainsmokers, Zedd, and Flo Rida.  

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni, and the special event trains will read “S Shuttle Mission Bay.” Disembark Muni at Mission Rock and walk to Pier 48.
• Take BART to Embarcadero Station and transfer to Muni N Judah trains on the upper level of the station. Disembark at King and 2nd streets and walk to Pier 48. 

Take transit to the NBPA Brotherhood Deli at SPARK Social SF 

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) will bring their Brotherhood Deli food truck along with activations and programming to SPARK Social SF from Friday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 16, 11am to 6pm. It’s a short walk from SPARK Social to Chase Center.  

The celebration will include player appearances, photo opps, plant-based food, immersive gaming, and hourly slam dunk shows and fan shooting contests.  

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni. Disembark Muni at Mission Rock and walk to SPARK Social.
• Take BART to 16th St./Mission Station and transfer to the Muni 22 bus. Disembark at Mission Bay Blvd North and 3rd Street and walk to SPARK Social.  

The BART Board of Directors has adopted a balanced FY27 budget ($1.2B Operating and $828M Capital) for what will be a defining year in its history of providing safe and reliable transit service to the Bay Area. The budget covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, a period when pandemic emergency funds run out, the District faces a structural deficit of $375M, and a regional transit funding measure will potentially be on the November ballot.

The BART Board has planned for two financial scenarios, one in which new revenue becomes available, and one in which no new funds are provided to BART in FY27. For the latter, the board has initially approved an Alternative Service Plan detailing service cuts, fare increases, and layoffs to close the $375M deficit.

Preventing service cuts through new revenue, cuts, deferrals, and borrowing

The budget adopted today assumes the transit funding measure is approved and will provide $74M in new revenue to BART during the fiscal year. Even with new sales tax proceeds from an approved funding measure, BART still needed to solve for an additional $302M to close the FY27 budget in a way that would not impact riders or cut service.

The budget makes $18.2M in ongoing cuts with $7.3M from ongoing department reductions and efficiencies and eliminating 63 operating full-time positions, saving $11M in labor costs.

“This is a leaner budget with less spending and a smaller headcount,” said BART Board President Melissa Hernandez. “The board challenged staff to find efficiencies and reduce costs in a way that would not be experienced by the riders and would not negatively impact the improvements we have made resulting in the highest reliability and satisfaction rates in years.”

The FY27 budget relies on $88.5M in borrowing to prevent service cuts and bridge the funding gap until proceeds from the revenue measure become available to BART.

Ridership growth coupled with cuts, efficiencies, and better investment returns due to cash management from BART’s new Office of the Chief Financial Officer structure have generated nearly $25M in additional revenue. In addition, BART anticipates stretching $52M in state emergency funds into FY27. Emergency funds were originally expected to be depleted before July 2026.  This has reduced the level of borrowing and deferrals needed to close the FY27 budget by $78M, helping reduce long-term costs to BART.

BART’s financial crisis was created because BART’s financial model has historically relied heavily on fare dollars to pay for operations and riders are now taking fewer trips each week because of remote work.

Ridership reaches new post-pandemic milestone  

While the number of trips served each year remains at about half of what it was pre-pandemic, ridership projections included in the budget mark the first time since the pandemic the average weekday ridership estimate will be more than 200,000 trips.  It was originally projected to be 191,000 trips, but FY26 had more than a 12% growth in ridership, fueled by higher customer satisfaction, a declining crime rate, strong weekend ridership recovery, and improved on-time performance.  

No fare increases and all discounts maintained

The budget does not include a fare increase during FY27 and maintains discounts for seniors, youth, low-income people, and people with disabilities. The budget assumes $2.5M in additional revenue from demand-based parking increases and more people parking as ridership ticks up.

Budget funds current service levels with improvements

Assuming the funding measure is successful, BART will continue to operate current service levels with a schedule change on August 10, 2026, with targeted improvements that will enhance reliability and reduce wait times for some riders. By making a change in how trains travel through Daly City Station and operating it as a center platform station, service will be improved throughout the system with improved headways, transfers, and less train congestion.

Trains will be more evenly spaced apart for Richmond-bound riders. Yellow Line and Red Line trains will be spaced 10 minutes apart instead of 5 and 15 minutes today. Dublin- and Berryessa-bound riders will also have better spacing between trains, from 3 and 17 minutes today to 8 and 12 minutes. There will be a new cross-platform transfer at Bay Fair for Dublin (Blue Line) to Berryessa (Orange Line) riders and the reverse trip. And riders coming from Antioch (Yellow Line) transferring toward Richmond (Orange or Red Line) will save 17 minutes with a new four-minute transfer.      

Capital budget funds infrastructure investments

BART’s $828M Capital Budget reflects its continued commitment to reinvest in core infrastructure to improve safety and reliability of service. Major projects include a new Communications Based Train Control system, traction power upgrades, elevator modernization, escalator replacement, and a highly prioritized computer network modernization project intended to prevent major service disruptions caused by outdated equipment.  FY27 marks a major shift into construction for a large majority of funded projects that have completed planning, design, and procurement of materials.  In FY27 BART will replace key track equipment near Fremont and Oakland and will complete construction of a modernized Operations Control Center.

These projects are funded by voter-approved Measure RR and other local, regional, state, and federal grant sources, in addition to reduced allocations from BART’s Operating Budget, which leverage the outside funding needed to fully fund these essential projects. 

BART commits to financial efficiency action items

Along with approving a new budget, the BART Board also voted to adopt a series of recommended early action strategies meant to enhance revenue and reduce costs. The action items are the result of an independent Bay Area Financial Efficiency Review commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) of BART, AC Transit, Caltrain, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SF Muni). The third-party review was called for by Senate Bill 63, which authorized a regional transportation sales tax to be placed on the November 2026 ballot.

The action items approved by the BART Board include:

• Improve fare compliance by further optimizing BART’s new fare gates and continuing with BART’s station hardening program
• Enhance parking revenue
• Lease fiber and communications assets
• Expand Clipper BayPass with more institutions and employers
• Improve speed and reliability of service through schedule changes, such as the planned improvements in August 2026
• Run shorter trains during lower-demand periods
• Examine contracts for opportunities to reduce costs, such as exploring changes to BART’s lease payments to SFO
• Study the benefits, challenges and opportunities to expand retail amenity partnerships

The Financial Efficiency Review found that between 2019 and 2025, BART reduced operating costs by more than $516M through service reductions, workforce controls, and operational efficiencies. The four Bay Area transit agencies that are part of the review saved more than $1B combined over the six-year period reviewed by the MTC.

Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 – It was yet another high ridership weekend on Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6, as Outside Lands Music Festival, the Pistahan Parade and Festival, and other exciting events unfurled across the Bay Area. Saturday and Sunday saw 101,100 and 79,300 exits respectively meaning more than 180,000 people rode BART last weekend (that’s roughly the populations of Berkeley, Benicia, and El Cerrito combined).  

Looking for something to do this weekend? Keep reading and visit our BARTable website. We publish a weekly event roundup, BARTable This Weekend, which highlights happenings around the region as well as contests and sweepstakes.  

This weekend, BART will be running extra trains for these big events: the Star Wars Drone Show following the A’s game on Saturday, and the Zach Bryan concert at the Oakland Arena on Monday.  

Fri/Sat/Sun: Athletics vs. Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum (plus a Star Wars Drone Show!) 

The Oakland Athletics face the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – and each game offers a special themed promotion. For the Star Wars Drone Show on Saturday night, BART will be running extra trains to accommodate the anticipated crowds.  

Here’s the lowdown on this weekend’s games: Friday, Aug. 18 (6:40pm start time) is Jerry Garcia Night, a tribute to the legendary Bay Area musician. Saturday, Aug. 19 (6:07pm start time) is the Star Wars Drone Show (with a special Mark Kotsay Mandalorian Bobblehead on offer). And Sunday, Aug. 20 (1:07pm start time), will see a “t-shirt hoodie” giveaway for early arriving fans, presented by Cal State East Bay. 

It’s also First Responders Weekend at the Coliseum, with special prices, tailgates, jerseys, and more for first responders. (Promo info here.) 

Use our guide to taking BART to the game here. 

Sat/Sun: Take BART to the FOG India Day Parade and Fair in Fremont 

On Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, the City of Fremont will host the largest India Day parade on the West Coast with more than 130 booths and 50,000 attendees. To get there, take BART to Fremont Station and travel about 0.6 miles to the event site – 39439 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont.  

The fair takes over the parkway on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and the parade runs Sunday from 11am to 1pm. Bollywood superstar Mahima Chaudhry will serve as the grand marshal. Keep your eyes out for the BART booth, where BART directors, staff, and officers will be on hand with free swag and information about the system and our programs. More info here. 

Mon: Singer-Songwriter Zach Bryan at the Oakland Arena on Monday  

Singer-songwriter Zach Bryan touches down in Oakland this Monday, Aug. 21, for a stop on his Burn, Burn, Burn tour at the Oakland Arena (take BART to Coliseum Station) with Trampled by Turtles and Levi Turner. The show starts at 8pm and doors open at 6:30pm.  

BART will be running extra trains Monday night to take concertgoers home. 

Explore BARTable Pools, Coves, and Lagoons 

Did you know you can take BART to swim? Cool off this weekend by visiting a BARTable swimming hole. We rounded them up (with directions) in this article.  

Win Tickets to the “Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical” World Premiere  

Win two tickets for you and your guest to the world premiere of "Hippest Trip -The Soul Train Musical" at A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe Theater in San Francisco on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8pm. Five lucky winners will take the prize! Learn more about the Broadway-bound musical and enter the sweepstakes by clicking here.  

Weekend Read: The Couple Who Hosted a BART Wedding at Fairyland 

On May 27, 2023, Armin Samii and Marylee Williams married in a BART-themed wedding at Oakland’s Fairyland.  

The couple, who met on BART, said, “We wanted a venue that was easily accessible to our guests, and accessibility to us looks like BART. BART was where we had our first taste of not being bound by a car.”   

Read more about the wedding and see the colorful photos on bart.gov/news.  

Happy Riding this Weekend! 

We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains.    
 
Stay in touch by signing up for the BARTable This Week newsletter on the BARTable website – your one-stop shop for all things accessible by BART. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and  Instagram. 

Friday, Sept. 22 – There’s lots do this weekend by way of BART, and we’re here to tell you all about it. Can you believe we're already at the end of September? 

Before we get to this weekend's events, we have some exciting news to share. Last weekend, we challenged the region to break the Saturday September 2022 ridership record of 500,000+ trips across all local transit agencies. We are thrilled to announce...we beat the record! On Saturday, Sept. 16, the Bay Area took a stupendous 600,000+ trips. Let's keep the momentum going. 

There are lots more Transit Month events on the horizon for the last week of September. On Friday, Sept. 29, join BART’s General Manager Bob Powers along with eight other regional transit leaders for a ride-along and social event. All Aboard with Transit CEOs begins at 5pm at the Palo Alto Caltrain Station/Transit Center. You don’t want to miss it! More info here. 

Bus bridge alert: This Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, there will be hazardous tree removal and track work between Union City and Fremont stations. To provide workers with enough room to safely do the work, free buses will replace trains between Union City and Fremont stations. Riders in the area should anticipate delays of up to 30 minutes. There will be no Green Line service this weekend, meaning trains will not come as frequently as usual and transbay riders will need to transfer. Learn more about the bus bridge here and plan your trip using BART’s Trip Planner.  

Now keep reading to hear what’s happening this weekend.... 

For an in-depth listing of local events, visit the BARTable website. We publish a weekly event roundup, BARTable This Weekend, that highlights happenings around the region as well as cool contests and sweepstakes from our partners.     

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 23, 24, 25: Oakland Athletics play the Detroit Tigers at Oakland Coliseum 

Baseball season continues with three home games at Oakland Coliseum as the A’s face the Tigers. The Friday game (6:40pm start time) includes an Esteury Ruiz t-shirt giveaway; Saturday (1:07pm) is an MLB Network hat giveaway; and Sunday (1:07pm) is Kids Cheer Free, meaning A's fans ages 14 and under can root for the Green and Gold for free (For each regularly priced ticket purchase, adults can add up to two additional free tickets.)  

BART is the best way to get to the game. Read our guide on BARTable.  

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24: 26th Annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival  

This weekend, one of Contra Costa County’s largest festivals takes over downtown Lafayette for a weekend of food, wine, beer, art, and music. The 26th Annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival runs from 10am to 7pm on Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Admission and parking are free, and BART is just a short walk from the fest.  

Keep your eyes out for the BART booth, where staff will be on-hand to answer questions and hand out merch.  

One Book One BART: BART launches fall ‘23 book club with acclaimed novel by Oakland-based author 

On Monday, Sept. 18, BART announced the start of the One Book One BART Fall ‘23 Book Club. The novel strategy for rider and employee engagement follows on the heels of our first book club, which debuted last Spring with Hua Hsu’s Pulitzer-winning Stay True.   

This fall – from September 18 to early November – we’ll be reading On the Rooftop (Ecco) by Oakland-based author Margaret Wilkerson Sexton. On the Rooftop is a novel about a mother whose dream of musical stardom for her three daughters collides with their own aspirations, set against a backdrop of a gentrifying 1950s Fillmore District in San Francisco.    

We’ve programmed a series of events for employees and the public throughout the fall, including an author talk at our headquarters in Oakland early November and a Train Read-In (think roving book club-style discussions + trivia on a moving train) in October. We hope to see you there! 

Stay up to date with events and sign up for the mailing list at bart.gov/bookclub. 

Go Shopping, Take BART: Check out vintage and consignment shops near BART stations  

There are many hip vintage and consignment shops near our stations. Get on BART and update your autumn wardrobe without having to spend a pretty penny.  

Check out BARTable’s roundup of some of our favorite vintage and consignment shops here.  

Happy Riding this Weekend!     

We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains. 

Stay in touch by signing up for the BARTable This Weekend newsletter on the BARTable website – your one-stop shop for all things accessible by BART. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and  Instagram.  

Cosplayers dressed up as BART mascot Baylee pose for a photo during BART’s Meet the BART Anime Mascots event on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Powell St. Station. Photo courtesy of CP Productions.  

Riders spin the prize wheel, make buttons, and play games with Half Price Books at the One Book One BART Fall ‘23 Book Club kickoff event on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza.