As the Bay Area’s backbone public transit system, BART is rolling up its sleeves to make sure riders feel safe, to keep our trains cleaner than ever, and to provide the best service yet – from departure to destination.
View, download, and share our handout of this plan.
View, download, and share our 1 page version for commuters and employers.
Commitment to Safety & Security
- Ensuring BART Police are riding trains more, increasing their visibility, and keeping riders safe by doubling officer presence systemwide. Rider surveys show police presence increased 90% from quarter to quarter.
- Average response time is down to 4 minutes.
- Increased patrols are yielding results by deterring crime and quickly apprehending perpetrators when incidents occur.
- From May 2023 through October 2023 the number of trains negatively impacted by BPD incidents has fallen by more than 40%.
- Progressive policing approach uses unarmed Crisis Intervention Specialists, Ambassadors and Fare Inspectors for additional patrols with experts in de-escalation.
- 7% of calls have been diverted from police to an employee with training in social work.
- Recruiting for all vacant officer positions and adding 19 additional officer positions once vacancies filled.
Commitment to Address Safety Concerns
- Making trains even safer by running shorter trains.
- Maintaining 4,000+ surveillance cameras to minimize response time and hold suspects accountable.
- LED lighting installed on platforms and in parking facilities to eliminate dark corners.
- Conducting welfare checks for the unhoused and enforcing no drug use or smoking.
Commitment to New Fare Gates
- Taller, stronger fare gates to deter fare evasion will be installed.
- Pilot fare gates are installed at West Oakland. The next eight stations to get new fare gates are: Civic Center, Montgomery, Powell, 24th St, SFO, Fruitvale, Richmond, Antioch.
- Complete installation of 700+ new fare gates systemwide by the end of 2025.
- Fare gates added to enclose elevators to further reduce fare evasion.
Commitment to a Clean Ride
- Doubling the rate of deep cleaning on train cars.
- Running only new Fleet of the Future train cars.
- Adding nearly 66% more dedicated crews working to keep stations clean.
- Staffing restrooms at high-volume stations with attendants to guarantee cleanliness and safety.
Commitment to Adapt Service and Attract New Riders
- Our new schedule change brings our train deployment up to date by increasing emphasis on ridership growth opportunities and relying less on outdated commuting models.
- 50% increase in daily evening service.
- Eliminates 30-minute wait times on weekends and nights.
- Reduced platform wait times thanks to new scheduled transfers.
- Service on BART’s busiest weekday line, the Yellow Line, increases trains from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes from Pittsburg/Bay Point to get drivers off congested highways 4, 680, & 24.
- Trains arrive every 10 minutes from the Richmond and Berryessa lines. If heading to San Francisco, take an Orange Line train if it arrives first and transfer to a SF train.
- New schedule improves reliability and better serves SFO and OAK
- Customer On-Time performance has improved to 93%; timed transfers have improved to 80%
- Canceled trips nearly eliminated.
- We increased the Clipper START fare discount for low-income riders to 50%.
- Offering Clipper BayPass, where employers purchase all-you-can-ride transit passes for employees.
BART’s General Manager Bob Powers welcomes you back on board:
“If you haven’t tried BART in the last few months, I encourage you to ditch your car for the day. We’ve made many improvements. From easy app-based payment to new escalators at our busy downtown stations, we’re proud of the improvements we are making every day. Most importantly, we’ve made a commitment to a cleaner, safer ride that guarantees BART remains the safest way to travel.”
