Why are BART trains shorter?

Shorter trains require fewer cars, allowing BART to run its service using only its new “Fleet of the Future” cars. The new BART trains, which have become more common in recent years, are cleaner, better lit and generally more pleasant to ride than the older trains.



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24 presentation (PDF) prepared for the board that running shorter trains will make the system safer by making it easier for police and non-uniformed personnel to patrol trains. Having denser passenger loads could also discourage “anti-social behavior,” BART says, and make it easier to keep trains clean.

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Q: Why doesn't BART run 24/7 or at least later on Friday and Saturday nights? A: The short window of time when BART isn't in operation is used for essential nightly track maintenance to help keep BART safe and reliable.

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Factoring in these new state budget funds, assuming MTC commissioners adopt the staff recommendation in mid-November 2023, BART must now solve a $326M deficit before FY28. It was previously $678M. BART would then face and annual operating deficit of $264M starting in FY28.

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The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is a heavy-rail public transit system that connects the San Francisco Peninsula with communities in the East Bay and South Bay.

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Taking BART, he noted, is also faster than driving the highly trafficked highways into San Francisco. “Being on BART makes me feel relieved. It's way more stressful driving,” he said. “It's tough commuting this far, but public transit makes it more manageable.”

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When it rains, BART also alters its computer programs to slow the acceleration of trains in certain areas to prevent them from spinning their wheels. But those delays, he said, are typically less than 30 seconds. It's nothing that would be noticed by passengers, he said.

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BART agency is on par with similar agencies. In Philadelphia its lower 66-percent, and in Boston higher marks 73-percent. But when it comes to train cleanliness, BART isn't doing as well. Just 62-percent of riders give BART a satisfactory rating.

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Seats are scrubbed with hot water and disinfectant soap during a thorough clean. BART recently increased the frequency of thorough cleans from every 900 hours of train car service to every 450 hours, meaning we've doubled the number of times the cars in our system undergo a deep clean.

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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.”

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