File:BART.jpgA westbound BART train in downtown San Francisco (wide-angle photo).
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District is a special governmental agency created by the State of California in 1949[1] consisting of Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and San Francisco County. It is governed by an elected Board of Directors, and each of the nine directors represents a specific geographic area within the BART district. BART has its own police force.
While the district includes all of the cities and communities in its jurisdiction, some of these cities do not have stations on the BART system. This has caused tensions in places like Livermore which pay BART taxes but receive no BART service. In addition, in areas like Fremont, the majority of commuters do not commute in the direction that BART would take them (many Fremonters commute to San Jose, where there is currently no BART service). This particular instance of the problem should be alleviated with the BART-to-San Jose extension project.
However, some cities and towns are very near to cities with BART stations, so residents may commute via a bus or car, then BART. Emeryville, for instance, has no BART service, but has a free shuttle service (the Emery-Go-Round) that takes passengers to nearby MacArthur BART station.
BART system details
In 2004, ridership on BART averaged about 315,000 every weekday. [2][3][4]
As of the June 22, 2003, opening date of the extension to San Francisco International Airport and Millbrae, the BART system comprises 104 miles (167 km) of track and 43 stations. BART uses a non-standard 5 feet, 6 inch (1.676 m) rail gauge (broad gauge). This unusual gauge was selected to provide greater stability (including on a planned Golden Gate Bridge route) and a smoother ride for its relatively lightweight aluminum and fiberglass cars, as well as for political and economic reasons.
Trains achieve a maximum speed of 80 mph (129 km/h), and provide a systemwide average speed of 33 mph (53 km/h) between stations, with 20-second station dwell times. Trains operate at a minimum length of three cars (per California Public Utilities Commission guidelines) to a maximum length of 10 cars, spanning the entire 700-foot length of a platform. Trains in the BART system are also referred to as "consists"; both words are interchangeable.
The BART system operates five lines, but most of the network consists of more than one line on the same track. Trains on each line typically run every 15 minutes on weekdays and 20 minutes during the evenings, weekends and holidays. As of August 2005, BART service begins around 4:00 a.m. on weekdays, 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. Service ends every day at Midnight or later (station closings timed to last train at station). [5]
Unlike most other rapid transit and rail systems around the world, BART lines are referred to by their final destination instead of the color that identifies them on official system maps.
A cars have a fiberglass operator's cab with equipment to control the train and BART's two-way communication system. They are made to be leading or trailing cars only.
A cars can comfortably seat 72 passengers, and under crush load can hold 150 passengers.
Currently, BART operates 137 A Cars
B Cars
B cars have no operator's cab, and are used in the middle of trains to carry passengers.
B cars have the same passenger capacity as A cars (72 comfortable/150 crush load)
C Cars File:PEP BART.jpgThe BART C Car has been made into a toy that fits the BRIO wooden train sets.
C cars have the same fiberglass operator's cab and control and communications equipment as A cars, but unlike A cars, can act as a middle car as well. The dual purpose of the C cars allow train sizes to be changed without having to move a train to a switching yard.
C cars can comfortably seat 64 passengers, and under crush load can fit 150 passengers.
Currently, BART operates 150 C cars.
C2 Cars
C2 Cars are essentially the same as C cars, but have a newer, third-generation interior. They feature a blue/grey motif as compared to the older blue or brown colors. C2 cars feature flip-up seats near side exit/entry doors to accommodate passengers in wheelchairs. Red lights on posts near the door warn hearing-impaired passengers when doors are about to close.
C2 cars can comfortably seat 68 passengers, and under crush load can carry 150 passengers.
Currently, BART operates 82 C2 cars.
BART cars have upholstered seats and many cars have carpeting, although this is being removed for maintenance reasons and due to the prevalence of bicycles on trains. One of the design goals of BART was that all passengers would have a seat. Therefore, many of the older cars have poor provisions for standees, such as few vertical grab bars. Newer cars have more grab bars, fewer seats facing each other, and flip up seats to accommodate wheelchairs and bicycles. However, unlike many urban transit systems, hand straps are not to be found on BART.
The two door cars often cause extended wait times at stations as passengers must negotiate groups of standees in order to exit or enter the train. To speed up service, BART is planning to introduce new three door cars. [6]
Cost and budget
Average Speed
33 mph
Total System Miles
104 miles
2004 statistics
Total Number of Vehicles
680
Initial system cost
$1.6 billion
Equivalent cost in 2004 $
$15 billion
Hourly passenger capacity
15'000
Maximum daily capacity
360'000
Expected daily ridership
300'000
Annual gross fare income
$237.77 million
Annual expenses
$396.5 million
Annual profits
-$138 million
Rail cost/passenger mile
29.29 cents
BART's initial cost was 1.6 billion dollars, which includes the basic system and the Transbay Tube. But taking inflation into account, this would be valued at 15 billion dollars in 2004.
Every year BART loses about 140 million dollars (after fares). About 63% of the operating costs go to labor, about 7.6% goes to "traction" and station power, and 17% goes to "Other non-labor".
Only 52% of the budget comes from fares, 44% comes from taxes, and the other 4% comes from "Other revenue" - presumably advertising and leasing station space to vendors. However, its farebox recovery rate is considered very high for a US public transport operator, at over 65%. It is often favorably compared to the rates of the nearby Caltrain diesel commuter rail operation, and presented as an argument that BART ought to be extended, eventually all around the bay.
Starting in 1995 and continuing until 2002, the 439 original Rohr cars were "rehabed" or overhauled by ADtranz and later by Bombardier who bought ADtranz.
Fares
Fares on BART are comparable to that of commuter rail systems, and are higher than that of most metros, especially for long trips. The fare is based on a formula that takes into account the length and speed of the trip. A surcharge is added for trips traveling through the Transbay Tube, to San Francisco International Airport, or through San Mateo County (which is not a BART member). Passengers use paper farecards or the Translink smart card to enter and exit the system. Paper farecards are sold at all stations through ticket vending machines and at special events by human vendors. Passengers without enough fare to complete their journey may add fare in order to exit the station.
The minimum fare is $1.40, charged for trips under six miles, and the maximum fare is $7.65 for the 51 mile journey between Pittsburg/Bay Point and San Francisco International Airport (consisting of the regular fare and all possible surcharges). There are odd quirks in the fare system due to a subsidy being provided to riders traveling between some outlying stations. In some instances, such as a trip from Dublin/Pleasanton to Fremont, it is less expensive to exit the station at the transfer point (in this case, Bay Fair) and re-enter the station instead of staying on the platform (two $1.40 base fares being deducted instead of a $3.90 fare from end to end).
Unlike most transit systems in the United States, BART does not have an unlimited ride pass available. The only discount provided to the general public is a 6.25% discount when "high value tickets" are purchased with a fare value of $32 or more. A 62.5% discount is provided to seniors, the disabled, and children 5 to 12, while middle and high school students 13 to 18 are provided with a 50% discount. To receive these discounts, special tickets must be purchased at selected vendors and not at ticket machines.
Fares are enforced via the station agent, who monitors activity at the fare gates adjacent to the window and at other fare gates through closed circuit television. All stations are staffed with at least one agent at all times. Despite this, fare fraud occasionally occurs, usually consisting of people jumping the fare gates.
There is little fare coordination between BART and surrounding agencies. Some agencies accept the BART Plus pass, which at a fee of between $42 and $46 per month, permits pass holders to use BART and connecting buses. Most notably, AC Transit dropped out of the program due to the small amount of reimbursement they received from BART. Aside from that, there is only a token discount (25 to 50 cents) provided to passengers transferring to and from trains. One program of fare coordination is that adult monthly pass holders of the San Francisco Municipal Railway can ride BART trains within the City of San Francisco for free (with no credit applied to trips outside the City). The City pays BART 87 cents for each trip taken under this arrangement. [7]
The automated system
BART was the first US system of any size to have substantial automated operations. The trains are computer-controlled via BART's Operations Control Center (OCC) at the Lake Merritt station and headquarters, and generally arrive with regular punctuality. Train operators are present to make announcements, close doors, and operate the train in case of unforeseen difficulties.
A fairly common problem with the automation is the appearance of "ghost trains," trains that show on the computer system as being in a specific place, but don't physically exist. Under such circumstances, trains must be operated manually and are restricted to a speed of 25 mph (~40 km/h). Such system artifacts are usually cleared quickly enough to avoid significant delay, but occasionally some can cause an extended backup of manually operated trains in the system.[8]
As a first generation system, BART's automation was plagued with numerous operational problems during its first years of service. Shortly before revenue service began an on-board electronics failure caused one empty 2-car test train, dubbed the "Fremont Flyer" to run off the end of the platform at its namesake station into a parking lot (there were no injuries). When revenue service began, “ghost trains” were common and real trains could at times disappear from the system, usually because of dew on the tracks. In addition, the fare card system was easily hackable with equipment commonly found in universities.
During this shakedown period there were several episodes where trains had to be manually run and signaled via station agents communicating by phone. This caused a great outcry in the press and led to a flurry of litigation among some of the original controls contractors, and public battles between the state government (advised by University of California professor Dr. Bill Wattenburg), federal government, and the district, but in time these problems were resolved and BART became a reliable service. BART does not operate two-car trains for this reason, even though it is operationally feasible.
BART compared with other rail transit systems
Like many late-20th centurytransit systems, BART's primary goal was to connect outlying suburbs with job centers in Oakland and San Francisco by paralleling established commute routes on the region's freeway system. It was not intended to provide a dense level of service such as the New York City Subway or the London Underground. Muni does provide a local rail service in San Francisco, though and is comparable to other urban areas. BART could be refered to as a "commuter subway" since it functions like a commuter rail system as it runs on a few longer-distance lines out to the far reaches of suburbia (with widely spaced stations), while also operating like a typical subway system in San Francisco and downtown Oakland.
Most suburban stations are park and rides spaced at distances of typically at least 2 miles (3 km) apart. Suburban stations generally offer free parking and therefore are often filled to capacity during the peak hours. To raise revenue, BART has begun charging for parking at selected stations.
Urban stations are roughly one-half mile (800 m) apart and have combined 2.5 to 5 minute service intervals at peak times. As such, some sources consider BART to be more of a regional commuter service. However, BART does possess all of the features of a true metro system, including electrified third rail propulsion, exclusive (grade-separated) right-of-way, frequent headway service and pre-paid fare card access. Thus many consider it more of a hybrid metro-commuter system, functioning more as a metro in the central business districts of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, and as commuter rail in outlying areas.
Connecting rail and bus transit services
BART has direct connections to two regional rail services; Caltrain (which provides service between San Francisco, San José, and Gilroy) at the Millbrae Station, and Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains (which runs from Sacramento to San José) at the Richmond and Oakland Coliseum/Airport stations. A third Capitol Corridor connection at the Union City station is being studied, as is a new rail service to connect that station to various Peninsula destinations via the Dumbarton rail bridge. (BART is also the managing agency for the Capital Corridor. [9])
In addition, BART connects to San Francisco's local light rail system, the Muni Metro. The upper track level of BART's Market Street subway, originally designed for the lines to San Mateo and Marin Counties, was turned over to Muni and both share the Embarcadero, Montgomery Street, Powell and Civic Center stations. In addition, some Muni Metro lines connect with (or pass by) the BART system at the Balboa Park and Glen Park stations. There is fare coordination between Muni and BART in that Muni monthly pass holders are permitted to use BART for free within San Francisco city limits and BART passengers can purchase an add-on pass for a half month that allows unlimited rides on Muni.
A rapid transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area was first proposed in 1946 by Bay Area business leaders concerned with increased post-war migration and congestion in the region. An Army-Navy task force concluded that another trans-bay crossing would soon be needed to relieve congestion on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The idea of an underwater electric rail tube was deemed the best solution in conjunction with a multiple-county rapid transit rail system.
In fact, much of BART's current territory was earlier covered by the Key System, an electrified streetcar (light rail) network that had its origins in the 1900s and ran across the lower deck of the Bay Bridge when it first opened; however, this system was removed in the 1950s due to the combined pressures of declining ridership, the automotive industry and highway planners.
However, it was not until the 1950s that the actual planning for a rapid transit system would begin. In 1951, California Legislature created the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission to study the Bay Area's long term transportation needs. The commission's 1957 final recommended that the cheapest solution to reduce traffic tie-ups was to form a rapid transit district, that would build and operate a high-speed rapid rail system linking the cities with the suburbs.
Acting on the recommendations, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District was formed, comprising of the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo.
By 1961, a final plan for the new system was sent to the supervisors of the five counties within the BART district for approval. Each county approved the system except for San Mateo County. Instead, the San Mateo County supervisors voted to opt out of the district, citing the high costs and the already existing adequate service provided by Southern Pacific commuter trains. A year later, Marin County was also forced to withdraw because the engineering feasibility of carrying trains across the Golden Gate Bridge was under dispute. Plus, Marin County's tax base could not adequately pay for its share of BART's projected cost.
Enormous construction tasks were at hand, including underground rail sections below downtown Oakland and Market Street in San Francisco, a 3.5 mile (5.6 km) tunnel through the Berkeley Hills, and the 3.6 mile (5.8 km) Transbay Tube between Oakland and San Francisco, which was lowered to the bottom of the San Francisco Bay by a small armada of construction vessels. The tube is the worlds longest and deepest immersed tunnel and was constructed in 57 sections. It was completed in August 1969 at a cost of $180 million.
BART began regular passenger service on September 11, 1972. President Richard Nixon rode the system on September 27, 1972. The Transbay Tube opened nearly two years later on September 16, 1974, completing the original system, which had four branches extending to Daly City, Concord, Richmond, and Fremont stations.
In January 1979, an electrical fire broke out on a train traveling in the Transbay Tube, killing one firefighter. Service was halted for over two months. The trains were more flammable than permitted by current code. Since then, BART holds regular fire drills and has used fire-resistant seating in its trains.
In the aftermath of the 1989Loma Prieta earthquake, most of the major freeways were too damaged for car travel, but the BART system was specially designed to withstand earthquakes. Six hours after the quake, the trains were operational, and BART became the sole form of transportation for most of the Bay Area, including the shipment of relief supplies to the more damaged areas of San Francisco and Oakland. Nonetheless, the trains are routinely halted for several hours following minor earthquakes while maintenance crews inspect tracks, over- and undercrossings and tunnels for damage before service is restored.
Extensions to the original system were made possible by a regional agreement under which San Mateo County contributed $200M to East Bay extensions as
a way of buying into the BART system, without joining the BART district.
Service to North Concord/Martinez began on December 16, 1995. Service to Colma began on February 24, 1996. Service to Pittsburg/Bay Point began on December 7, 1996. Service to Castro Valley and Dublin/Pleasanton began on May 10, 1997.
BART has a unionized work force that went on strike for six days in 1997, causing great inconvenience to the public. In its 2001 negotiations, BART unions won 24 percent wage increases over four years, and continuing generous benefits for employees and retirees. Another threatened strike on July 6, 2005 was averted by a last-minute agreement between management and the unions.
The San Francisco International Airport extension
A $1.5 billion extension of BART southward to San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) Garage G, next to the International Terminal, was completed in June 2003. Ground was broken in November 1997, and the extension added four new stations in South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae (with a cross-platform connection to Caltrain, the first of its kind west of the Mississippi River), and SFO. The project encompasses 8.7 miles (14 km) of new rail track, of which 6.1 miles (9.8 km) is subway, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) is aerial, and 1.4 miles (2.2 km) is at-grade.
[10][11]
However, problems have plagued this extension since it opened. To date, it has drawn far fewer riders than anticipated. Many commuters find it faster to take Caltrain from Millbrae to downtown San Francisco instead because that system has a more direct route, despite the need to transfer to (and pay an extra fare on) MUNI's N-Judah line to reach downtown. Secondly, since San Mateo County is not part of the BART district and does not pay taxes directly to the district, the San Mateo County Transit District is responsible for the extension's operating costs. The extension had been projected to be financially self-sufficient, but this expectation has turned out to be unrealistic. Thus, service along the extension has been changed four times. [12] Service has been reduced from eight trains per hour to four trains per hour on the extension. Critics contend that the SFO Airport Extension was merely a cover for the goal of BART around the bay, which will most likely result in the elimination of Caltrain.
System expansion and extensions of the BART system
Warm Springs extension
A 5.4-mile extension of BART southward past Fremont to the Warm Springs District in southern Fremont, with an optional station at Irvington between the Fremont and Warm Springs stations, is in the planning and engineering stage by BART planning staff. A further, controversial extension towards San Jose is also proposed by the transit district south of BART, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, but preliminary engineering remains to be completed and funding to be acquired. [13][14]
Oakland Airport Connector
Procurement is currently underway for a people mover that would directly connect the Coliseum station to the terminal buildings at Oakland International Airport. This connection would physically resemble the AirTrain connection to New York City's JFK Airport, in that passengers would leave standard subway cars at a nearby station and enter a specialized people mover to reach the airport itself. However, unlike the AirTrain, the Oakland Airport Connector will be operated by BART, and integrated into the BART fare system, with standard BART ticket gates located at the entrance to the station at the Airport end of the people mover. Construction of this extension is expected to start in 2007, with revenue service expected by 2011. [15]
eBART
eBART calls for diesel multiple unit train service to be implemented from the existing Pittsburg/Bay Point station (with cross-platform transfers) east along the Highway 4 corridor to the east Contra Costa town of Byron, with the future possibility of service to Tracy, in the San Joaquin Valley. New stations would be located in Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, and Byron. Another option would be that of having a Caltrain-like service on the existing Union Pacific right-of-way from North Concord to Brentwood and beyond to Tracy and Stockton. [16][17]
The extension of BART rail to Tracy is considered unlikely, as San Joaquin County, where Tracy is located, is not part of the nine Bay Area counties, and does not pay into the regional BART tax. Additionally, an extension of third-rail BART over such a distance would be prohibitively expensive.
I-80/West Contra Costa Corridor
A corridor study of extending the service north from the Richmond BART & Amtrak Station. [18] Options include:
Commuter rail service utilizing light-weight diesel multiple units (DMU) to operate on existing (or new) rail trackage. In order to operate on existing tracks with freight service, heavier-weight DMU vehicles adhering to Federal Railroad Administration regulations would need to be used. Known as wBART; similar to eBART.
Create a commuter rail service running from the BART terminus along the Amtrak line to Hercules and possibly Fairfield in Solano County, similar to the Caltrain or ACE train.
Extend BART to a North Richmond station near the Richmond Trainyard at 13th Street/Rumrill Avenue and Market Street, then tunnel under Rumrill to a San Pablo station adjacent to Contra Costa College and the International Marketplace (formerly El Portal) shopping center at San Pablo Avenue and Broadway, then continue to Interstate 80 until the Richmond Parkway to the proposed Hilltop station.
Infill stations
BART has either planned--or studied the idea of--infill stations for three locations within the system:
30th Street Mission: Planned for San Francisco between 24th Street Mission and Glen Park stations, the station was estimated to cost approximately $500 million to construct. [19][20][21][22]
Jack London Square: This infill station in Oakland was studied and rejected as being incompatible with existing track geometry. Also studied were a one-station stub line to Jack London Square at the foot of Broadway and the utilization of other transit modes. [23][24]
West Dublin/Pleasanton: Planned for the median of I-580 just west of I-680, between Castro Valley and Dublin/Pleasanton stations, this station is expected to cost $71.5 million, with funding coming from a unique public-private partnership and the proceeds of planned transit-oriented development (TOD) on adjacent BART-owned property. Originally planned as a third station on the Dublin-Pleasanton extension (DPX), which opened in May1997, the station's foundation, along with some communication and train control facilities, already exist on-site; construction is expected to commence in January 2007. [25]
Awards
In 2004 BART was named the #1 Transit System in America by the American Public Transportation Association. It beat out such systems as New York City's MTA, the 2001 winner, and Denver's Regional Transportation District, the 2003 winner.[26]
