Try Transit | 511 Contra Costa

BART Keeps Improving

If you haven’t ridden BART in a while, you might not be aware of the changes they’ve made to improve the customer experience and increase ridership. Riders are fans of the improvements – overall ridership is up more than 9% over 2023 and BART’s most recent customer satisfaction rating was 81%.

BART has made improvements in a variety of areas, including cleanliness, safety, accessibility, and reliability. Here’s a snapshot of what they’ve done:

Cleaning and Safety

In fall 2023, BART launched its Safe and Clean Plan to keep trains cleaner, make sure riders feel safe, and provide exceptional service. BART doubled the rate of deep cleaning on train cars, retired all older trains, and added nearly 66% more cleaning crews. They also installed LED lighting on platforms and in parking facilities to eliminate dark corners, and staffed station restrooms at high-volume stations with attendants, to guarantee cleanliness and safety.

BART also doubled the presence of BART Police officers throughout the system and allocated more of their time to riding the trains. The increased patrols have already helped deter crime, aid in apprehending suspects, and enforce the BART Code of Conduct. The number of trains delayed by unwanted behavior dropped nearly 40% from May to October 2023, and more riders than ever say they are seeing BART PD on their trips.

BART also uses unarmed Crisis Intervention Specialists, Ambassadors, and Fare Inspectors for additional patrols. As a result, 7% of calls have been diverted from police to an employee with training in social work.

Fleet of the Future Trains for All Trips

In September 2023, BART began running Fleet of the Future trains exclusively as part of their reimagined schedule. The change means an upgrade to the rider experience and greatly improved on-time performance, since the new trains are much more reliable than legacy trains.

The implementation of BART’s reimagined schedule delivered a number of other benefits. In addition to a 50% increase in evening service, the wait time between trains became 20 minutes or less – no matter the hour of the day or day of the week. Service on the Yellow Line, BART’s busiest weekday line, also increased from trains every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes from Pittsburg/Bay Point Station.

Clipper-Only Fare Payment

In December, BART completed the move to a Clipper-only fare payment system. Clipper is accepted by all Bay Area transit agencies, and many of them offer discounted fares for using Clipper. The ‘tag in, tag out’ system allows riders to move through fare gates faster than the old paper tickets, plus riders can set up their Clipper card account to reload automatically.

One of the biggest advantages in BART moving to Clipper-only is the ability to efficiently provide discounted fares to qualifying riders based on age, income, and disability. Clipper offers Youth, Senior, RTC, and START cards. The Clipper START card provides low-income riders 50% off single-ride transit fares throughout the Bay Area.

Improved Fare Gates

BART has begun the process of installing brand-new fare gates systemwide. The first prototype gates have already gone into service at West Oakland station, and Richmond and Antioch stations will receive new fare gates in summer 2024. The new gates offer a variety of benefits:

  • Accessibility – Gates can detect wheelchair users and those with luggage, strollers, or bikes to ensure they get through with ease. LED lighting assists visually impaired riders.
  • Safety – The new fare gates have tall swing barriers, making them more difficult to push through, jump over, or climb under.
  • Expanded Payment Compatibility – The new gates will be compatible with the next generation of Clipper, which will allow payment by debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Try Riding BART with a Free $25 Clipper Card

With all the improvements to the system, it’s worth taking a ride on BART. And if you currently commute by driving alone, you can try it for free. Just request a complimentary $25 Clipper card through 511 Contra Costa’s Try Transit program. The offer is available to commuters 18+ who live or work in Contra Costa County.

A Map of California Rail (2013)

california rail map
Bay Area rail lines– more extensive than you thought, huh? Screen grab via: California Rail Map
It’s not hard to access a map of California’s highway system– from google maps to regional maps, highways are visible and this comes as no surprise. What is surprising however, is that it is only now has someone compiled a map of California’s extensive (and growing) rail system.
The team at California Rail Map has put together a map of California featuring:  Amtrak, BART, Muni, VTA, Caltrain, Altamont Commuter Express, Sacramento Regional Transit, NCTD, San Diego Trolley, LA Metro, and Metrolink (in addition to key bus and ferry connections between rail services).
The end result – a rather impressive map – highlights many possible ways to explore California’s gold, car-free!
For more information, head over to California Rail Map’s website.  And rail enthusiasts who just can’t get enough, make sure to check California Rail Map out on facebook for more impressive maps, infographics, and conversation about high-speed rail.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to download your own California Rail Map.
 

Students can "Try Transit" with Wheels

Is there anything more frustrating than the predictable snarl of traffic around schools in the morning and afternoon. Does it start to seem like every car is an enormous SUV, each waiting to pick up a single tiny kid?
To soothe your commute, Wheels is offering kids FREE rides during the second and third week of school, August 19 through September 9.
The program, in its 11th year, introduces young riders to their local transportation system and provides them with a convenient, eco-friendly way to get to school and to after school activities. Free rides will be available to all middle and high school students on all fixed route and school tripper route service 1.
Students simply need to show the bus driver their valid school issued identification card to ride the bus for free during the promotion. Wheels’ school tripper service focuses on bringing students to and from school from the surrounding neighborhoods. Schedules will be available online prior to the start of the school year. Continue reading “Students can "Try Transit" with Wheels”