BART

Atsushi Goto might be the biggest BART fan in Japan. In April, Atsushi flew to the Bay Area for just a day to attend BART's legacy fleet retirement party. He hadn't been in the Bay since 2001 when he was a 21-year-old university student touring the U.S. "I feared this was my last chance to see these trains. I could not wait any longer,” Atsushi said, speaking on a videocall from Japan. He never intended for his return to the Bay to take so many years, but between work and adult responsibilities, a return trip never came together. Atsushi couldn't take much time off from his work as an automobile designer, so he left Tokyo on Friday night, landed in SF on Friday afternoon (California is 16 hrs behind Tokyo), attended the legacy retirement party on Saturday, and then headed home that night. On his last ride, Atsushi took tons of photos, celebrated with fellow rail fans, and reflected on the 23-year-long ride that took him from his first spin on an original BART train to his final one that day. Before the train returned to the yard from Fremont Station, Atsushi “touched the train to thank it for its many years of service.” Below is a page from an old scrapbook Atsushi made after his U.S. trip. Read all about Atsushi and his whirlwind of a trip at https://lnkd.in/geDbR94G.

Last week, Calif. Governor Newsom proclaimed July Disability Pride Month. The month marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that was signed into law on July 26, 1990. More than 7% of BART riders have a disability, and BART is continuously working to make the system as easy to use as possible for every single person who rides and relies on us. Our work is ongoing. This month, BART will be celebrating riders with disabilities and the contributions they have made to our transportation system and region. We begin with the story of Harold Willson, originally published in 2022. A former coal miner in West Virginia, Willson forever changed the course of BART and public transportation in the US thanks to his tireless advocacy and belief that all riders -- regardless of physical ability -- should have access to transit. His story: https://lnkd.in/d5cK24_v Thanks to his efforts, BART was the first public transit system in the nation with accessible trains and stations. "There is a special personal pride in being the first handicapped person in a wheelchair to use a subway train,” Willson said in 1973. “I’ll never forget that sense of freedom I experienced as I boarded the BART train.” This #DisabilityPrideMonth, we salute Harold Willson for his tireless advocacy. BART would not be the same without him.

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, July 27, BART invites the public to Orinda Station for the BARTmobile’s 20th Birthday Party 🎉 . For two decades, the BARTmobile has been a fixture at local events and parades. By hosting a birthday party, we want honor its place in regional history and have an excuse to gather in a station to celebrate public transportation with our Bay Area community. Always wanted to ride in the BARTmobile? Here’s your chance! We’ll be giving members of the public free rides throughout the event. In addition to rides, you can expect: • Live DJ • Railgoods • pop-up shop (holiday merch cannot be preordered at the event, only online) • Carnival games • Face painting + temporary tattoos • Free cupcakes and kettle corn (we recommend eating lunch beforehand as no food will be sold) • Free BARTy stickers • Stamps for your BART Stamp Passport • And more family-friendly activities! The BARTmobile has quite a fun origin story, so we encourage you to brush up on your BARTy history by reading our article all about BART’s unique mascot: https://lnkd.in/gPbKQKE7 This event is part of BART’s engagement strategy to activate stations and encourage the public to ride our trains by showing off the many recent improvements we’ve made to the system. https://lnkd.in/gnBAD4R8

BART continued in 2023 to pioneer sustainability initiatives aimed at enhancing rider experience while prioritizing environmental stewardship. With a legacy rooted in forward-thinking transportation solutions, BART reaffirmed its commitment to reducing carbon footprints and advancing sustainable transit practices. The accomplishments of 2023 are detailed in the annual Sustainability Report, released today: https://lnkd.in/d8EhiuKS "BART’s sustainability efforts were all about innovation in 2023," said BART Board President Bevan Dufty. "We are dedicated to integrating creative solutions that not only improve the rider experience, our immediate priority, but also emphasize long-term sustainability." For more information on BART's sustainability initiatives and ongoing projects, visit bart.gov/sustainability.

Rebuilding BART’s core infrastructure is resulting in hundreds of fewer train delays and a boost in safety for riders. Those are some of the highlights of the just-released Measure RR Annual Report published by the program’s independent Bond Oversight Committee (BOC). The BOC’s independent oversight of the rebuilding program emphasizes cost-effectiveness, quality, and timeliness of work completion. The number of trains delayed due to outdated rail fell by more than 400 instances thanks to work that in some cases replaced track that had been in place since the start of BART service in 1972. Through March 2024, $1.81 billion of Measure RR funds have been invested in rebuilding projects. There are now 157 projects in planning, design, construction, or have been completed. A total of 61 projects are complete, including 13 projects that have been completed since the BOC issued its last annual report in 2023. Measure RR money spent, and work completed to this point, have exceeded initial expectations. Measure RR is a $3.5 billion bond measure to replace BART’s aging infrastructure that was approved by voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties in 2016. Read the 2024 Measure RR Annual Report: https://bit.ly/3LhLbpD

Today, BART released a new report that paints a bleak picture of a Bay Area without BART while highlighting the benefits of the transit system to the region with a wide range of metrics. BART’s Role in the Region Report aims to inform a regional conversation about the future of BART by describing its contributions to the Bay Area. It also provides predictions for how the Bay Area – its economic viability, traffic-choked roadways, cultural institutions, and more – will look without BART. “The Bay Area and our regional transportation network have undergone significant changes since BART last conducted a Role in the Region study in 2016," said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “The 2024 Role in the Region Report arrives at a crucial crossroads for BART and the region, and the data, analyses, and stories within will serve as an important educational resource for the pivotal years ahead.” The report contains insights into key topics, including changes in travel patterns and funding; BART’s holistic benefits to the Bay Area; and BART’s future using data visualizations, analyses, and storytelling. View the report and visit the project webpage at bart.gov/roleintheregion and find the press release https://lnkd.in/gcA9qnHr. --- Image Descriptions: 1. Role in the Region Report banner. 2. Regional traffic congestion would worsen without BART. Drivers could experience up to an additional 19 hours lost to congestion weekly. 3. Without BART, traffic could increase by 73% on the Bay Bridge and 22% in the Caldecott Tunnel during morning peak commute hours. 4. BART is significantly more affordable than driving. Example: Taking BART from West Dublin/Pleasanton Station to Embarcadero Station costs $14. Driving the same route costs $95, including gas, tolls, insurance, and maintenance.

Have yourself a BARTy little sweater – and vest and beanie and scarf. That’s right, we just kicked off the Railgoods.com BART Holiday Merch Pre-Sale, and this year, we have four brand new items to help you toast BART and the winter season. The heatwave’s over, the sweat on your brow has dried, your sunburn’s faded. It’s time to start shopping for knitwear. Get ‘em while it’s hot. Do you want to be sleighing in the Bay this winter? Preorder the new holiday goodies before this sled sails. The pre-sale is open on Railgoods.com now and will close July 31. Pre-sale items ship early November. If you miss the pre-sale, we will have sweaters and other holiday merch on hand in late November. But BART holiday sweaters always sell out, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Order now so you don’t have to DM us later asking if we can “strike up a deal” 🙄. We cannot. We will however give you a discount code. Use code 2024BARTholiday20 for $20 off holiday merch orders over $100 and 2024BARTholiday10 for $10 off holiday merch orders over $50. This is the first time we’ve offered discounts on holiday merch, and this is the lowest priced sweater we’ve ever sold (it’s also the least expensive holiday transit sweater in the Bay 👀).

A completely rebuilt escalator is now open at Powell St. Station, connecting the platform to the concourse level. This is the fourth platform escalator to reopen with more modern, reliable features at the showcase station; just one more platform escalator remains to be rebuilt at Powell St. and work is already underway. https://lnkd.in/g-qEQgyS

Today, BART Communications and the BART Art Program were thrilled to kick off the Board of Directors meeting with a poetry reading. Olivia Nguyen and Hunter Stoval (joining virtually from Wyoming)— two Teen Poetry Contest winners — stood up in front of the board to read their winning poems, and they dazzled! The reading was a joyous reminder that art and transit go together. bart.gov/bartlines

Elvis Presley loved his bubblegum pink Cadillac. Elvis Herselvis prefers a blue-and-white ride. Her vehicle is roomier than that Fleetwood Sixty Special, boasts twice as many wheels, and unlike that old gas guzzler, it runs on electricity. We’ll toss her the mic so she can say it herselvis: “My life would suck without BART.” For thirty years, Elvis Herselvis, the drag king persona of legendary drag performer, artist, and musician Leigh Crow, has taken BART to rehearsals, performances, bars, brunches, and her brother’s house in Richmond. We recently met up with her at MacArthur Station to take pics with photographer Patricia Chang – doesn’t Crow's silver suit look fab paired with a silver train? – and talk BART. --- Full story: https://lnkd.in/gvcZpV-A --- Some background: Crow is considered to be the world’s first female Elvis impersonator. She was also one of the first out lesbian performers to tour the southern U.S., said Ruby Vixen, Crow’s partner in life and performance. Vixen and Crow can regularly be seen on BART in “various states of drag,” and they’re proud of it. “It’s a signal boost that encourages everyone of every gender that drag is viable, and that you should feel safe and welcome to do it.” This weekend, look for Elvis Herselvis and Ruby Vixen on BART and enjoy what will certainly be a festive and celebratory ride. BART will be in the parade and Railgoods will be selling merch at the Civic Center Celebration (Sunday only). Check out our guide to Pride here: https://lnkd.in/g-6yQuSU