BART | Contra Costa Herald

Masks once again required on BART

April 28, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

After judge in Florida tossed out federal mask mandate for public transit systems and airlines

The BART Board of Directors at its meeting today, Thursday, April 28, 2022, approved a temporary amendment to the District’s Code of Conduct to require riders to wear masks in paid areas of the system with limited exceptions. This requirement applies to trains and all portions of stations beyond the fare gates. Children ages two and under as well as people with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing masks are exempt from the mandate. The rule is effective until July 18, 2022, unless it is extended by the BART Board.

“I strongly support requiring a mask to ride BART to keep all our riders safe,” said BART Board President Rebecca Saltzman. “I’m especially concerned for our riders who are immunocompromised, people with underlying health conditions, and children under the age of five who are not yet eligible for vaccination.”

The update to the Code of Conduct comes after a federal judge in Florida earlier this month tossed out a federal mask mandate for public transit systems and airlines. Like other Bay Area transit agencies, BART’s previous mask mandate had been based on the now former TSA directive.

“It is essential the BART Board take action to protect our riders and employees after the surprising ruling that threw out the federal mandate,” said BART Board Vice President Janice Li. “Wearing masks helps to protect everyone, which is especially important now as COVID cases rise in the Bay Area.”

Free masks are available at station agent booths and from all safety staff for those who need one. As with the previous federal mandate, BART PD will continue its education-based enforcement of the mask requirement by offering free masks to anyone who needs one before taking any enforcement action which could include a citation up to $75 or being ejected from the paid area.

Throughout the pandemic BART has prioritized the safety of riders. BART has installed MERV 14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) air filters on all train cars new and old. These filters are dense enough to trap the virus and provide an extra layer of protection to our riders. Air is replaced every 70 seconds onboard cars mixing filtered air with fresh air. That means the circulation on BART train cars is better than most offices. In addition, all BART employees are fully vaccinated.

During redistricting process BART Director Simon removed from board after moving outside of current district last year

March 12, 2022 By Publisher 1 Comment

2011 BART District 7 Map, shaded in yellow, showng area of Simon’s residence (in red circle) near the MacArthur Station, just outside the district. Source: BART.gov. Circle and arrow added by The Herald.

Says she was assured by district staff her new Oakland residence was within District 7; seat now vacant

“advice Director Simon…was provided was from individuals that report directly to the BART Board…not the General Manager’s Office. It appears bad advice may have been given…The residency issue was reported to my Office last Thursday, March 3, 2022.” – GM Powers

Director Dufty, Board VP Li want to bring back Simon or be appointed by the Board

Lateefah Simon. Source: Akonadi Foundation website

By Allen D. Payton

Following the BART board’s adoption of new redistricting maps on Thursday, March 10, 2022, BART announced it was determined as of Wednesday, the BART District 7 Board of Director seat is vacant. BART staff has confirmed Lateefah Simon has moved outside the boundaries of District 7. Based on state law, this move disqualifies her from serving as a BART Director of District 7 which includes Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo and a portion of El Cerrito in western Contra Costa County, and parts of Alameda and San Francisco counties.

A mother of two daughters and legally blind, Simon moved last year from her home in Richmond to an apartment complex adjacent to the MacArthur BART station.

According to a report by Bay City News, “Simon said in a statement to supporters that she moved from her previous residence last year due to threats her family received as a result of her support for police reform” and that she was assured by district staff that her new residence was within the District 7 boundaries.

Simon was first elected to the BART Board of Directors on November 8, 2016 and was reelected in 2020. She served as President of the BART Board in 2020.

Efforts to reach Simon for comment were unsuccessful Friday.

According to the BART press release issued on Friday, BART will now follow the procedures for filling a board vacancy including a public application process. The BART Board of Directors has 60 days to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. Ultimately, voters will choose a permanent successor. BART staff will post complete details outlining the process, qualifications, and application in the coming days here on our website.

Questions for BART Staff, Directors

An email was sent early Friday afternoon to the BART Communications Department asking, “Why did it take the district’s staff a year to determine that Ms. Simon had moved outside of District 7? Did she provide her new address to staff at that time? If so, did staff check the boundary lines to ensure Ms. Simon’s new residence was within the boundary of her district? She’s now claiming district staff assured her that her new residence in Oakland…adjacent to the MacArthur Station was inside her district. Is that true? Was this a result of the latest redistricting process and staff discovered they had made a mistake last year?”

In addition, BART staff was asked, “If Ms. Simon wasn’t legally allowed to be on the board as the District 7 member, are all the votes she took since she moved to her new residence voided? Were there any 5-4 votes in which she was in the majority? If so, what were they and might those have to be voided and new votes taken?”

Finally, they were asked to provide a more detailed map for District 7 which was adopted in 2011 that identifies the exact boundary lines between District 7 and District 3.

BART Media Relations Manager James Allison responded, “The extent of the information we are able to provide at this time is contained in this website article,” the information from which is included above.

The same questions were then emailed to the remaining eight members of the Board of Directors.

General Manager Issues Comments on District 7 BART Board Vacancy

However, BART General Manager Bob Powers issued the following statement about the issue early Friday evening:

“Lateefah Simon has been a champion for BART and our riders. The determination that her seat had to be vacated is horribly unfortunate.

I understand there are many questions about how this situation could have occurred. I have some of the same questions. While I know that Director Simon was open, honest, and proud about her home at the MacArthur Transit Oriented Development, I am not able to speculate about any advice she was provided by BART’s board-appointed District Secretary.

According to BART’s Legal Department, state law requires BART Board Members to live in the district they represent, and if a Director moves outside of the district, the seat is vacated.

To prevent this situation from occurring in the future I’m committed to working with the District Secretary’s Office to ensure that when a director chooses to relocate, they will know if the new address falls within their existing district boundaries.

If I had the ability to return Lateefah to the BART Board, I would immediately.

As the leader of this organization, I understand that any issues regarding BART’s performance ultimately falls to me. However, the advice Director Simon indicated she was provided was from individuals that report directly to the BART Board, and not the General Manager’s Office. It appears bad advice may have been given to Director Simon, and on behalf of the District, I wholeheartedly apologize for that.

The residency issue was reported to my Office last Thursday, March 3, 2022. Upon being notified, we immediately reported the concern to the General Counsel’s Office and the District Secretary’s Office. The General Counsel’s Office then confirmed Director Simon’s address and made the determination that the District 7 seat was vacant.

BART needs more voices like Lateefah and I am saddened she is no longer a board member. I will follow the Board’s direction and assist however needed to fill the District 7 seat.”

BART Director Foley Asks Legal Counsel to Answer Questions

District 2 Director Mark Foley responded by saying, “I forwarded the questions to BART’s legal counsel and District Secretary’s Office to work together to answer them. Does it invalidate or does it not? We won’t know until an election expert looks it.”

Director Dufty, Board VP Li Ask GM About Returning Simon or Appointing to Board

District 9 Director Bevan Dufty responded by sharing a letter he and District 8 Director and Board Vice President Janice Li sent to GM Powers on Friday writing, “Happy to share this letter on behalf of myself and Director Li.”

In the letter they ask Powers to enlist the help of expert outside legal counsel to determine either Simon’s “legal right to return or her ability to be appointed by the Board of Directors.”

“Dear GM Powers:

We have seen an outpouring of dismay, anger, and disappointment that Director Lateefah Simon was vacated from her seat without an acknowledgement of multiple specific points of failure that led to absolutely believe she was moving into a residence that was within BART District 7.

We recognize that there is a 60-day window for BART’s Board of Directors to appoint a Director for District 7, but we cannot support moving forward a fair and just appointments process unless and until we have pursued all legal remedies and options that would allow the person who was elected by the people of District 7 to continue representing those constituents.

For the sake of transparency and good faith, we believe that expert outside counsel should be enlisted immediately to help BART and the public determine either her legal right to return or her ability to be appointed by the Board of Directors. We also urge BART to develop a plan to determine and address the points of failure.

We unequivocally support Director Simon and we, therefore, support every legal avenue she has to retain her seat and serve her constituents and the entirety of the BART District.”

Dufty was asked via email late Friday night if they sent the letter to Powers before he issued his comments. He responded on Monday afternoon March 14, “I believe our letter was first.”

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

BART board approves new redistricting map dividing Contra Costa into four districts

March 11, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

BART 2022 Adopted Redistricting Map. Source: BART.gov

On March 10, 2022, the BART Board of Directors voted to approve a final redistricting map for the nine districts which will affect elections for the next 10 years. View the presentation for the 3/10/22 board meeting

According to the Map Plan E2 Description, “This plan presents districts with varying levels of similarity to the current BART districts. The greatest change is in District 7 with only 27.9% of its current population remaining in District 7. The next district to show major changes is District 3 with 31.3% of its current population remaining in the proposed Plan E2, District 3.

District 4 maintains 48.8% of its current population. District 1 maintains greater than 75% of its current population. Districts 5, 8, and 9 maintain greater than 81% of their current populations. The districts most similar to the current boundaries are District 2 with 91.4% of its current population and District 6 with 95.6% of its current population.”

Most of Contra Costa County is now in Districts 1, 2 and 3, with portions of San Ramon in District 5.

BART 2022 District 1 map. Source: BART.gov

District 1

District 1 is in Contra Costa County and includes the Southern portion of the City of Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Town of Danville, the Northern part of the City of San Ramon, City of Lafayette, the Southern part of the City of Concord, including Cowell, Four Corners, and Meinert, City of Moraga, City of Orinda, and City of Clayton.

BART Stations included in District 1: Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre and Concord (shared with District 2)

BART 2022 District 2 map. Source: BART.gov

District 2

District 2 is in Contra Costa County and includes the City of Pittsburg, City of Antioch, City of Brentwood, City of Oakley, the Northeastern part of the City of Concord including the former Naval Weapons Station, and the Northern part of the City of Martinez including the unincorporated neighborhoods of Mountain View and Vine Hill.

BART Stations included in District 2: Concord (shared with District 1), North Concord / Martinez, Pittsburg / Bay Point, eBART Transfer, Pittsburg Center and Antioch.

BART 2022 District 3 map. Source: BART.gov

District 3

District 3 is in both Contra Costa and Alameda Counties and includes the City of Hercules, City of Pinole, City of San Pablo, City of Richmond, City of El Cerrito, City of Albany, the majority of the City of Berkeley including the University of California Berkeley and excepting a few neighborhoods to the South of Ashby Avenue, and unincorporated parts of Contra Costa County including North Richmond, El Sobrante, Rodeo and Crockett.

BART Stations included in District 3: Richmond, El Cerrito del Norte, El Cerrito Plaza, North Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley and Ashby (shared with District 7)

BART 2022 District 5 map. Source: BART.gov

District 5

District 5 is in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and includes a portion of the City of Hayward ranging from the Castro Valley BART station in the North to the Hayward station in the South. Major places and landmarks in this area include the Bishop Ranch Regional Open Space, Lake Chabot Regional Park, Knowland Park, Fairview, Sunol Regional Wilderness, and San Antonio Reservoir. District 5 also includes the City of Pleasanton expect for a portion near Kilkare Woods, City of Livermore, City of Dublin, the Southeastern part of San Ramon, and rural areas of east Alameda County.

BART Stations included in District 5: Hayward (shared with District 4), Castro Valley, West Dublin / Pleasanton and Dublin / Pleasanton

The new districts will be in effect for the November elections which include Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8. Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be up for election in 2024.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

BART issues new schedule for 2022

February 9, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

BART System Map. Source: BART.gov

BART’s schedule will change on Monday, February 14, 2022, with significant improvements to Sunday service. With this schedule change, BART will operate midnight service every night of the week representing a full restoration of pre-pandemic service hours.

Highlights include:

Extend service to midnight on Sundays
Run 5-line service every day (except for single-tracking Sundays) until about 9pm
Consistent 3-line service every day after 9pm
4 trains an hour at SFO station on Sundays until 9pm
15-minute even headways on the Yellow line as far as Pittsburg Bay Point on Saturdays until about 8pm
New transfer opportunity at Bay Fair for Dublin to Berryessa transfers every day
Improved connections with Caltrain at Millbrae on Sundays before 9pm
12 single-tracking Sundays in 2022 when 3-line service will be provided

Some departure times will shift slightly. All riders are encouraged to look up their specific trips.

Sunday Service Improvements

Since the pandemic began BART has been closing at 9pm on Sundays to help accelerate infrastructure rebuilding projects. Beginning Sunday, February 20th, BART will extend Sunday service to midnight. Sunday service hours will be 8am-midight.

Starting Sunday, February 20, 2022, for the first time in history, BART will operate 5-line service on Sundays (except on 12 single-tracking Sundays when power cable replacement work takes place in San Francisco. 3-line service will run on single tracking Sundays). It is important to note the frequency of Sunday single tracking days that will remain as 3-line service with single tracking. March will have two Sundays of 5-line service. Some months will offer 5-line service on Sundays every other week. We’ve listed the 2022 Sunday single tracking days here.

Providing 5-line service on Sundays reduces the need to transfer for most riders and provides more frequency through the busiest core areas of our system. From 8am until evening (about 9pm), the Red line (Richmond to Millbrae + SFO) and Green line (Berryessa to Daly City) will run.

Running 5-Line service on Sundays provides more equitable service to Richmond and Berryessa line riders who previously had to transfer to complete their transbay trip-while other lines provided direct service. Based on ridership data 97% of Sunday riders will get to their destination without the need to transfer, up from 82%. Of those passengers who benefit from this change, about twice as many will ride the Red line than the Green line.

3-line service (Yellow, Blue and Orange lines) will operate every evening after around 9pm and on 12 select single-tracking Sundays. During 3-line service, the Yellow and Blue line will continue to run very close together through San Francisco to enable singling track through work zones. BART plans to improve this service pattern and run Yellow and Blue line trains more evenly spaced apart in the September 2022 schedule change.

Trains will continue to run on 30-minute headways on Sundays with some 15-minute levels of service due to running the Red and Green line. While some outlying areas will see 2 trains per hour on Sunday, most BART stations will see 4, 6, or 8 trains per hour.

New Transfer Opportunity at Bay Fair

More riders are coming in from the Dublin line and heading towards Berryessa. The schedule change includes a new transfer opportunity at Bay Fair every day during all service hours. Riders from Dublin on the Blue line will see a Green or Orange line train across the platform. This transfer has a tight window but the September 2022 schedule change will increase the window to allow for more flexibility to make the meet if there are delays.

Improved Connections with Other Transit Agencies

Most agencies operate the same schedule on Saturday and Sunday, making it difficult for them to design ideal transfers when BART schedules are different on Saturday and Sunday. Starting in February, the seven night 3-Line service that begins about 9:00 pm is matched all seven days which allows partner agencies to match their schedules with BART more successfully. The final trains of the night, all seven days in the week, share the same times.

We’ve updated the BART and Caltrain transfer timetable to outline the wait times of each connecting train. Offering 5-line service on Sundays reduces some wait times by 8 or 11 minutes. While weekdays and Saturday connections are very similar to what they were before, there are small improvements of 1-3 minutes shorter wait. For example, a 12-17 minute connection, becomes 9-14 minute connection.

Saturday Service

Saturday service hours will remain unchanged (6am-midnight). Trains will continue to run at 30-minute frequency with added trains on the Yellow line as far as Pittsburg/Bay Point until 8pm. This schedule change improves the Yellow line frequency with more even spaced 15 minute headways as far as Pittsburg/Bay Point compared to what was being offered before.

Weekday Service

Weekday service remains unchanged though some departure times have slightly shifted. Service hours continue to be 5am-midnight.

Pictured above is the system map showing 5-line service every day of the week for Sundays we are not single tracking.

BART Board will consider third proposed map during final redistricting public outreach meeting Wednesday

January 29, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Proposed BART Districts 2022 Plan C.

Approaching critical phase – but few people seem interested, participating

The BART redistricting process is reaching a critical phase, with just one more virtual meeting for public outreach, scheduled for 6 pm on Wednesday, February 2nd. Few people seem interested in participating in the process in spite of the significant impact redistricting has on who will run for office and be elected over the next 10 years. Only two people offered public comments at the last BART meeting on redistricting, including the publisher of the Herald, Allen Payton.

Join the virtual meeting on 2/2/22 at 6pm on Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82168419186
Webinar ID: 821 6841 9186

Or Telephone US: +1 669 900 6833 (Toll Free) or 888 475 4499

BART election districts are redrawn every 10 years following the U.S. Census. The primary purpose of redistricting is to ensure population equality among districts.

Once the public outreach has concluded, the BART Board of Directors will continue to discuss the process and advance the work at upcoming Board meetings, including a special meeting of the Board of Directors. Meetings and agendas will be announced in advance. Sign up for Board meeting notices here.

BART has provided the following draft maps and census population and race/ethnicity data:

BART Board Districts Map Plan A

BART Board Districts Map Plan B

BART Board Districts Map Plan C

Census population and race/ethnicity data by District (Current, Plan A, Plan B, Plan C)

BART has rolled out mapping tools to enable public input for redistricting.

BART interactive mapping tool for redistricting: This tool gives residents the ability to create and share a Community of Interest and/or draft Board Member districts. Map submissions will appear in the gallery on the main landing page, enabling residents to view public input for redistricting.

BART Districts and Demographic Data: This web mapping tool is for visualizing BART districts and demographic data.
In addition to the interactive mapping tool, BART is providing a Community Input Map to allow residents to identify and provide supplemental information regarding their Community of Interest. This feature can be used on a mobile device and is offered in English and Spanish (Español), providing residents with an app that can be used to submit community information in their language of choice.

Community Input Map: English

Community Input Map: Spanish

Learn more about BART Redistricting at bart.gov/redistricting.

This process is guided by traditional redistricting principles as well as the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act, the BART District Act, and the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions (FAIR MAPS) Act.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Participate in democracy during BART’s remaining redistricting meetings

January 15, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Proposed BART Districts 2022 Plan A

For redrawing BART director districts; next meeting today at 9:00 a.m.

RELEASE DATE: 01/14/2022

Have a direct say in democracy by participating in BART’s redistricting meetings. The next virtual meeting is scheduled for January 15, at 9 am, followed by two 6pm meetings on January 22nd and February 2nd.

BART election districts are redrawn every 10 years following the U.S. Census. The primary purpose of redistricting is to ensure population equality among districts. This process is guided by traditional redistricting principles as well as the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act and the BART District Act.

Districts must be contiguous and should also be compact, minimize splitting cities, respect communities of interest and follow natural and man-made boundaries.

Proposed BART Districts 2022 Plan B

Key Points to Consider in Redistricting

Traditional Redistricting Principles

Since decennial redistricting began in the late 1960s, traditional criteria and principles have developed. While the equal population of election districts is the overriding principle there are accompanying goals. In varying degrees, the criteria are compactness, continuity, respect for communities of interest, preserving political subdivisions, and the core of previous districts. All are not of equal weight and all are subordinate to an equal population. Care must be taken not to dilute the voting strength of minorities.

Compactness

Compactness refers to a districts’ geographic shape and how its interior is dispersed within its boundaries. A circle is a perfectly compact shape. In redistricting, the notion of compactness is difficult to evaluate because one begins with irregularly shaped borders and the political subdivisions may be irregular in shape. Geometric measures of compactness are often misleading because geographic features and relationships are more complex than simple geometry. The principle of compactness should be considered functionally and must compete with other criteria.

Continuity

Continuity requires that all parts of a district be connected. Districts can be drawn that are contiguous by way of water or a bridge. While crossing water is allowed it should be minimized as it makes it more difficult to respect communities of interest.

Preserving Political Subdivisions

An attempt should be made to minimize splitting cities and well-defined neighborhoods.

Respect for Communities of Interest

Communities of interest are subjective and difficult to define. A community of interest has some common thread of shared interest. Those communities can be based on such diverse elements as geography, language, socio-economic-cultural interests, even transportation corridors. Race may be considered, but it may not be the sole reason for drawing a district in a particular manner.

Preserving the Core of Prior Districts

Preserving the core of a previous district is thought to be the least disruptive to the voters in each area. One, of course, would not seek to maintain a previous district that was legally objectionable.

New districts should be drawn deliberatively and with common sense. Adherence to traditional redistricting principles and the federal Voting Rights Act will ensure fair and reasonable districts.

Community participation is available via Zoom on January 15, 2022 starting at 9 am at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88956838390

You may join the Committee Meeting via Zoom by calling 1-669-900-6833 and entering access code 889 5683 8390. Dial *9 to raise your hand when you wish to speak, and dial *6 to unmute when you are requested to speak.

Virtual Meetings of BART’s Redistricting Committee and Archived Video

The BART Redistricting Committee consists of Directors Lateefah Simon (Chairperson), Elizabeth Ames and Mark Foley. Here is the remaining proposed redistricting outreach meeting schedule, materials, zoom information, and videos of previous meetings are provided below the list of meetings dates:

Meeting 4: Saturday, January 15, 2022, 9 am
Meeting 5: Saturday, January 22, 2022, 6 pm
Meeting 6: Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 6 pm

January 8, 2022 Meeting – A virtual meeting was held Saturday, January 8, 2022 from 12 to 2 pm. Watch the video of the 1/8/22 meeting.

December 15, 2021 Meeting – A virtual meeting was held Wednesday, December 15, 2021 from 6 to 8 pm. Watch the video of the 12/15/21 meeting.

December 1, 2021 Meeting – A virtual meeting was held Wednesday, December 1, 2021 from 1 to 3 pm. Watch the video of the 12/1/21 meeting.

Documents from the December 1 meeting:

BART Board Districts Map Plan A
BART Board Districts Map Plan B
Table of BART District’s Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP) by Race/Ethnicity
Table of Population by BART District, 1990-2030(estimate)

November 10, 2021 Meeting – The first virtual meeting was held Wednesday, November 10, 2021 from 1 to 3 pm. Watch the video of the 11/10/21 meeting.

Current District Maps and Early Drafts of Potential (Not Final) New Maps

District 1
Current District 1 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 1 Plan A
District 1 Plan B

District 2

Current District 2 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 2 Plan A
District 2 Plan B

District 3

Current District 3 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 3 Plan A
District 3 Plan B

District 4

Current District 4 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 4 Plan A
District 4 Plan B

District 5

Current District 5 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 5 Plan A
District 5 Plan B

District 6

Current District 6 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 6 Plan A
District 6 Plan B

District 7

Current District 7 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 7 Plan A
District 7 Plan B

District 8

Current District 8 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 8 Plan A
District 8 Plan B

District 9

Current District 9 Map
Potential new maps (not final):
District 9 Plan A
District 9 Plan B

Mapping Tools for Public Engagement

BART has rolled out mapping tools to enable public input for redistricting.

BART interactive mapping tool for redistricting: This tool gives residents the ability to create and share a Community of Interest and/or draft Board of Director districts. Map submissions will appear in the gallery on the main landing page, enabling residents to view public input for redistricting.

BART Districts and Demographic Data: This web mapping tool is for visualizing BART districts and demographic data.

In addition to the interactive mapping tool, BART is providing a Community Input Map to allow residents to identify and provide supplemental information regarding their Community of Interest. This feature can be used on a mobile device and is offered in English and Spanish (Español), providing residents with an app that can be used to submit community information in their language of choice. Explore these tools using the links below.

Community Input Map: English

Community Input Map: Spanish

Information about current District boundaries

BART 2011 Election Districts Final Report – Adopted 12/1/2011 (10 Mb .pdf file)
All BART Districts
Counties Included: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco
Map: All BART Districts (.pdf file)

District: 1
Counties Included: Contra Costa
Cities Included: Acalanes Ridge, Alamo, Alhambra Valley, Blackhawk, Camino Tassajara, Castle Hill, Clayton, Concord, Contra Costa Centre, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Martinez, Mountain View, Norris Canyon, North Gate, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, Port Costa, Reliez Valley, San Miguel, San Ramon, Saranap, Shell Ridge, Vine Hill, Walnut Creek
Map: BART District 1 (.pdf file)

District: 2
Counties Included: Contra Costa
Cities Included: Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Clyde, Concord, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley, Pacheco, Pittsburg, Vine Hill
Map: BART District 2 (.pdf file)

District: 3
Counties Included: Alameda, Contra Costa
Cities Included: Albany, Ashland, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Cherryland, El Cerrito, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Oakland, Orinda, Piedmont, San Lorenzo
Map: BART District 3 (.pdf file)

District: 4
Counties Included: Alameda
Cities Included: Alameda, Oakland, San Leandro
Map: BART District 4 (.pdf file)

District: 5
Counties Included: Alameda
Cities Included: Castro Valley, Cherryland, Dublin, Fairview, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Sunol
Map: BART District 5 (.pdf file)

District: 6
Counties Included: Alameda
Cities Included: Fremont, Hayward (partial), Newark, Sunol, Union City
Map: BART District 6 (.pdf file)

District: 7
Counties Included: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco
Cities Included: Albany, Bayview, Berkeley, Crockett, East Richmond Heights, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Hercules, Kensington, Montalvin Manor, North Richmond, Oakland, Pinole, Richmond, Rodeo, Rollingwood, San Francisco, San Pablo, Tara Hills
Map: BART District 7 (.pdf file)

District: 8
Cities Included: San Francisco
Counties Included: San Francisco
Map: BART District 8 (.pdf file)

District: 9
Cities Included: San Francisco
Counties Included: San Francisco
Map: BART District 9 (.pdf file)

Learn more at www.bart.gov/redistricting.

BART offers extended service for New Year’s Eve

December 30, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

For New Year’s Eve BART will run standard Friday service but with an extended closing time to help people celebrate the arrival of 2022 as well as to support workers who are relying on BART to get to and from their late-night shifts.

The regular last trains of the evening (Yellow, Blue, and Orange lines) will be dispatched from the end of their lines at midnight and then at 1:00am, we will run another set of last trains of the evening to serve 48 out of our 50 stations. The 1am dispatched trains will not serve the airport stations (OAK and SFO) but will stop at all other stations. These last trains will be timed to easily transfer to other lines to get home.

For those celebrating in downtown San Francisco, the last East Bay-bound train running through downtown San Francisco will be at around 1:30am and the last southbound train heading toward Millbrae will run through downtown San Francisco at 2:10am.

BART will offer overtime shifts to train operators to run extra event trains that can be dispatched between the one-hour gap in between the midnight and 1:00am dispatch.

Unlike previous years, BART will not run skip-stop service on New Year’s Eve. All trains will make their regular stops, except for the 1:00am dispatch which will not stop at SFO or OAK airports.

1:00 AM Extended Service Details

Only the Yellow line (Millbrae to Antioch) will run transbay. Riders heading from San Francisco towards Richmond, Berryessa, and Dublin will need to transfer. The train will not serve SFO.
Southbound Yellow line (Antioch to Millbrae) trains will run to Millbrae, stopping at all stations except SFO.
The Blue line will operate from Bay Fair to Dublin only. If travelling from San Francisco, Dublin-bound riders need to transfer at 12th Street to a Berryessa (Orange line) bound train and then transfer to a Dublin (Blue line) train at Bay Fair to complete their trip. These transfers will be timed meets to reduce travel time.
The Orange line (Richmond to Berryessa) will also run hourly to coincide with the other trains. Riders coming from San Francisco who need to transfer to a Richmond-bound train will do so at MacArthur; riders who need to transfer to a Berryessa-bound train (or Dublin) will do so at 12th Street. These transfers will be timed meets to reduce travel time. BART to OAK service will not be operating after regular BART hours.

Parking
Parking is free after 3:00pm on Friday. You can also leave your car overnight if necessary. Parking is free on weekends.

Stay Safe

Save these numbers in your phone:

510-200-0992 to text BART Police dispatch to discreetly report criminal activity
510-464-7000 to call BART Police in an emergency (It’s faster than calling 911)

We also offer the free the BART Watch app–a free mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play that allows you to quickly and discreetly report criminal or suspicious activity directly to BART Police.

You can reach the train operator using call buttons in each car. On old cars the button is at the end of the car, on new cars, the call button is by the side doors.

Note your train car number when contacting police or the train operator. The train number is located above the doors on the inside of each end of the train car.

BART will have extra safety staff working on New Year’s Eve to have more staff on trains, on platforms and inside stations.

Tips for Riding

Masks are required at BART, even if fully vaccinated. Spread out among all the cars. The first and last cars are often less crowded than those in the middle.

To save time and hassle, it is recommended you get a Clipper card in advance with round trip fare loaded. You can add Clipper to your mobile wallet and pay for BART fares with Google Pay and Apple Pay. All riders can immediately load funds through their wallet to their Clipper card.

Saturday Service on New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022, will be a regular Saturday schedule with service running 6am until midnight.

BART touts its top 21 accomplishments in 2021

December 29, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

2021 was the first full year we spent living in the midst of the pandemic. Despite the challenges, we accomplished many things to help serve the Bay Area.

Improvements to the Rider Experience:

We returned to near pre-pandemic levels of service and hours Monday through Saturday in August, with a commitment to improve Sunday service in February 2022.
We installed MERV-14 air filters on all trains to filter out virus particles like coronavirus.
Train interior and station interior cleanliness metrics improved year over year based on rider surveys.
We rolled out pay by phone options with Clipper now available in Apple Pay and Google Pay.
We made it easier to reserve monthly, single day and airport/long term-reserved parking.
We produced new BART & Caltrain transfer timetables to increase transparency about connection times at Millbrae.

Improvements to Personal Safety:

We launched our groundbreaking Progressive Policing Bureau that includes deploying Ambassadors and Crisis Intervention Specialists.
Our efforts to increase safety staff visibility is paying off with a 37% drop in violent crime in 2021 and 21% drop in crime overall- this comes as ridership has been increasing.
We launched the Not One More Girl campaign and changed our code of conduct policy to send a clear message that sexual harassment and gender-based violence has no place on BART.

Investments in Infrastructure:

We replaced 7.5 miles of track, 2 major interlockings, and 66 miles of power cables.

Improvements at Stations:

At Antioch station we added full-time station agents during all service hours, and expanded parking while improving bike and pedestrian access.
We finished our modernization of El Cerrito del Norte Station.
We unveiled three new escalators in downtown San Francisco.
12 parking garages got brighter LED lights to improve safety and sustainability.
We brought art and culture into our stations with free short story kiosks and an outdoor music series.

Leadership in the Region:

We offered our stations and parking lots for COVID-19 vaccinations and testing sites, and we made it easy for residents to take transit to get vaccinated.
We launched our Link21 Program to transform Northern California’s rail network with an eye on equity and how best to serve the mega-region.
Our Transit-Oriented Development program advanced with new homes at Pleasant Hill and MacArthur leasing up. Construction at Millbrae and Walnut Creek stayed on track for 2022 completion. Projects at Lake Merritt and West Dublin were entitled.
Our electric power supply was certified as 100% greenhouse gas free.
We contracted $73.2 million dollars to a diverse group of small, minority, and women owned businesses.
We implemented a COVID vaccine mandate for all employees to help keep our workforce and riders healthy.

For more information visit BART.gov.

Annual BART Holiday Toy Drive to benefit hundreds of families in East County

December 7, 2021 By Publisher 1 Comment

Ladasha Wheeler, with her daughter, is enrolled in the CNA program at Opportunity Junction in Antioch. Photo courtesy of BART.

East Contra Costa Community Alliance chosen as this year’s beneficiary

Sometimes the people we rely on to care for loved ones need a helping hand themselves. At Opportunity Junction in Antioch future care providers are getting the assistance they need to launch careers as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) through an innovative program that not only provides invaluable hands-on experience but also offers support in dealing with other life challenges. That helping hand can include coaching, connections to resources for housing and childcare, transportation assistance, and food support.

Opportunity Junction is one of a dozen charitable organizations that are part of the East Contra Costa Community Alliance. The Alliance is dedicated to strengthening resources available for those in need in eastern Contra Costa County, an area where finding adequate services has historically been a challenge. By coming together members of the Alliance share and leverage resources to better support disadvantaged populations. BART Board President Mark Foley has selected the Alliance as the beneficiary of this year’s annual BART Holiday Toy Drive.

Graduates of the CNA program at Opportunity Junction. Photo courtesy of BART.

This collaborative approach of the Alliance is paying off for 39-year-old Ladasha Wheeler who is enrolled in the CNA program at Opportunity Junction. Wheeler says she’s always wanted to work in the health care industry and the need has never been greater. “With the pandemic you heard the stories of how people couldn’t be there for their loved ones and how health care workers are overworked,” said Wheeler. “If you can step in to help with a sincere heart to do it why not?”

Wheeler has two adult children and is currently raising her seven-year-old daughter. She says she wouldn’t be able to pursue her career dream without Opportunity Junction. “If you can get the help that you need it’s really nice to have,” said Wheeler. “I’m a proud person but when it comes to donations you never know when you might eventually be on the receiving end.”

ECCCA member Loaves and Fishes delivers lunch daily to the Wheeler’s classroom, helping take the burden off the CNA trainees.

“Working together with our partners, we can provide the comprehensive services our residents need,” says Opportunity Junction CEO Alissa Friedman. “That CNA program is itself a partnership with Mt. Diablo Adult Education and Empowered Aging.”

33-year-old Natalee Pletcher is also a mother of three who is in the nursing program. Pletcher says she wouldn’t be able to pursue her goal of becoming a CNA and then a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) without the support of Opportunity Junction.

“The program has really given me not only help with tuition but help with courage because they’ve been there,” she said. “They’re really there for you if you’re struggling with something financially, mentally, or otherwise.”

Pletcher says the BART Holiday Toy Drive will make a big difference for hundreds of families including hers.

“It’s been very difficult for my family to get caught up with COVID. It’s set us back a lot so having this toy drive will really help my kids have a great Christmas,” she added.

The East Contra Costa Community Alliance includes the following non-profit groups that work together to offer a variety of support services:

Opportunity Junction– Helps motivated job seekers develop the skills and confidence to launch careers.
Monument Impact– Building skills, resources, and power within immigrant, refugee, and low-income communities.
Loaves and Fishes– Provides community-based food programs and partner services focused on basic needs.
Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA)– Advocates for abused and neglected youth in foster care.
DreamCatchers EmpowermentNetwork – Empowers youth and adults with limitations with assessments, job preparation, placement, and coaching.
SparkPoint– Focuses on financial stability including managing credit, increasing income, and building assets.
Village Community Resource Center– Family-focused support including after-school programs, mental health service, and parent support.
Winter Nights Family Shelter– Provides safe shelter for families and assistance to break the cycle of homelessness.
Counseling Options and Parent Education (COPE)– Strengthens family relationships through counseling options and parent education programs.
Contra Costa Senior Legal Services – Protecting the rights of seniors with a focus on keeping clients healthy and independent.
People Who Care Children Association– Free mental health counseling and enrichment opportunities ranging from job training to life skills.
Brighter Beginnings– Supports healthy births and development by partnering with parents. Assists young parents and expecting parents.

The collaboration between the charities has been especially valuable in the last year in the face of the global pandemic. Members of the alliance are sharing technical help and advice as well as learning lessons from one another as they offer support services to the community during a challenging time.

“We know what one another does so we can refer to one another more easily and it expands the resources we have for our own clients,” said SparkPoint Contra Costa Director Betty Geishirt Cantrell. “We really supported each other during the pandemic. We all had to move to remote services. We asked each other, ‘how are you doing remote services, what platforms are you using, which one works best’ all of that.”

“Connecting resources for a family who is in crisis is easier when we have partners who value each other’s services”, said C.O.P.E. Family Support Center’s Founder Cathy Botello.

The spirit of partnership is making a difference in the lives of thousands of families in Eastern Contra Costa County.

“Virtual was a factor last year for sure. Most of our classes are in Spanish and that’s a population that often falls into the digital divide,” said Monument Impact Executive Director Debra Ballinger. “We’re partnering with Pittsburg Unified to accommodate more people, teaching basics like how to use a Chromebook. Also, people were so panicked about job loss. It was sudden and immediate for people. We found that we had to find different ways to help to keep people in their homes.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If you’d like to join BART employees in helping the non-profits that are part of the East Contra Costa Community Alliance at the holidays you can visit www.ecccalliance.org. The site includes links to all 12 members of the Alliance.

BART board begins redistricting process to redraw election districts Nov. 10

November 5, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Public involvement is encouraged. Districts 1, 2, 3 and 7 currently include portions of Contra Costa County

The BART Board of Directors’ Redistricting Committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting since receiving the 2020 Census data to begin the process of redrawing election districts to align with current population information. The virtual meeting will be held Wednesday, November 10, 2021 from 1 to 3pm.

The BART Redistricting Committee consists of Directors Lateefah Simon (Chairperson), Elizabeth Ames and Mark Foley.