BART Ridership Surges Past 240,000 Daily as Board Eyes Service Gaps

The BART Board of Directors met Sept. 24 with good news and hard questions in roughly equal measure. General Manager Bob Powers reported ridership 14% above the prior year — with 240,000 daily riders becoming the new baseline — but multiple directors used the session to press staff on communication failures during recent service disruptions that left passengers stranded without guidance.

• Ridership hits 14% above last year as daily counts top 240,000 and the Anime Festival at Warm Springs draws 8,000 attendees
• Directors grill staff on emergency communication breakdowns after a bus bridge left riders without signage, transfer info, or staff guidance
• Engineer alleges $8 billion shortfall in VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase 2 tunnel project and a potential Brown Act violation by San Jose's mayor
• Board unanimously approves CCTV at new police headquarters and Union City pedestrian crossing with civil liberties group's support
• UCSF Bay Pass program set to quadruple from 8,300 to 36,000 participants under a new three-year agreement

---

240,000 Is the New Floor

Why it matters: BART's financial recovery — and the case for an upcoming ballot measure — hinges on sustained ridership growth. The numbers are now decisively moving in the agency's direction.

Where things stand: General Manager Bob Powers told the board that BART is roughly a quarter through the fiscal year, running 5% above its ridership budget and 14% ahead of the same period a year ago. Two days during the current week exceeded 240,000 riders, and the prior week included the highest single ridership day since the pandemic.

"240,000 is becoming the floor instead of the ceiling," said GM Powers.

The prior Saturday was the second-highest Saturday since the pandemic, driven by multiple events across the system. President Melissa Hernandez said riders had texted her asking for more railcars on busy trains. Powers responded that staff monitor demand daily and adjust capacity strategically.

What's next: The ridership trajectory will be a central data point as BART prepares for its upcoming ballot measure. Whether the agency can match service capacity to demand — especially during unplanned disruptions — could determine how voters view the system's reliability.

---

Anime Festival Becomes a Ridership Engine

The headline event behind BART's Saturday surge was the Anime Festival at the Warm Springs/South Fremont station, where approximately 8,000 people showed up, station exits jumped more than 400% over a typical Saturday, and BART's Rail Goods merchandise operation sold $30,000 worth of products.

"Folks were coming up to me — this was just random people coming up to me — saying this is the best anime festival in the Bay Area, the best anime festival in the state," said Director Liz Ames, who credited consultant Melody Starling, Alicia Croce, and Tom Williams for the event's success. This year's festival had three times the food trucks and three times the artist booths compared to the prior year.

Powers also highlighted the Transit Month CEO ride-along, which drew nearly 100 participants and 12 CEOs from AC Transit, BART, Muni, and Caltrain, along with a ribbon-cutting at the Western Railway Museum for BART's legacy car exhibit.

Why it matters: Community events are transforming BART's public identity from a safety-challenged commuter system into a cultural destination — directly driving ridership and revenue on traditionally low-traffic weekends.

---

Directors Expose Emergency Communication Gaps

Why it matters: With ridership surging, unplanned service disruptions risk alienating new and returning riders. Three directors identified specific communication failures that left passengers confused, stranded, or panicked — exposing operational gaps at a critical moment for public trust.

The PG&E Outage Bus Bridge

Director Ames recounted a recent incident in which a PG&E power line fell across BART tracks, triggering a bus bridge between stations. She said signs at Balboa Park station listed only "Fruitvale" as the destination with no explanation, and displaced passengers at Fruitvale had to walk blocks to International Boulevard without any BART staff guidance.

"There was no direction for the passengers," Director Ames said. "I guess what I would say for the communication piece is we get into these issues, sporadic issues, unplanned."

Missing Transfer Information

Director Rash Ghosh described a separate incident in which a direct Richmond-to-SFO train was canceled. Announcements failed to mention that passengers could transfer to still reach the airport.

"The key piece of information that was not shared was that you could transfer and still get to SFO," said Director Ghosh. "I had someone who was taking the train, trying to go to the airport next to me, frantically texting and calling because all they heard was the train from Richmond to SFO has been canceled."

Ghosh also raised whether BART communicates delays to partner agencies like Caltrain to protect rider connections, particularly on weekends when headways are longer.

New Train Failures

Director Janice Li asked about multiple recent disruptions, including a disabled new train. Assistant General Manager for Operations Sylvia Lam explained that a component failure in the tail railcar affected the operator's display and disabled the train from moving. Passengers were returned to a station within 40 minutes.

"Our trains are all new. It'd be helpful to know what kind of failure this is," said Director Li.

Lam also reported that a PG&E power line incident required a full power-down, but said PG&E cooperated to clear the line and allow service to resume. There were also two to three incidents of burning debris on the trackway.

What's next: No specific commitments were made during the meeting on communication protocol changes, but the volume and specificity of director complaints signaled that staff should expect continued scrutiny.

---

Engineer Alleges $8 Billion BSV2 Shortfall

The basics: BART Silicon Valley Phase 2, or BSV2, is a planned VTA-led tunnel extension that would bring BART service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. It is the Bay Area's largest planned transit capital project.

Where things stand: Licensed professional engineer Barney Smits, who said he has 25 years of experience as a BART engineer and fire life safety expert, delivered detailed public testimony alleging major problems with the project. He said VTA's claims of 60% design completion are "completely false" and estimated the current project funding shortfall at approximately $8 billion.

Smits laid out tunnel construction logistics: 3.5 years of construction, 58 million cubic feet of excavated material, 216,000 truck trips for excavation plus 46,000 for concrete liners — requiring approximately 17 trucks per hour, 24 hours a day, for 3.5 years. He said hauling permits alone could take two years.

"The current estimate for the BSV2 project shortfall is approximately $8 billion," Smits said. He criticized San Jose Mayor Mahan's suggestion of a "minimum operating segment" as creating a "maintenance tunnel to nowhere" that BART would have to operate.

The other side: Smits also alleged a potential Brown Act violation at a VTA board meeting, claiming Mayor Mahan introduced an $80 million alternative funding motion without required public notice after an initial $150 million item failed.

Decisions: No board action was taken. However, Director Ames requested proactive staff briefings on BSV2 developments before the Oct. 9 joint BART-VTA meeting. GM Powers confirmed that staff members Joy Sharma and Tom McGuire will deliver a board briefing in December.

Why it matters: If the shortfall figure is accurate, BSV2 could become a generational fiscal risk for BART. The agency would potentially be responsible for operating infrastructure built to incomplete specifications — a scenario Smits characterized as a "tunnel to nowhere." The board's request for proactive briefings signals growing unease with the project's trajectory.

---

Board Approves CCTV at Police HQ and Union City Crossing

Why it matters: The Union City at-grade pedestrian crossing will open east-side access to the station, connecting riders to Dumbarton Express bus service and a potential future ACE rail spur. Getting surveillance cameras installed before the crossing opens is both a safety measure and a signal that BART is preparing the infrastructure as a regional transit hub.

Where things stand: Project Manager David Silva presented the request for CCTV installations at the BART Police Department headquarters and the Union City crossing, following the agency's 2018 surveillance use policy. The public received 15 days' notice, and community advocate Secure Justice submitted a letter of support.

Director Ames expressed strong support, noting the crossing will serve a disadvantaged community and expand connectivity. She also asked about blue-light emergency phones installed as a pilot at Warm Springs. AGM Lam confirmed that pilot concluded and was not extended.

Public commenter Alita Dupree spoke in favor, emphasizing that surveillance helps people with disabilities who may need emergency assistance. "Surveillance and basic rights go hand in hand," Dupree said.

Decisions: The board approved both surveillance impact reports unanimously (For: 9, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Director Ames moved; Director Robert Raburn seconded.

---

UCSF Bay Pass to Quadruple in Size

Director Li reported that the MTC Regional Network Management Committee approved a major expansion of the Bay Pass transit program with UCSF. The university currently has about 8,300 participants from students and staff; the new agreement could cover up to 36,000 participants over three years — a shift from the previous year-to-year basis.

"They are now going to increase that to potentially cover 36,000 participants. And it's going to be a 3-year extension," said Director Li.

She noted the UCSF Vice Chancellor spoke about the program's importance for recruiting candidates. Li is an ex officio member of the committee and could not vote.

Why it matters: The move from annual renewals to a three-year commitment by one of the Bay Area's largest employers signals growing institutional investment in transit passes as a workforce recruitment and retention tool — and a meaningful revenue stabilizer for BART and partner agencies.

---

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 9-0, covering September meeting minutes, directors' property use review, a one-year extension of financial advisory services with Sperry Capital, an amendment to the MTC funding agreement for BART's car replacement program, an agreement with Paratransit, Inc. for East Bay paratransit coordination, and the FY2026 annual surveillance report.
• La Catrina statue installed at Fruitvale Village — a 34-foot-tall figure honoring Hispanic Heritage Month, with a formal dedication planned for Oct. 1, announced by Director Raburn.
• Bay Fair Station elevator fare gate completed — Director Raburn reported a new path of travel with a fare gate within view of the station agent booth, addressing a longstanding fare evasion entry point.
• BART TOD team wins two APA NorCal awards — a merit award for Lake Merritt Station Area Plan implementation and an Urban Design Excellence Award for North Berkeley TOD, reported by Director Ghosh.
• Labor Negotiations Review Special Committee met Sept. 10, with staff presenting a 2027 contract negotiations timeline. Future committee meetings planned for October and December.
• Audit Committee received the FY26 financial performance report, an inventory audit with 17 recommendations (all accepted by management), and an investigation into anchor bolt quality issues on an infrastructure project — corrective work already completed.
• Closed session on Khan v. BART litigation produced no reportable action. Meeting adjourned at 10:31 a.m.