BART Drops Service-Cut Plan, Eyes $28M Gap After Measure Win

With voters approving the regional transit measure, BART's Board of Directors on Nov. 12, 2026, formally set aside its doomsday service plan. Staff warned that a projected $28M deficit and heavy dependence on sales tax remain. Directors spent most of the meeting debating how to use what several called a 14-year runway, while pressing staff on reliability, safety data and oversight of the BART to Silicon Valley extension.

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• Alternative service plan shelved after the measure passed with about 63% yes; staff project a $28M deficit in FY28.
• Sales tax will exceed half of BART's operating revenue starting in FY28, which exposes BART to recessions and litigation.
• Directors push dynamic pricing, diversified revenue and a goal to double ridership in five years.
• September substation fire dragged down on-time performance even as ridership climbed. Robberies rose by 11 from the prior quarter.
• Silicon Valley Phase 2 design variances draw scrutiny. BART will hire an independent consultant, with an update due Dec. 3.
• Consent calendar passes 9-0, adding power-wheelchair user Bryce Maples to the Accessibility Task Force.

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Measure Win Ends Service-Cut Plan, Not Budget Math

Why it matters: The new 14-year sales tax replaces a plan that would have cut service. The tax also changes where BART's money comes from, and the budget still does not balance.

Where things stand: Staff told the board it no longer needs the alternative service plan. BART will keep its adopted FY27 budget. Sales tax from the measure begins accruing in April, and FY28 will be the first full year of collections.

Director Robert Raburn reported the measure at 63.3% yes, with about 1,153,000 yes votes. He highlighted the 5% set-aside for:
- regional transit integration
- fare transfer discounts
- accountability and efficiency reviews

Director Janice Li thanked voters, past boards and BART's more than 4,000 employees. "Bay Area voters made their voice clear on Election Day. Yes on transit," said Li.

Staff built the revenue forecast on four assumptions:
- ridership growth slows
- fares and parking rise with inflation
- investment returns fall
- sales tax becomes the dominant revenue source

"Beginning in FY28, we project that sales tax will make up over half of BART's operating revenue," said Mike Eisman of BART staff.

Budget Director Christopher Simi said labor, retiree health and traction power drive operating costs. Debt service includes about $88.5M in borrowing. "Next fiscal year, we are projecting a $28 million deficit," said Simi. Staff pledged to close that gap without service impacts.

Simi also flagged litigation risk to the measure. "If this does happen, BART has enough cash on hand to float us, but since the money we would use is borrowed, repaying it will increase our long-term operating expense," said Simi.

The other side: Director Matthew Rinn noted support from Contra Costa County voters. He cautioned that BART is still borrowing about $88M for FY27.

Board President Melissa Hernandez asked whether the projections consider recessions. A staff presenter said BART does not forecast recessions but holds revenue at an average-cycle level. The presenter added that the heavy share of revenue from sales tax is a big risk to keep in mind.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: This was an information item, and no vote was taken. Riders avoid service cuts for now. Labor won recognition from the union, the board and the general manager.

"The voters gave us a second chance. Now it's on all of us— the board, management, labor— to earn it," said Sal Cruz, President, AFSCME Local 3993.

Public commenter Alita Dupree urged BART to build its own renewable energy on canopies and right of way to cut electricity costs.

What's next: The second phase of the state-mandated SB 63 financial efficiency review starts in February. A final plan is due in August 2028.

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Directors Call 14-Year Tax a Runway, Not a Fix

Why it matters: Directors' comments preview the coming board workshop and FY28 budget fights over fares, funding sources and the sustainability of labor costs.

Where things stand: Directors agreed the measure buys time, not permanence. "We cannot mistake this victory for permission to continue doing business as usual," said Director Mark Foley.

Foley called for a five-, 10- and 15-year roadmap. He also proposed dynamic pricing for parking and fares, meaning prices that change with demand, and later weekend service.

Director Victor Flores called the money a runway and urged BART to expand non-fare revenue and capital investment. "There's no guarantee that we'll ever get this funding source back again in 14 years," said Flores.

Raburn put the fare gap in numbers. Passenger revenue was $559M in 2019. "$308 million is about 55% of where we were at in 2019," said Raburn.

The other side: Directors split on emphasis more than direction.

• Director Elizabeth Ames proposed an aggressive ridership target and asked for more state transit subsidy. "I'd like to double our ridership in 5 years if possible," said Ames.
• Board Vice President Edward Wright reframed the goal. "I think what's actually really important is getting trips back," said Wright. He urged bold fare packaging, the Bay Pass program and diversifying away from sales taxes.
• Director Barnali Ghosh raised the trade-off between BART's independence and the stability of its funding. "There is an existential question of how do we fund public transit? How do we fund BART?" said Ghosh.

Rinn paired the celebration with caution. "So while RTM is huge and very exciting, and we honor that, we still need to honor our fiduciary capacity to continue to work on the improvements internally," said Rinn.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No action was taken. Commuters and parkers could face pricing changes if dynamic pricing advances. Labor is on notice: Li urged long-term conversations with workers about cost sustainability.

What's next: Directors' ideas are expected to surface at a board workshop and in the FY28 budget process. No date was set for the workshop.

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Substation Fire Drags On-Time Performance as Riders Return

Why it matters: Aging substations, hard-to-fill technical jobs and a rise in robberies pose reliability and safety risks as ridership grows.

Where things stand: First-quarter ridership grew by about 8,000 average riders. Friday ridership jumped 20% from the prior quarter.

"We did have a drop in this quarter, primarily due to the substation fire that we had in September," said Sylvia Lamb of BART staff. Delay response times improved to about 8.8 minutes.

Staff identified hard-to-fill jobs:
- rail controllers
- track workers
- electricians
- power support staff

Police Chief Franklin reported 11 more robberies than the prior quarter. He said the crime rate per million trips was 20% lower than a year earlier.

The other side: Directors pushed for data.
- Ames linked contracts for EMTs on standby to reducing delays. The chief replied: "It's not really about law enforcement delays, it's more medical emergencies."
- Ames also asked staff to connect funding to preventing asset failures. "It would be nice to be able to see like the nexus of what we're addressing and what we need to fund every fiscal year to improve the performance," said Ames.
- Wright asked for a public dashboard of key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Foley asked whether every train carries automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
- Ghosh asked how enforcement and communication will scale as ridership rises.

On whether to track EMT response times, the chief said: "It's not a metric that I use for our staff, because EMT or fire response times are largely outside of our control."

Dupree questioned whether customer satisfaction surveys sample different riders. She also raised equity in policing and incidents of people being pushed onto tracks, and urged a Vision Zero approach to eliminating deaths and serious injuries.

What's next: Directors expect follow-up on the dashboard, asset-backlog data and AEDs. No dates were given.

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Silicon Valley Extension Variances Draw Oversight Push

Why it matters: The dispute centers on whether BART's safety standards, which exceed code minimums, survive cost pressure on a project led by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

Where things stand: Former BART engineer Barney Smits raised the issue during three public comment periods. He asked whether management had shared 76 design variances, which are approved exceptions to BART's standards. He also questioned the revision of BART's design criteria manual.

"Establish a BART oversight committee on BSV2," said Smits, referring to BART to Silicon Valley Phase 2. He also urged:
- ending a nondisclosure agreement
- briefings on environmental documents

Smits said the measure's operating funds cannot build substations or fix the extension's finances. He contrasted VTA's oversight committee with BART's lack of one.

The other side: Ames asked why the variances cannot be posted publicly. She worried that budget cuts could weaken the design and called for a strong staff role. "It would be prudent for BART to have an independent consultant that weighs against the other consultant that VTA has hired," said Ames.

A BART staff member said the variances arrived from VTA that week and will go to the board. Staff said an independent consultant will review VTA's proposed manual changes before the general manager decides whether to approve them.

Dupree voiced support for the extension.

What's next: Staff will give a Phase 2 update on Dec. 3.

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Board Adds Power-Wheelchair Rider to Accessibility Panel

Where things stand: The board approved the consent calendar, items 3.A through 3.K, on a motion by Raburn seconded by Rinn. The package covered:
- minutes
- labor benefit resolutions
- procurement and construction contracts
- extensions of PG&E power contracts
- a sole-source item requiring a two-thirds vote

Raburn introduced the appointee, Bryce Maples. Task force chair Ryan Manriquez said Maples "built Muni Access to help riders navigate elevator outages, and he relies on BART every day as a power wheelchair user."

"We are so lucky to have a transit system that was nearly built from the beginning, nearly, with the intention of accessibility," said Maples.

Dupree backed the appointment, urging a task force focused on "the greater good."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The motion passed (For: 9 — Ames, Flores, Foley, Ghosh, Hernandez, Li, Raburn, Rinn, Wright; Against: 0; Absent: 0). The vote clears contracts and power extensions without further debate.

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Minor Items

• General Manager Bob Powers reported October ridership 11% above budget and 15% above a year ago. Sunday ridership reached about 111,000, above pre-COVID levels.
• Ghosh reported the Ashby transit-oriented development project's open house and a $25M award.
• Ames cited an NBC report of detached collector shoes on trains and asked staff to identify the cause.
• Public commenter JB San Nicolas asked for clearly marked disabled seating on Pittsburg-Antioch trains and restroom upgrades for larger wheelchairs.
• Hernandez adjourned the meeting in memory of labor leader Dolores Huerta. The closed session on Oakland property negotiations yielded no reportable action.

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Looking ahead:
- Nov. 29: BART's redesigned app launches.
- Dec. 3: Staff deliver the Silicon Valley Phase 2 update.
- Dec. 5: A recruitment event is set at Rockridge Station.
- February: The SB 63 efficiency review's second phase begins.