Can you guess why people aren't riding BART? New survey results here

[@mrcpaddler]

Anybody living in the Bay Area knows that BART is unsafe, and that there are peak hours and segments where crime and violence are very high. For the criminals, hoping onto BART is a prime feeding ground. They'll also follow passengers after they leave the station and attack them as they're getting into their cars or when they arrive home. Remember, the local courts handle assaults just like they do shoplifting. Criminals know that there are no repercussions.

[@safeandeffectivelol]

racist

[@24thandmissionisraelites22]

Biden 2024

[@deandynamite1672]

@@24thandmissionisraelites22 For prison!

[@xavierdiazmcguire4667]

Scabies 2024

[@jilianemorales2074]

Vote Democrat pa more

[@queenv9412]

BART has never done enough to make riders feel safe. Their safety measures are laughable. Hopefully, now they will get it.

[@albeit1]

If this were a private system and I were running it, I would just require everyone to be identified as they enter the system. And ban them if harass others or commit a crime. Anonymity enables crime.

[@you6382tube]

@@albeit1 Yes it does.

[@albeit1]

@@you6382tube there are plenty of government services that require that you identify yourself. And we are already being recorded. The criminals are the only ones not being recorded because they mask up.

[@JohnJFong]

They won’t. They are only interested in enriching themselves.

[@railfanjk8964]

airports help Bart

[@andrechandon8558]

Wait. What? BART is unsafe? I'm glad BART was able to finance a new survey to find out what everyone else in the Bay Area already knew.

[@SuiteVII]

Our tax dollars are at work 😂

[@albeit1]

That way they can claim they’re doing something to justify their ridiculous scam pensions.

[@mark99k]

What a shock that people don't want to ride a system where you can be harassed, robbed, injured, or killed, and the people in charge -- paid a comfortable 6 figure salary -- do NOTHING about it.

[@SunnyWithNoChanceOfRain]

Dallas DART is just right behind. Took the DART train from the airport to a location about 1 hr & 45 min away. Scariest ride ever. Their officials must be pocketing the money too 🙃

[@notisac3149]

Fortunately they recently doubled security presence, not really sure how much of an effect it will have, but it's gotta be better than nothing.

[@kenw.4539]

I consider myself pro-union but it's these out of control, powerful, public sector unions who get generous salaries and block reform because they are a special interest out for themselves and backed by corrupt Democrat politicians. People have given up and stopped complaining about the public sector unions liked they used to. California needs to ban public sector unions. It's funny, I want to defund police and start voting Republican at the same time! Defund police in my eyes means taking money away from the bad-apples, particularly in command and NOT LESS police. Republicans in CA means moderates who believe in merit and are pro-choice. I guess we need a third party.

[@giftedgreen2152]

BART is a homeless rollercoaster.

[@mq-r3apz291]

at night riding through oakland you spitting facts XD

[@joecaragoog]

LOL

[@pgaven9396]

💀💀💀💀💀

[@jamescarter2031]

Facts

[@hectorescobar415]

Big Facts!

[@drm6007]

Safety concerns are real. The last time I rode BART, I was almost robbed at the Powell St. Station. The robber knew that I knew what was up and he changed his mind at the last moment. Things would have ended really badly for him if he initiated the robbery of me and my girlfriend. He chose wisely.

[@Terrakinetic]

And the idea that if you defend yourself you could be arrested like that security guard is sickening.

[@newtrailers2770]

@@Terrakinetic That security guard Blake Moh or Gavin Boston was never arrested.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

From the 1970s through the early 1990s anytime someone went to NYC ppl who knew the city would tell them “Don’t make eye contact w/anyone & no matter what happens to another person, don’t get involved.” The new decay of the cities will continue until they return to heavy police presence to deter crime.

[@spankyharland9845]

it is always good to flash your machete at someone who intends to rob you as a sign that you will ginzu him if he attempts to do anything to you....glad nothing happened to you !

[@nvkulk]

You must be with the Vipers

[@andrewpagan]

Last week when I was taking BART from Oakland to Berryessa, there was a guy tweaking in front of me, sitting down, rocking back and forth. Then, he decided to lay down on 2 sets of seats (so 4 seats total). Two people patrolling the cars (not officers) with BART clothing woke the guy up, asked if he needed any services and if he was okay. He said he was fine. I expected them to take him off since he obviously wasn't okay. They let him stay on and continue to tweak. This does not make me or anyone else feel more safe. Not the worst I've seen on BART (people smoking meth takes the cake on that), but it's low hanging fruit. Start checking people's tickets, and if they didn't pay kick them off. I'm sure the statistics show that most violence comes from those who did not pay to get on BART. Also, lower your prices. A 20% cut would do wonders.

[@albeit1]

There are tickets on BART?

[@andrewpagan]

@@albeit1 I can't even jock this comment.

[@jamesdalton7191]

FYI... There are people who have Parkinson's disease and move around looking like they are tweaking. Maybe that's why the Bart cops didn't take him away?

[@andrewpagan]

@@jamesdalton7191 No he was definitely homeless with his blanket, fast food, and milk shake split on the floor.

[@raulingaverage]

@@albeit1 There are no tickets on BART. Most likely doesn't ride it, in the first place, and borrowed this story from somewhere else.

[@OriginalCelina]

I used to take BART to SF before COVID because I hated driving in SF, but now I feel that both SF and BART are dangerous. I rarely go to SF anymore, maybe only twice in the last three years. As for BART, I don't even bother using it anymore. I used to ride it to get to SF, Berkeley, Oakland Airport, and SF Airport. Even before the pandemic, there were always sketchy people on BART or at the BART stations.

[@rr7firefly]

Sketchy people... You are too kind. I remember my days on BART years ago. There were times when someone would get on and clearly it would be someone with the vibe of a wild animal. It is easy to pick up on that and it is definitely a frightening experience. Regular riders can sense the danger easily because it manifests right away.

[@mocheen4837]

The homeless ride Bart to stay warm. It is no longer safe. I resorted to buying cars for both of my kids so they do not have to take Bart.

[@rr7firefly]

@@mocheen4837 When mass transportation systems were first built there was an idealistic notion that they would eliminate traffic congestion and move people about safely. No one saw the fly in the ointment... or in this case the "flies in the ointment" (scuzzy characters who'd move in to claim their space).

[@longiusaescius2537]

@OriginalCelina cute

[@winterrosscharlton1147]

I was just at the Concord Station a few hours ago, a man had to be restrained by medical personnel and Concord Police as well as BART police for attacking people on the train. A woman I talked to who as attacked said she doesn’t ride to the end of the line anymore because people lurk on the train and wait until everyone else is off and whoever is at the last stop gets attacked and viscously beaten.

[@tuber6382]

Sound about right

[@safeandeffectivelol]

sounds racist of her

[@DaPlatinumJedi]

Bart is now the New York City Subway of the 1970s-80s.

[@CJinsoo]

sounds like Thunderdome: 20 people enter, one man leaves

[@albeit1]

@@DaPlatinumJedi and NYC DID fix that for the 90s thru 2020. So we know it can be done.

[@albeit1]

You can’t let criminals and the mentally ill run rampant and still expect people to climb into a metal box with them. A free society depends on accountability and trust. And so does mass transit. Don’t be shocked at the results of bad choices.

[@tommitchell8425]

They do in AIRLINERS every frikkin hour on the hour bro😊

[@albeit1]

@@tommitchell8425 and criminals get arrested for crimes committed on planes, as they should. They should go on a no fly list. And there are people in charge on passenger aircraft. Not so in a subway car.

[@tommitchell8425]

@@albeit1 So BART POLIZI don't exist? Ask OSCAR GRANT

[@albeit1]

@@tommitchell8425 that would be relevant if we were living in 2009.

[@safeandeffectivelol]

@@tommitchell8425 Subways were pretty safe in 1930. What's your point?

[@neo5kali]

I miss the 70's and 80's (and even the 90's) when I would ride BART and the thought of being assaulted and becoming a victim of crime would never cross my mind. I would take BART to work or school, to attend events, go to the airport and even shop. But the never ending thought of being robbed and assaulted plays a huge role in how I feel about taking public transit. Many of us are aware that a lot of people carry guns and knives and will not hesitate to use them against others.

[@norwegianblue2017]

Back in the early 80s I used to ride BART by myself into the city when I was 12 years old. It was clean and safe. My dad would also take it into the city daily for work, dressed in a nice suit and tie.

[@truthseeker4084]

Oh I came to the USA 2018 and was so excited to be able to ride the Call Train and Bart system around San Francisco , I thought it was a good option to get around the Bay Area as a student. Now 5 years later I cant believe what happened in the USA :( I think a lot has to do with the pandemic and politicians. I am on neither side, but I hope it will get better soon and back to how its used to be, such a lovely area :(

[@Toograced]

Same. I went to school in Albany and Berkely and visited all my friends in Concard and Walnut Creek. Now I wont step foot on the train unless my life depends on it.@@norwegianblue2017

[@Avocado740]

Don't you miss Pete Wilson and Three Strukes You're Out? I sure do.

[@Cyrus992]

The same politicians who make the transit unsafe are the same who wants to use transit to save the Earth! 🤣

[@01gsr510]

The exorbitant pricing and it’s extremely dangerous ?

[@nohbdyathme]

YES

[@j.pejoro4909]

The fare is so high. Not good especially for minimum wage earners.

[@garysmith1863]

The biggest problem is that too many passengers are leaving the station than with more money than they entered with

[@SuiteVII]

New York’s subway system is so much cheaper

[@bellagirlgirl8827]

I used to ride BART to S.F. in the 1990s, and even then I had safety concerns. During the commute hours it was O.K. but if I worked late, I'd see people on the trains that looked "questionable." Even kids were riding the trains trying to sell candy bars. With public behavior getting worse since Covid, I bet that there are more instances of questionable people riding the trains, looking for $$ hand-outs or looking to steal phones, etc from riders or just being mentally unbalanced -- none of these behaviors make people want to ride BART.

[@rr7firefly]

Amen to that.

[@marthatang6138]

fixing BART: 1. Get a high door where passengers can only enter with tickets or card 2. Change all the chairs and touched areas into stainless steel surfaces and clean it (and the floor) at night everyday 3. People with bad behavior will be bared from riding BART for 5 years (enforced)

[@rr7firefly]

@@marthatang6138 Barring regular offenders from entering the BART system sounds great, but how does BART identify those people? Does everyone have to show an ID?

[@propblast82nd]

BART is a mental institution on rails 😩😩😩

[@olgalugovaya325]

I just rode it today . It’s not as bad as Seattle subway .

[@TohaBgood2]

Actually, adding cops and fare inspectors to patrol the actual trains and stations has really helped. But they're only there during the commute and daylight hours. So BART is completely fine when I take it to work and in the evening when I come back. But it's still crazy and dangerous basically any time it's dark out, either in the early morning or at night. Even more surprisingly, the BART cops now show up withing 2-5 minutes of reporting anything on the BART Watch App. If you're truly concerned about your safety on BART then I strongly recommend installing that app. It genuinely works. And yes, I'm as surprised at that as you are!

[@whyyeseyec]

@@TohaBgood2 Unless you get robbed on BART and your phone is stolen.

[@TohaBgood2]

@@whyyeseyec Then report before it gets stolen. If you can't keep your wits about you then stay home. It's too dangerous for you to be walking around anyway. You're too fragile of a flower to be out and about.

[@nemamodgeddi5338]

​@olgalugovaya325 Have not rode Bart recently, but Seattle's light rail is pretty clean, and there are always ticket inspectors and security.

[@janbrittenson210]

Allow me to suggest what's happening is more middle-class (i.e. professionals, managers) work remotely, which gets people off the freeways. As the freeways become accessible, people prefer to drive instead of riding BART, and this causes a shift from BART to freeways. It's not directly about remote workers abandoning BART as much as it taking pressure of all modes of transportation. With the pressure off the choice is no longer between "90 min driving or 45 on BART" - it's 45 min driving or 45 min on BART, and it's no surprise people would rather sit in their nice, quiet comfy car seat listening to the radio instead of wondering if that screaming lunatic at the end of the car staring people down is actually dangerous.

[@neo5kali]

That's part of it, but the threat of becoming a crime victim is very, very real. And the homeless and criminal problem here has exploded.

[@alansnyder8448]

It is also wondering if you defend yourself on BART will the wacko DA charge YOU instead of the person that attacked you.

[@TohaBgood2]

@@alansnyder8448 That's extremely likely actually. She's a real nutso. She's trying to reduce the jail sentences of a couple of gang murderers to just probation! She's a crazy person!

[@whyyeseyec]

@@alansnyder8448 That right there is reason enough to never ride BART.

[@munimathbypeterfelton6251]

BART's "loss of ridership" is propelled by all those fare evaders jumping the gates. You don't count as a rider if you deliberately don't pay your fare share. Time to electrify those out-of-date BART fare gates that are long overdue for replacement so that those fare evaders can learn firsthand (literally, upon placing their hands on multiple fare gates in order to jump over them) how "electrifying" an experience riding BART really is!

[@chrispnw2547]

BART has decades-long capital improvements that were never made. In 2023, there is not enough ridership to now support operations. All of these press events are not for us but a show to get the federal government to give BART a lifeline. Start laying off White collar staff till you find more money.

[@LaEsquelaVieja]

Cam someone translate this Boomer gibberish?

[@CarlosFlores-qc7bs]

I haven't paid for Bart in 5 years and have saved close to $18,000.

[@pgaven9396]

Lol 😂😂😂😂😂 stun gun gates!!!!!!😂😂😂 no train system in the world has those.

[@pgaven9396]

Mirror Spock: Your agonizer, please.

[@chrispnw2547]

1) I was returning from a trip with heavy luggage and went to the elevator. When the door opened, a person was standing in the cab and would not exit the cab. With reservation, I entered the cab with my luggage. It was one of the BART survey takers but he never identified himself. Would you want to be in a tight enclosed slow moving elevator with someone ill-intentioned? 2) Once I got to the platform. a man with clear mental issues was standing in front of a mother with two babies in a stroller. He was speaking incoherently to her and the mother was speaking to the person in a what to not 'trigger him'. John Grubb: Are you suggesting people like this mother should have to deal with people in the subway system with mental health issues? I saw this same person on the surface wandering around and I avoided him when he was beckoning. BART (like the Mayor) has no solution to deal with the homeless and mentally challenged people who congregate around public transit stations. Decades of not dealing with this problem is having a long-term impact on consumers. No campaign will change this until you get at the root cause.

[@albeit1]

A BART car is an unpadded cell in an asylum.

[@whyyeseyec]

I'm sure someone at BART is currently working on a plan to 're-imagine' what BART can be in the future....

[@realnapster1522]

Root cause is capitalism and no free healthcare. Until you fix that, nothing can be fixed.

[@Goodmorningmythical]

Mental health and transportation are two different topics.

[@Oaklandish70]

I snapped at an addict for openly "shooting-up" in front of a group of elderly passengers. He exclaimed BART was the SAFEST PLACE for this ILLICIT activity: free, warm, comfortable, never to be ejected and fairly quick assistance should he OD!

[@tommitchell8425]

At least he was TRUTHFUL 😊

[@ziggy149]

@@tommitchell8425 That's like saying someone fully admitted that they killed your family and why, but at least they were truthful. STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND ENABLING THIS BEHAVIOR. I'm way way over this idiotic toxic positivity. It's a trend that obviously does not work - it only perpetuates problems you ignore.

[@iworkout6912]

A few years ago as a new employed worker going downtown, I saw a guy with a knife chase off the car a guy who had just asked him to please clear a row of seats he was sleeping on during rush hour. Never saw what happened after that, but the poor man in a suit ran for his life to get away. Not a good introduction to public transit for a young guy to see.

[@marktroxler6798]

I commuted on the BART for 20 years (I'm now retired). It is both unsafe & unclean, but even if it were there's another issue. In my experience, and this is not an exaggeration, the BART was actually on time about once every two years. If you had travel connections to make, think about that - the trains were never on time. BART has terrible service, the trains and stations are dirty, riders have to deal with homeless insane drug addicts and gang members, they can't even maintain their own schedules, they cut maintenance and custodial personnel while giving the top executives bonuses and raises (one of the executives at BART had no actual job duties). All the time they have posters in the cars that say "Voted #1 transit agency". Voted by who? Guess they voted for themself, and were the only one in the contest. If they go out of business it isn't because of the riders, it will be because of bad management.

[@pgaven9396]

And the few custodians they keep on staff take advantage and get six figure incomes for "overtime"...yet you'd never know the stations were "cleaned" by inspecting them. I used to work as a custodian at a hospital and ill bet that you'd find all manner of germs and diseases on bart seats...on the station floors and car floors...not to mention the straps and handles everywhere.

[@nihongobenkyoshimasu3190]

BART should put real doors at the entrance of the station to avoid people from jumping above the fence. And then those people are the one creating problems, not the one who paid their ride.

[@paulgregoryrodriguez7920]

Agreed 100%

[@bobbypesos]

The last time I was on Bart was more than fifteen YEARS ago. There I was witness to an armed robbery it was the scariest thing I had experienced. We all jumped down on the floor with my mother covering me. After that experience, we knew we would never set foot on BART again. City of San Francisco Police Department does not keep us safe they cater to the criminals. IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE!

[@Paul-kd3ui]

Democrat love 💓 criminals

[@gumaming]

They don’t cater to criminals. Their hands are tied behind their backs. Blame the politicians.

[@Goodmorningmythical]

SF IS TRASH

[@IndigoStarrAz]

Reading through these comments is alarming. Back in the late eighties through the early 2000's BART was pretty dang good. The infrastructure is solid just need to make it safe.

[@eu9910]

BART is insanely expensive. In NYC and LA the fare is under $3 and you can take the metros to anywhere in the system and they’re just as extensive as BART.

[@j.pejoro4909]

Correct, way too expensive.

[@pgaven9396]

Exactly....Bart should have been...or should be...Flat rate...but that would also mean that we would have a tax from that..I still would gladly fork over some of my paycheck for taxes if I knew that wouldn't have to be nickled and dimed every time I rode the bart.

[@TohaBgood2]

BART is _not_ a subway! BART is an S-bahn system that goes very far into the suburbs. All the systems of this type are always priced about the same in all countries. They are never cheap or flat-rate.

[@pgaven9396]

@@TohaBgood2 nope...I disagree. Been to other places and bart is no autobahn by any stretch of the imagination. Comparing bart to autobahn is like comparing a homeless mentally ill person to Mr. Rodgers.

[@TohaBgood2]

@@pgaven9396 Autobahn is the German word for highway. BART is an S-Bahn (Schnellbahn) style system. The French call this RER (Réseau Express Régional ). An S-bahn is a souped up commuter train that has some features of a subway but the service pattern of a commuter train. They generally have level boarding, like a subway, and they have high frequencies of 10-15 minutes. They may or may not run all day at that high frequency, but most don't. At the same time, these types of systems extend from the city centers all the way out into the far-flung suburbs of the metro area. They may run in multiple cities or jurisdiction. This is also why these systems are not flat-priced or cheap. They're just too expensive to run and build for that to be financially feasible.

[@leukybear]

Typical Bart. Wasting time, money, and effort on a survey when the facts are glaring and in front of their faces. Fare evasion is the root cause. Most problem-causers do not pay their fare. Fix one and the other will resolve itself. Maybe they deserve to fail for doing everything BUT the solution.

[@chrispnw2547]

This is all to prepare for a plea for a Federal lifeline. Take those white color jobs in the officers and make them monitor the fare gates for violators. BART needs revenue and it is leaking it.

[@mediumeffort3315]

Literally what New York did to make their subways safe and profitable again. They cracked down on fare jumpers and it gutted crime and vandalism on the train while also massively increasing revenue. Unfortunately, New York is sliding back towards its subway being a crime train/rolling insane asylum like it was in the 70s/80s.

[@youtubeyoutubeyoutube9961]

I've gone to several concerts in San Francisco and have taken the Pleasanton bart station into the city, hopped off, got an uber and went to my event. Just be aware of your surroundings, as you always should be, and you'll be fine. Be street smart. There's good and bad people out there and you'll need to know when you're near one.

[@bobbykiefer4306]

Pubic transit is dangerous nowadays everywhere in the US with violent people cruisin' for a bruisin' etc. so getting into an altercation is a real possibility.

[@iworkout6912]

Which goes against the government possible rulings that everyone will ride public transit to save the world. BS. I'd bet the executives who run these systems never ride them.

[@zhaneranger]

I stopped riding for safety. Even time I rode I was always looking over my shoulder worried I would get pushed into the tracks by a crazy or get mugged. And after watching the NY incident… no one’s going to come to your aid cuz criminals have all the rights these days

[@trustme2001]

I don't even have to watch the video I already know it's still homeless and it's dangerous.

[@pgaven9396]

The video is homeless and dangerous?😂

[@Erick-zp8vm]

As a out of state visitor who has taken BART over the last 40 years..... I can tell you this. No, two years ago I did feel unsafe on the BART train. Homeless people were riding the train more. In addition the restrooms seemed to always be out of order and there were no station agents to be found. I had to call BART police to get me out of a station because my card got demagnetized. This never happened before. The stations and trains looked filthy which I never found it that way in the past.

[@rr7firefly]

Filthy BART -- I remember the times that I'd bring a newspaper with me to put between my clean clothes and one of the upholstered seats. It's a terrible feeling when you have to come in contact with surfaces that have who-knows-what on them. Sometimes it has soaked into the seat fabric.

[@albeit1]

They’re sleeping in a back room somewhere. It’s hard working overtime if can’t sleep through most of it.

[@abeylopez4333]

Lots of people have moved away from the Bay Area. Big Tech often brought in a lot of contractors or had people on sponsor visas who've also had to move back. Downtown SF needs to bounce back or else this isn't going to get better.

[@pgaven9396]

Big tech is the industry who is cutting back their jobs in major ways.

[@RubenB658]

Bart is history. People are leaving San Fran and the Bay Area thanks to oppressive laws and California taxation, drug addiction and homelessness.

[@CD_RN_Independent_Voter]

*BART is a necessity* from SF to the South Bay to avoid overwhelming traffic, *but it MUST be clean and safe.* Strong police presence, especially at dangerous stations. Multiple security cameras on every train and station. No homelessness. No loitering. No crime. No illicit drug use. No littering. No defecating. No urinating.

[@ABCEasyas--]

How about Cal Train from SF to South Bay?

[@SanRob0302]

I could've told you that safety is the #1 reason without doing that survey at all, it's a no brainer. I don't understand these politicians or government officials who totally lack common sense.

[@brentsummers7377]

Has to be hurting tourism too. Some people do a lot of research on a city's train, bus, and light rail systems before they decide on where to go for a vacation.

[@benshore7357]

I remember riding Bart in the late 70s as a teen and it seemed futuristic, very clean and overall good time. I like when you are headed to sf from Oakland the train gets ready to go under the bay and it feels like you are going under water love it. 🎉

[@mei6044]

During covid, 50 youth and or young adults jumped on a Bart train from an Oakland stop, flooded the train, and robbed everyone. Not sure if anyone was beaten up, but all the riders were completely helpless. Was terrifying.

[@rr7firefly]

Those criminal mobs have become emboldened with all the woke talk. They take advantage of the pass they get for bad behavior because they've lived a "life of deprivation" based on their social status. No one wants to admit this.

[@truecanuck97]

Public transport across CA is failing as a whole. They are simply mobile homeless shelters where mental health crises and hard drug use complete with OD occurrences are frequent.

[@rr7firefly]

I was on the Metro in L.A. and a teenage girl was trying to intimidate me with her tough talk. I think she thought I'd cower at the possibility that she'd become violent. I stayed calm and spoke to her in a normal tone and within seconds she backed off. She gave me a smile like "Bro, you're all right. You may be older and better off than me but that's okay."

[@pgaven9396]

Based on that survey I'll bet most bart riders would prefer a train system like that of Dubai. Dubai's train system is devoid of the homeless, mentally ill...and the filfth. You won't find officers on the fully automated system there though...but seeing signs for fines for chewing gum it may be a tad too much for us to swallow. But the ejection of riders for violating passenger conduct is something I'd be down for. That alone would potentially garner more ridership if it was enforced.

[@alansnyder8448]

Singapore is nice also for the same reason.

[@scott19000]

I can’t remember that last time I saw a BART cop on a train.

[@eugeniocurvati9370]

The funny thing is that they never show on TV what riders have to go thru ! I wish someone from a news Chanel will make a video on riding Bart to work and show it for what it is. Unsafe , dirty , outdated , scary

[@emmanuelvacakis4463]

Safety is an issue. People smoke pot and it’s not being stopped. But safety is a concern everywhere. It’s not just the Bart. The freeways aren’t safe either.

[@Me97202]

I recently rode BART for the first time in _decades._ It was a lousy experience. I heard metal on metal screeching all the way from SFO to downtown. The cars are still the ones from 1973, right?

[@marccurzon]

they are in the process of murdering all the screechy retro trains. They got rid of the cars from the 90s first because they were the most unreliable.

[@mark222b]

I think low ridership is due to a mix of different factors, main reasons are: people working from home, cost, health and safety concerns. For me, I'm never going back to bart. I got tired of the fare hikes, parking fees, full trains, full parking, safety issues. I started doing casual carpool before the pandemic but that meant I still ride bart going back to the east bay. During the pandemic I learned how to ride a motorcycle and that got me free of bart completely. Shorter commute time even in heavy traffic, and much lower daily cost.

[@zjones9876]

As somebody who used to make a living robbing people on BART this is very frustrating. Most of the people riding these days aren't worth stealing from. And before you call me a drug addict, no I don't do drugs. I don't even drink or smoke. Robbing people is a full time job and if ridership never returns to normal I don't know what I will do.

[@masdchannel6655]

well do something and make it secure and stop stealing money!

[@davidalemayehu4328]

New clean trains. 2 police officers every train. Police at each stop. No drugs or pets on train, no homeless. Clean, safe, and new. Not that hard

[@aboutface102]

I don’t get what makes this complicated? Make it safe and clean. Don’t talk about it, do it, now.

[@gary9080]

We lived at Avalon Dublin station when it opened. It slowly filled with section 8 from Oakland and all had free BART passes. I was the only one paying. It turned into a 24 hour madhouse because nobody worked except us. Failure of society.

[@youtubeyoutubeyoutube9961]

As long as theres sport events in the Bay Area then the BART station will always have business.

[@RoofedAsian89]

Because they value their life

[@CaliforniaMISC]

What a suprise !!!

[@Invisableme39]

Additional problems with Bart is excessive employee pay, retirement benefits and pensions. Bart is a joke, it’s not safe. And the trains are ancient compared to the transportation trains in Europe.

[@kevinquirarte2365]

Also charging by distance declines ridership

[@toyajackson556]

It is also incredibly unreliable. They cancel trains when ridership is down, why would people continue to pay for that, risk your safety & then be inconvenienced by all these cancelled trains passing you by.

[@TheDebcb52]

I usually ride in the first car just behind the operator

[@jorgelriveracarrasquillo4462]

I got off at the Daly City station a couple of days ago and a homeless man attacked me and my girlfriend. I’m never riding the BART again.

[@rw4022]

Why did it take you so long to figure out that BART was dangerous?

[@jorgelriveracarrasquillo4462]

@@rw4022 lol. I’m not from California.

[@wellthatgotweird]

When i went home recently i noticed people openly using drugs , riding the bart from sfo_ south bay, etc its wild

[@tuber6382]

Trains and stations are filthy. Train is too slow Train station bathrooms are closed Train pricing is too high Station parking not available Parking is too expensive Train too loud Oh geez... I have several hundred more

[@oldRoyaltypewriter]

I used to ride BART daily when I lived in the city from 1990 to 2001. I never felt unsafe or threatened, and the trains were reasonably clean. What the H happened? 🙁

[@IndigoStarrAz]

Yeah it was good!

[@gailmaterialsquotedepartme8710]

Let's see. Two major hotels are pulling out. Westfield Mall is pulling out. Most office buildings are empty. Sounds like BART is toast.

[@chasemartin4450]

From my experience, BART in the East Bay is a lot less sketchy than one would expect given the media coverage these days, but passing through San Francisco the system seems to be facing many of the same problems as the city above. Yes, there are people "sleeping" in the back of the train who are clearly under the influence of something, but if you ask me, we need to crack down on behaviors which actually create a significant nuisance / danger for other riders (e.g. threatening everyone with a meat cleaver) while not worrying about someone drinking coffee or just minding their own business.

[@rcea2217]

I love how they try to play it off like they are improving safety. They claim to have more Bart police, but the odds of me seeing one is extremely rare if at all.

[@casienwhey]

Focus on the massive fare evasion. That would be a good place to start if you want to increase revenue.

[@fourthgirl]

BART wants to blame the low ridership on the pandemic and working from home. Ridership was on the decline before 2020. Safety was #1. People allowed to jump gates, live on the trains, beg for money, assaults and murders. Let's add less than helpful, but over-compensated station agents and police. But the real blow came during the pandemic. Service workers still had to go to work. My son worked security at 5th & Townsend swing shift. He was off at 11:00pm and BART cut service at 9pm. He would have to walk to the transit station or VanNess & Market to take a bus back over the bridge to Oakland. Because of social distancing , only a few people could get on the bus at a time. He would arrive at home around 3am. I started driving from Richmond to SF to pick him up and then SF to Oakland and back to Richmond. Five days a week 60 miles roundtrip. That is what was done to folks who relied on BART and AC Transit. AC tried to adjust for pandemic traffic, but BART just found more reasons to cut service that affected those who were still physically going to work at airports, security, hospitals, restaurants, etc. After a year of mom-transit, he learned to drive and bought a car. This is what mis-management does. BART and AC Transit need to join forces, reduce the number of overpaid directors, hiring people with transit backgrounds for future planning.

[@latinwaterpoloperez]

San Jose has never had a large black population, but now the Oakland folks are riding into San Jose and causing nothing but trouble! Ughhhh

[@Vbn1313]

Even BART employees don’t want to use the system.

[@peterponcedeleon3368]

If people think they will be targeted by criminals while on Bart, then people will not ride. Get tough on crime (local and state government) things might turn around.

[@marssartori4043]

Dirty, dangerous (I know from first-hand experience), last train ends too early, trains can take up to 20 minutes, not as many lines/stops which oftentimes makes driving easier...I could go on.

[@donaldschacht7719]

Does the survey include the fare evaders in their results? If they made sure that only people that have paid or have an exemption to ride BART are on the system it will be in my opinion a safe system, it is that easy.....ALL of the problem is the riders that did not pay to ride, and you can watch them enter and leave without any interaction from anybody. SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE !

[@dtsh4451]

Did they survey why the sun rises in the east and sunsets in the west? Why water is wet🤷‍♂️?

[@michaellastname4922]

Yep, and they outlawed reality, too.

[@Toograced]

I can't believe anyone voted for both policies and politicians who are soft on crime. The last time I used BART, Civic Center Station was an open air drug market full of used needles and waked out drug addicts loosing their stuff while spralled all over the steps leading to the street busses. The bus stops and shuttle stops were plagued with both drug dealers and users checking out who their next target would be. And in the middle of it all, I always saw police officers standing one feet away as a drug deal was underway and they never batted an eye. I stand at 6Ft 2in. And a young girl had to use me for cover to protect her from a mentally ill, homeless person who wanted her attention. San Fransico is a horrible place now. You would be wise to not come here. As long as Gavin Newsome and London Bree are in charge and all their progressive elietes, this place will always look like a scene out of Mad Max movies. I guess the majority of SF residence are really out of touch with reality and plane stupid. That, or the corruption is so great that voting doesn't really matter because no one can vote them out since the real votes aren't counted. IDK. Maybe both are true.

[@startupmindsets]

what ppl gonna do in downtown sf anyway? all the stores are gone

[@KongSunWu]

BART gets a huge amount of $$ from tax payers as a result they could carless about their customers. The solution is to stop giving taxpayer money to BART

[@pandacub6164]

Do not let homeless or addicts into BART, do not let them loiter inside the station, have police Inside BART train, Inside the facility, and outside the facility. Only then, will passengers feel safe.

[@travelnomad2128]

We had a choice to ride the bart from the airport to the cruise terminal but because of safety concerns, we eventually decided to uber.

[@saabreplay7553]

Too Expensive and unsafe. Oh shoot I forgot SLOW

[@lostalex77]

The criminals should be afraid, not the innocent riders. Make the criminals afraid and people will return to BART.

[@brittneykrawler]

Bro I can 100% tell if someone is nodding off or if they’re smoking dope under a coat. There needs to be an attendant to kick these fools out the BART station or something

[@pgaven9396]

Maybe there was back in 1975.....😂

[@SirClerihew]

“Every city has crime” Some more than others. Some way more.

[@bingode1646]

Because it's to expensive and should not be more than $5 for the whole day anywhere you need to go. So not worth the price for that slow dirty train that's never on time

[@ChimpBasher]

I just can’t understand how the Bart government can be so clueless.. there should be officers on Bart. There shouldnt be homeless and mentally ill sleeping on the Bart. I don’t get it why they can’t understand that the Bart isn’t safe feeling. I’m a man and even I don’t feel safe.

[@appomattoxross6751]

It's a progressive thing. Reward bad behavior and punish success.

[@JW-mx3qg]

Gates that won’t allow passage in any way except with a valid ticket.

[@chibba]

Lol I am giving up on dates in SF simply because bart is crappy - I have been to so many SF dates before pandemic because I worked in SF but now I work remotely, I will not bart to go on my dates unless I have to go for work (Or that date is promising lol), so I gave up a lot of opportunities but my life is more important than dating lmao. I don't want to get injured by a random stranger or start a fight. I took bart once during the pandemic after sleeping over at my date's place and I got sick the next day. I saw a goddam homeless wondering around different train, so in order for me to take bart again, I have to make sure there is no stabbing, most people wearing masks, and no homeless dirty thugs. Though there is no mask required but a lot of these homeless does not even have the vaccine, so they can still spread covid.

[@garylittleton3150]

It will never be the same. Now it is just a wast of money

[@SFStransit]

Ok but think of this, you get into a car crash… do you never drive again? No of course you drive again because you’ve been brought up in the lie that your car is the safest place you can be. Welcome to living in a city.

[@fido9745]

I’ll be so sad if BART shuts down. We’ll never know what we lost until it’s gone.

[@TheDrumLife2]

Buy a car.

[@imrytebeehyneu]

True but whose fault is that? If crime isn't controlled, then why bother riding? MTA is next but I doubt it

[@albeit1]

We know what BART is. If governments don’t want to provide safe mass transit, they should sell BART to a private company that is willing to kick out the troublemakers.

[@munimathbypeterfelton6251]

Nobody wants BART to shut down, even the non-riders. But the average, everyday rider deserves to have a safe, efficient, financially affordable commute. So until the drug users, homeless, fare gate jumpers, and overall unsanitary elements of BART are permanently done away with, ridership will continue to dwindle. It's the people's way of saying "enough is enough"--rightly so.

[@mq-r3apz291]

@@TheDrumLife2 nah not if it's just to drive around san fran XD

[@calbastian]

They can ask their unions for subsidy.

[@medlord9958]

Would London Breed ride it daily? That answers everything

[@whatadollslife]

take the mayor and the supervisors and the BART officials offices away and make them work all day on BART Cars ...on their phones ...why they need an office ?

[@celebrityrog]

Why we aren't riding? SAFETY, CLEANLINESS, ON-TIME EXPECTATIONS, HIGH PRICES AND HIGH CORRUPTION. BART needs to go under, be Federalized.

[@gendo1kar1]

It's expensive, dirty... and let's not forget alot of people moved out of the bay area due to costs.

[@pgaven9396]

If it was a flat rate like NYC I never would have stoppex

[@jackchen5290]

During the pandemic, San Francisco Bay Area enforced a total lock down which encouraged a work-from-home culture. The lack of commuter and demand for office space is a natural unintended consequence that everyone foresaw except those who encouraged such lockdown policy.

[@pgaven9396]

People who were just taking bart to take bart simply realized that they no longer wanted to put up with the headache: the mentally ill, delayed service, the uncleanness of the trains and stations, rats...etc.

[@antoniochevalier797]

SAFETY CONCERNS are not a NEW thing. For decades BART has Laughed at the Riders. You have to take our transportation Fool. Sorry Charlie no more.

[@Hugh1319]

Let be real. Only low income people ride Bart because they have no choice. You risk your life every time you hop in a Bart train praying 🙏🏻 no one will try to rob you or kill you.

[@_ac_7649]

working from home collapsed the whole Bay Area especially SF. no reason to risk you life on a dangerous thing like Bart

[@alexjhorner]

Its strange to think about that Ottawa's O-Train Line 1, a very much "okay" 12.5km light rail line that isn't even complete yet, and has loads of public distrust- pulled 2 million more riders than BART, a 5 line, 211km network serving a city that has 6x the population of Ottawa

[@veritas3179]

SAFETY! GOT-IT! earned your pay BART.

[@mickyday2008]

I wouldn’t ride on that if you paid me