BART continues regular service during shelter in place
Monday’s shelter in place emergency order from local counties considers BART an essential business.
BART will continue to provide regular service for riders performing essential activities and for riders travelling to and from “essential business” work, with long enough trains to allow for social distancing. Based on ridership levels last week and over the weekend, social distancing is happening on BART. Last week BART served 24%-61% fewer riders depending on the day of the week. There is enough space for riders to remain 6 feet from each other. Increased cleaning and disinfecting are continuing in stations and trains. (See related article).
The order provides the following guidelines specific to transit:
- BART, along with other essential businesses, is “strongly encouraged to remain open.”
- To the greatest extent feasible, BART should allow for Social Distancing of at least six feet from any other person including, but not limited to, when any customers are standing in line.
- People must use public transit only for purposes of performing Essential Activities or to travel to and from work to operate Essential Businesses or maintain Essential Governmental Functions and Essential Infrastructure operations and maintenance. People riding on public transit must comply with Social Distancing Requirements, to the greatest extent feasible. The shelter in place order defines each of those categories.
- Essential travel also includes travel:
- to obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members.
- to engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members.
- to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.
- to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services.
- to return to a place of residence from outside the jurisdiction.
- required by law enforcement or court order.
- required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the County.
BART staff and frontline workers continue to deliver safe BART service. BART staff is being provided the tools they need to perform their job safely including hand sanitizer, germicidal wipes, face masks for positions that require them, and other personal protective equipment. We offer an Employee Assistance Program with resources that can assist with child/elder care referrals, financial consultation and counseling with a licensed mental health clinician.
