On Sunday, Dec. 10, BART rang in the holiday season with our riders during our inaugural SweaterFest ‘23. More than a thousand of you showed up to Rockridge Station to celebrate with us — a reminder of just how much the Bay Area loves BART. (See more photos)
We encouraged attendees to wear their BART holiday sweaters – from 2023, 2022, or 2021 (the first year we launched the sweaters) – and pose for a group photo on the steps to the station.
Some BART fans showed up as early as 11am – three hours before the start of the event – to be the first in line to buy a 2023 holiday sweater. By 2pm, the line to purchase BART merch snaked around the Rockridge sign and the plaza.
“I didn’t know BART had a fashion line,” said one rider passing through the station.
In addition to selling tons of BART-themed gifts, including the last-remaining 2023 holiday sweaters and beanies, we also launched our BART Stamp Rally with official BART passports, and handed out lots of free BART merch, including number plates and the new BART train plushie.
Thanks for coming out, Bay Area. Happy Holidays!
This year, BART sold 3,500 holiday sweaters in total. To help meet the strong demand, we pre-sold 2,370 sweaters earlier in the year. We ordered more than 1,000 additional sweaters to sell during the holiday season and were thrilled when they sold out quickly.
If you weren’t able to get a sweater before they sold out this year, we encourage you to stay up to date on all things BART by following us on social media, signing up here for our BART News email subscription, and downloading the official BART app.
Check-in locations include Walnut Creek BART Station
On Thursday, Dec. 7, BART launched a Digital Holiday Passport to encourage riding BART to explore the region and access holiday fun and adventures. Participants can win big prizes, including a $250 Clipper card and a 2023 Ugly Holiday Sweater and Holiday Beanie.
BART created the Digital Holiday Passport in partnership with Vibemap, a city discovery app that uses “vibes” to connect users to places, events, and experiences. Vibemapwill join BART at SweaterFest ‘23 on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2pm to 3pm, at Rockridge Station, to promote the challenge and answer questions. Members of the public who attend SweaterFest ‘23 will also be the first to receive the brand-new BART Stamp Passports for the BART Stamp Rally.
The Digital Holiday Passport challenge will run from Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, to Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Seven stations will serve as check-in locations:
Walnut Creek
Downtown Berkeley
Fruitvale
Montgomery
MacArthur
Lake Merritt
West Dublin/Pleasanton
To participate, download Vibemap on the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store. After downloading, travel within 0.5 miles of one of the seven stations listed above, and you’ll receive a notification to unlock the Digital Holiday Passport. The passport is geofenced so you can’t participate unless you’re physically in the area.
Participants will earn “Challenge Points” for every nearby activity they do – from checking-in at stations and places around BART, to adding “vibes” and tips to the app. The more points you have, the higher your chances of winning prizes, such as:
After the challenge concludes, Vibemap will host an IRL event for participants to meet and mingle. Date and location TBD. At the event, you can get a special holiday stamp as part of the BART Stamp Rally.
For the third year in a row, we’ve done it again… enter to win the BART 2023 ugly holiday sweater! You’ll be the life of the party when you show up in this beauty that includes the BART map, lights and BART horn. Don’t miss entering for your first or to add to your collection. One winner will take the prize & happy holidays!
How to win: Enter your email address to be entered into the sweepstakes. Winner will be chosen at random on Monday, Nov. 27. 2023 and will be contacted via email. Winner is given 24 hours to respond to prize notification. Prizes cannot be exchanged or combined. To read the complete sweepstakes rules, click here.
You will also be subscribed to BART’s entertainment newsletter BARTable This Week upon opt-in. Already a subscriber? You can enter the sweepstakes with the same email address (don’t worry, you won’t receive duplicate emails). BART won’t share or sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Includes $741,000 for Tri Delta Transit, $352 million for BART
Funding distribution still is subject to state approval
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, approved an emergency transit operations funding plan that, if approved by the state, will use state and regional funds for transit operations to address Bay Area transit agencies’ most dire funding shortfalls and help them avoid service cuts.
Today’s action by the Commission approves the principles informing the funding distribution, the funding distribution framework, and regional accountability measures for funding from the Transit and Intercity Rail Program (TIRCP), Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program (ZETCP), and various regional funding sources according to the guidelines described in Senate Bill (SB) 125. The resolution also makes the transit agency boards’ acceptance of the accountability guidelines a requirement for receiving the funds. The actual distribution of the funds is subject to the submittal of these documents to the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and CalSTA’s approval of the documents.
Distribution amounts will be reassessed annually to respond to changing conditions, and the disbursement of operating funds will be contingent upon transit agencies meeting or making significant progress toward a set of accountability requirements, including customer experience and efficiency enhancements.
For all agencies receiving emergency operating money, the accountability requirements will include participation in ongoing Transit Transformation Action Plan initiatives, and implementation of schedule coordination and real-time transit data improvements. Other accountability requirements are specific to individual operators and focus on safety and security, fare evasion reduction, and comprehensive service improvements.
Under this plan, MTC will contribute an additional $300 million in regional funds to help address the funding shortfall and to keep transit operational.
MTC will distribute funds according to the following framework:
MTC will distribute funds according to this framework.
Agency
FY24-25
FY25-26
Total ($)
Total (%)
SFMTA
$99,477
$209,328
$308,805
40%
BART
$58,211
$293,837
$352,048
45%
AC Transit
$4,000
$28,569
$32,569
4%
Caltrain
$0
$25,449
$25,449
3%
Golden Gate Transit
$2,838
$38,263
$41,101
5%
Other Operators
$4,661
$9,574
$14,235
2%
ACE
$1,777
$1,829
$3,605
n/a
ECCTA (Tri Delta Transit)
$503
$238
$741
n/a
LAVTA
$897
$1,392
$2,289
n/a
NVTA
$1,485
$966
$2,450
n/a
SolTrans
$0
$2,036
$2,036
n/a
WestCAT
$0
$3,113
$3,113
n/a
Regional Network Management
$2,000
$0
$2,000
0%
Bay Area Total
$171,187
$605,020
$776,207
100%
Amounts shown in thousands ($1,000)
In June, Gov. Newsom signed into law California’s fiscal 2023-24 state budget, which includes $1.1 billion in flexible transportation funding to help support transit operations. The state investment will help transit agencies avoid a near-term ‘fiscal cliff’ that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and associated changes in travel patterns and that likely would have led to deep service cuts as early as this year by Muni, BART and other agencies whose fare revenues remain well below pre-pandemic levels.
SB 125 also requires that MTC collect and summarize data from transit operators on a variety of topics, including expenditures on safety, opportunities for enhanced coordination and improvements, and monthly ridership statistics. MTC by June 30, 2026, must submit a Long-Term Financial Plan that demonstrates the implementation of ridership recovery strategies and provides a five-year operating funding outlook.
In order to meet the December 31, 2023, deadline to submit materials to CalSTA, staff will return to the Commission in December to request adoption of the Short-Term Financial Plan. MTC will receive FY2023-24 SB 125 funds no later than April 30, 2024, and will be eligible to receive FY2024-25 funds early in that fiscal year, pending CalSTA’s review of MTC’s allocation package.
Beginning November 30, 2023, paper tickets will no longer be accepted at BART. This change is occurring as BART begins to roll out new state of the art fare gates we have ordered which will not accept paper tickets and as Clipper prepares for the launch of the next generation of Clipper.
Paper tickets balances cannot be transferred onto a Clipper card. BART offers paper ticket refunds for tickets with a remaining value greater than $1.00. It can be multiple tickets that add up to $1 or more. Click here for directions to request a refund.
Pay By Phone
Clipper is now available through Apple Pay and Google Pay. Riders can get a new Clipper card on their phones for free (normally $3). Funds added using Apple Pay and Google Pay are immediately available for use.
Set up is easy and can be done on the spot or in advance while you are at home. Every rider needs their own digital card. For families travelling together, multiple cards can be added to an Apple phone, but users must turn off Express Transit mode to toggle between each card when tagging at the fare gate.
Next Generation Clipper
BART has moved to a Clipper-only fare payment system because the region has prioritized the use of Clipper as the Bay Area’s all-in-one transit card administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In calendar year 2024, the next generation of Clipper will be rolled out including open payment which provides the option to tag a credit/debit card at a BART fare gate, including Apple Pay or Google Pay, without setting up a card on your phone in advance. The next generation of Clipper also opens the door for new discount programs, promotions, and potentially fare capping for BART riders.
On Saturday, September 30, 2023, BART ceased the sale of magstripe paper tickets at SFO. Only Clipper cards are available at SFO vending machines and riders will continue to be encouraged to add a Clipper card to their phone for a card-free option.
BART began offering paper tickets at SFO in October 2022 in response to global supply chain issues impacting the region’s plastic card inventory. The region now has an adequate supply of cards and BART will eliminate the sale of all paper tickets. This includes the sale of red paper tickets at the Customer Service window at Lake Merritt Station for RTC applicants waiting for their Clipper card to arrive and paper tickets for group sales.
Riders are still able to use the paper tickets they already have on hand, including weekend promotion tickets, to enter and exit through most fare gates until November 30, 2023.
Refunds
Paper Ticket Refunds
Beginning November 30, 2023, paper tickets will no longer be accepted at BART. This change is occurring as BART begins to roll out new state of the art fare gates which will not accept paper tickets and as Clipper prepares for the launch of the next generation of Clipper.
Paper tickets balances cannot be transferred onto a Clipper card. BART offers paper ticket refunds for tickets with a remaining value greater than $1.00.
Until November 30, 2023, riders with paper tickets will be able to add enough fare to a paper ticket to exit a station using cash at the Addfare machines located inside the paid area of each station.
You have 3 options for getting a refund:
A Station Agent can help process a ticket refund request. The agent will have you fill out a form and you will provide the agent with your ticket(s) and the agent will send it to BART Treasury. Treasury will mail you a check. This option helps you avoid paying for postage and is the most secure option. The refund may take 4-6 weeks to process.
You can also visit the Customer Services Center at Lake Merritt Station to drop off tickets in a sealed envelope addressed to BART’s Treasury Department. Please include your name, phone number, and return address and note that you are seeking a refund of paper ticket(s) using this form. A receipt will be provided for dropping off your envelope.
Mail the ticket(s) to BART’s Treasury Department. Include your name, phone number, and return address and note that you are seeking a refund of your paper ticket(s) due to BART’s elimination of paper ticket sales. Station Agents can also provide pre-addressed envelopes to Treasury. Due to observed delivery issues this is a less secure option. It is recommended that items of value be insured when selecting this option.
Mail it to:
BART Finance Department
2150 Webster, 9th floor, Oakland, CA 94612
Attention: Requests
BART’s Treasury Department will then process the refund. You will get a check in the mail at the address you provide. The check may take 4-6 weeks.
Tickets submitted for refund must have been purchased by cash or debit card. Tickets purchased with a credit card (there will be a small “c” on these near the magnetic stripe) will be credited back to the credit card which was used to purchase the ticket.
BART doesn’t offer cash refunds.
BART will also refund full unused paratransit ticket books.
Tickets purchased using pre-tax dollars/Commuter Checks are not refundable due to federal restrictions of the Commuter Check program
For more information, call the BART Treasury at (510) 464-6841.
Clipper Refunds:
Only registered Clipper cards, are available for refunds. Please contact Clipper Customer Service at 877.878.8883 to request a refund without cancelling your card.
Ticket Donations (“Tiny Tickets”)
Donations of tickets with unused value of less than $1 can be made to local non-profits. Check with your favorite non-profit or charity organization to see if it accepts these small value tickets. Former Tiny Ticket non-profit organizations can still submit these tickets for refund directly to BART Treasury.
Submit to:
Refunds, BART Treasury Department
2150 Webster St., 9th floor, Oakland, CA 94612
If you have a question, please call (510) 464-6841.
Replacement Tickets:
BART’s Treasury Department will no longer issue replacement tickets in order to reduce the use of tickets in the system. Due to increased Clipper Card use and the corresponding reduction in use of paper tickets, the Ticket Exchange Booth at 12th St Oakland City Center Station has been permanently closed.
Need help?
BART Customer Service is available to help riders with inquiries over the phone at (510)464-7133 or in person at Lake Merritt Station (concourse level).
BART is seeking applicants to serve as public members on its Audit Committee, which assists the Board of Directors in providing oversight for financial management, operational effectiveness, ethics and regulatory compliance.
The Audit Committee is comprised of five voting members, including three Board Directors and two public members with governmental financial expertise. It meets at least four times per year, with authority to convene additional meetings as needed.
Criteria for the position include:
Expertise: Have expertise in governmental accounting, financial management, or Performance auditing, or conducting investigations of fraud, waste, or abuse;
Technical Knowledge: Have technical knowledge of accounting, financial or performance auditing, financial reporting, and internal controls, including an understanding of and ability to apply the Government Auditing Standards, accounting standards issued by the Government Accounting Standards Board, and a recognized internal control framework;
Professional Certification: Possess a relevant professional certification, such as Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Inspector General, Certified Internal Controls Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor, or a similar certification. Relevant experience may substitute for such certification in the Board’s discretion;
No conflicts/recent affiliations: Within the past 10 years and other than in their role as a committee member, have no affiliation with the District or with a firm that has done business with the District.
Public members serving on the Audit Committee must be appointed by a majority of the full Board of Directors through this application process. Public members must possess the independence, experience, and collective technical expertise necessary to carry out the duties of the Audit Committee. Public members must be residents within the District’s boundaries and are subject to conflict-of-interest laws.
The application process has two phases. In Phase 1, all applications will be reviewed to meet all requirements and qualifications, letters of recommendations and any supplemental documents. In Phase 2, selected candidates will be invited to appear before the Board of Directors to briefly explain their interest in serving on the committee, followed by a Board vote.
Friday, Oct. 6 – This promises to be a busy weekend in the skies over the Bay Area as Fleet Week is back in San Francisco. BART is ready to help you get to the prime viewing locations for the air show.
BART is welcoming Fleet Week by offering longer and more frequent trains at night and on weekends throughout the festivities. This is the first Fleet Week that will benefit from BART’s reimagined schedule that was launched last month. Now riders will wait no more than 20 minutes on a station platform for a scheduled train. We are using only Fleet of the Future trains to fulfill our basic service plan so riders will enjoy a cleaner and safer BART experience. Many lines that have been served by 6-car trains will instead feature 8-car trains as we expand our capacity for riders going to Fleet Week.
Saturday, Oct. 7: California Golden Bears vs Oregon State University Beavers at Memorial Stadium
There’s a great matchup at Memorial Stadium Saturday as Cal hosts the 15th ranked Oregon State University Beavers. It’s the Bears’ Homecoming game so a big crowd is expected. Kickoff is at 7pm. The Bears need only three more wins to become bowl eligible. BART is the best way to get to the game. In addition to our increased weekend service and the longer trains we’re running for Fleet Week, we’ll stage an event train to expand our capacity for fans.
We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains. For an in-depth listing of local events, visit the BARTable website. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and Instagram.
Enjoy the Mokelumne Trail Bridge Bike Ride from Antioch BART Station Plaza on Sept. 30
Friday, September 1, 2023, marked the official start of the Bay Area’s eighth-annual Transit Month. Hosted by San Francisco Transit Riders and Seamless Bay Area with support from local transit agencies, including BART, Transit Month toasts the many trains, buses, and ferries that connect the region and uplift its communities, economies, and cultures.
During Transit Month, riders are encouraged to explore the region by taking local transportation. The month is hallmarked by a multitude of free events, a Ride Contest, ride-a-longs with transit leaders, a Rider First Awards ceremony, and more.
Some of the BART-centric events to look forward to this year include:
Mokelumne Trail Bridge Bike Ride from Antioch BART Station Plaza on Sept. 30, organized by Bike East Bay
Ride with Bike East Bay to the new bike/walk bridge over Hwy 4 in deep east Contra Costa County. The bridge now provides a safer route between Antioch and Brentwood, including a connection to the Mokelumne Trail which continues to the east through Brentwood, and to the west through Pittsburg and Bay Point. On this ride we will explore the connection from the Antioch eBART station to the bridge, and then back along the Delta de Anza Trail.
Details: September 30, 2023 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Address: Antioch BART Station Plaza, 1600 Slatten Ranch Rd, Antioch, CA 94509
Meet the BART Anime Mascots on Sept. 16 Beat the Ridership Record All Aboard Bay Area Transit Day on Sept. 16 Transit CEO Ride-Along and Happy Hour on Sept. 29 BART Scavenger Hunt from Sept. 1 through 21, organized by Young Professionals in Transportation
Last year, riders logged more than 3,000 regional transit trips during the monthlong celebration, and we’re hoping to see even more rides logged this year!
“It’s no secret that the past few years have been hard on our transit, and though we scraped by a budget win recently, it’s not enough. That’s why we need to uplift transit all September long and highlight how necessary it is to keep our city equitable, equal, and fun,” said Thea Selby, Board Co-Chair of San Francisco Transit Riders, which created Transit Month. “It is more important than ever before that we show our elected leaders how important transit is to our city, and that we need to continue funding it. Let’s prove that to them this Transit Month by getting out and taking transit!”
Transit Month prizes are awarded to riders who log the most trips during the Ride Contest. But logging the most rides isn’t the only way to get a prize; this year, when a rider logs a trip, their name will be entered into a raffle.
“We’re expecting Transit Month to be bigger than ever before with more events, more participating agencies, and more community group involvement,” said Ian Griffiths, the co-founder and policy director of Seamless Bay Area, which co-hosts the monthlong celebration. “One of the things we’re most excited about is our community grant program, where we’re distributing 11 small community grants to get more groups involved.”
Transit Month prizes this year include lots of transit agency swag, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of sites not typically accessible to the public, like the Salesforce Transit Center.
The rider who logs the most BART trips this Transit Month will win an HO scale BART A car made by Rapido Trains (the model trains are currently available for preorder on railgoods.com). This museum-quality model will arrive inside a custom-made display case, allowing the rider to proudly show off their best-in-the-Bay Transit Month performance (Delivery is estimated Summer 2024). Other BART prizes up include a BARTable swag bag with promotional prizes, a poster-size BART map, and a BART anime mascot swag bag. Hear from last year’s BART Ride Contest winner below.
