2026: A Defining Year for BART
San Leandro City Council Meeting
October 19, 2026
2 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
The New BART – Safer and Cleaner
New Fare Gates Systemwide
Make Riders Feel Safer
Crime Against Riders Fell 67% Customer Satisfaction at 91.4% Since End of 2024
3 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
BART Connects the Bay Area to San Leandro
• In August, more than 7,000 riders traveled
through San Leandro BART stations on an
average weekday
• 200 units of affordable housing built on
former BART parking lot
• Working with the City on a Community
Based Transportation Plan and
redeveloping Bay Fair Station and the mall
into a vibrant neighborhood with housing,
jobs, and amenities
• Partnerships with Downtown San Leandro,
Chamber of Commerce, and Cherry Festival
to promote ridership and attendance
4 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
BART Operations are Efficient
• BART has one of the lowest operating
costs per passenger mile for US heavy rail
operators
• Operating costs are growing below
inflation and at the slowest rate of peer
agencies
• State-mandated Financial Efficiency
Review found that between FY20-FY25
BART reduced operating costs by $516M
• Only transit system in the Bay Area with
an Inspector General to provide
independent oversight
US Heavy Rail Operators Cost Per Passenger Mile (FY24)
5 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
BART is Facing a Deficit
• Due to remote work and post-pandemic travel
patterns, fare revenue is down, and BART faces a
$370M+ structural deficit
• The current Operating Budget maintains current
service levels, makes $18M in cuts, and assumes
passage of a regional transit measure
• If passed, the transit measure will provide BART
~$310M annually beginning in FY28
• Without new revenue, BART has initially approved
an Alternative Service Plan that would cut service
by 70%, close the system at 9pm, and increase
fares by 50%
6 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
Recent Ridership Growth
• Back-to-back years of double-digit ridership growth
• In July, BART began running longer trains during peak commute to reduce crowding • August ridership ended 14.2% higher than last year
• September 15, All Aboard Transit Day, was the highest ridership day since 2020 with 242,090 trips 7 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
Connect with Us
Robert Raburn
District 4 Director
[email protected]
Bradley Dunn
Manager of Local Government and Community
Relations
[email protected]
(510) 406-2987
Find us on Social:
X: @SFBART
IG: @SFbayarearapidtransit
TikTok: @SFBART
BART Director Robert Raburn testifies before the Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee on July 14, 2025