Get down to basics. Clean up the trains and stations. More important, get serious about securing the system from bums that trash it. Drive that message home to the lame-brain BART Board members who think panhandling and food is permissible. People don’t feel safe on BART these days!
caskydiver
June 22, 2020 - 9:43 PM 9:43 PM
how about providing a safe, clean mode of transportation that offers trains no more than 10 mins apart during commute hours? But I suspect that is asking too much…
XJ
June 22, 2020 - 10:02 PM 10:02 PM
How about if they do what they are supposed to do?
Don’t cater to lowlifes. Don’t cater to homeless. Don’t worry about offending people. Take care of YOUR business and your customers. You know, the ones who actually pay? You remember those guys right? Run a tight ship. Run a clean ship.
Do those things and do them well. Riders will follow.
EXACTLY. But they’ve been told these things so many times and nothing changes. Don’t be fooled. It’s clear to many they do not want to offend certain groups if you know what I mean?
Cheaper to drive? Yes in many cases. Overpriced? Yes I do agree. It is literally cheaper or me to drive to SF at 22mpg than it does to take BART into SF, provided I can find parking. All that money and you aren’t even guaranteed a bathroom, let alone a clean one, at most stations.
anon
June 23, 2020 - 12:59 AM 12:59 AM
BART needs to be more safe, more clean, and the price needs to drop somewhat. It is cheaper for me to drive in SF at only 20 miles per gallon than it is for me to pay BART to take me there, which is just silly. Given a peaceful population who would always pay their fares, I bet we could get the price down to 1/3 of what it is.
KenInConcord
June 23, 2020 - 4:34 AM 4:34 AM
Sorry Bart you stuck it to your riders for years, service declined, prices raise, you can’t protect us as we ride. You can’t protect our cars while we park. Your attitude to riders was “You need to pay our prices, adjust your budget, do with less!”.
Now your having problems paying for your new building. Sorry! Adjust your budget, due with less!!
Instead, they cut police services to add “ambassadors.”
They’re not interested in solving the problem.
I'm Thinking
June 23, 2020 - 6:33 AM 6:33 AM
Maybe they should cut the tops off of the Bart cars, kind of like a roller coaster. Fresh Air, well kind of.
Cellophane
June 23, 2020 - 7:20 AM 7:20 AM
I haven’t ridden Bart for a long time.
If I rode it today, knowing what we all know now, I would wear a good surgical mask and disposable gloves.
And if it were allowed, I carry some sort of serious defense mechanism.
We live in a different world today.
Clay
June 23, 2020 - 7:41 AM 7:41 AM
BART is supposed to be in the transportation
business not a social service agency. Deal with making the trains SAFE and CLEAN not a haven for fare evading dirt bags! .
Sam Malone
June 23, 2020 - 8:13 AM 8:13 AM
How about the so called directors and board to give up part of their salary and to make the trains safe and clean. Stop pandering to the thieves and those who do not pay their fares and act so gross on the trains, platforms and parking lots. Stop running HOTEL BART for the homeless.
Stop raising fares and treat those of us who ride BART with the same privileges that others get….all fare paying riders matter!
The Fearless Spectator
June 23, 2020 - 9:07 AM 9:07 AM
I know, how about a focus group?
Focus groups, the practical alternative to work……..
Fed Up
June 23, 2020 - 9:20 AM 9:20 AM
LOWER fares…it is WAY too expensive…especially if you are going to the airport. But daily into SF is just too expensive PERIOD! And the parking fees are crazy high.
wcmom
June 23, 2020 - 9:42 AM 9:42 AM
I’ve been a BART commuter for 37 years–East Bay to SF. Yes, I’m sick of the crap that goes on but no way is it cheaper to drive. I pay $14.70/day, including parking fee. Can’t drive to city with gas, bridge toll, and parking for $14.70.
To Do List
June 23, 2020 - 10:51 AM 10:51 AM
So the plan is increasing ridership short term to finance ridiculous pensions management promised workers and wait out the crisis. The board of directors is filled with people who do not seem to have any qualifications, such as a bicycle activist who does not own a car and almost never rides BART. The coronavirus issues will eventually go away whether it is months or years from now. BART has been on an empire building mission for years, extending service towards Tracy in the East, building south to hook up with San Jose, and northeast to bring in long distance commuters from Sacramento as their jumping off place. So, with an overburdened two track line in each direction and the cars filled before they even get to who this was originally built for (that is, us), the problems may only be magnified in the future.
Anon
June 23, 2020 - 11:26 AM 11:26 AM
How times have changed. BART has been neglecting its ridership for years. Allowing the homeless to take over their stations and ride free, filthy outdated cars, systemwide mechanical and technical problems, service delays and price gouging. It’s really no wonder riders have found other options.
chuckie the troll
June 23, 2020 - 12:07 PM 12:07 PM
Let’s see… how about a return to basics. Safe, dependable, clean and economical service would help.
However, as long as BART resembles a North Korean cruise ship buffet line, without the booze, many of us will take Nancy’s advice and Just Say No!
WC
June 23, 2020 - 1:17 PM 1:17 PM
Safe, clean, free of street people and all the trash, smell and bodily fluids they leave all over.
SECURE THE SYSTEM! Only paying customers get into the system and near the stations. No gate jumpers, cheaters, etc. The people that use the system as a bedroom and bathroom during the day aren’t paying customers, HELLO.
Secure it and they(customers) will come. Wouldn’t it be nice.
The Mamba
June 23, 2020 - 1:18 PM 1:18 PM
I really don’t know what they can do, start running it like a transit system instead of social program? I certainly won’t be going back unless there’s a vaccine for COVID or a treatment, the trains are disgusting and there’s no way to social distance. My employer totally understands and will let me work from home as long as I want, I’m very lucky.
AnimalLover
June 23, 2020 - 2:19 PM 2:19 PM
Attended many a “business” meeting with BART representatives. What a laughing stock of really well paid Fools. The BART system is representative and reflective of those Fools. How about making the whole system one large homeless residence on wheels? Perhaps the Woke can implement “adaptive re-use” and make one car the potty car, one car the free food taxpayers are paying for car, several sleeping cars, and taxpayers can pay for a 24 hour cleaning and concierge service. After all, they’re just people too hampered by years of bad choices and weak minds and we all have to adapt and pay the price for their “bad luck.”
Rod Barton
June 23, 2020 - 3:23 PM 3:23 PM
First you need to clean the filthy trains. Even the newer models are getting dirty. Then you need to find a way to add more cars to each train in service, increase the number of trains running during peak hours.
And of course, enforce basic rules (i.e., priority seating for seniors/disabled people ONLY) fines for violators, and more security making sure people do not “push” their way onto over crowded trains.
The Fearless Spectator
June 23, 2020 - 9:57 PM 9:57 PM
If they want some quick revenue:
Do a higher priced “Concierge Express Train” from WC to SF that does NOT stop at the Oakland stations. People will gladly pay more to ride a safer train.
Pied
June 24, 2020 - 9:41 AM 9:41 AM
I suspect too much of BART’s budget goes into fat pensions for their workers. If they want to improve BART they need to think BIG. Add a food and drink car or let people rent space at the stations to serve food. Have clean toilets and people constantly cleaning up and watching over the cars and stations. BART always looks and feels like a bad trip from the 1970s.
Get down to basics. Clean up the trains and stations. More important, get serious about securing the system from bums that trash it. Drive that message home to the lame-brain BART Board members who think panhandling and food is permissible. People don’t feel safe on BART these days!
how about providing a safe, clean mode of transportation that offers trains no more than 10 mins apart during commute hours? But I suspect that is asking too much…
How about if they do what they are supposed to do?
Don’t cater to lowlifes. Don’t cater to homeless. Don’t worry about offending people. Take care of YOUR business and your customers. You know, the ones who actually pay? You remember those guys right? Run a tight ship. Run a clean ship.
Do those things and do them well. Riders will follow.
EXACTLY. But they’ve been told these things so many times and nothing changes. Don’t be fooled. It’s clear to many they do not want to offend certain groups if you know what I mean?
@Pat We all know what you mean, even those you attempt to speak cryptically of. Why not just say it?
How about lowering your fares. It’s cheaper to take Uber/Lyft than pay for an overpriced BART fare. Automate the system and save money.
No way it’s cheaper taking uber/lyft than BART.
Cheaper to drive? Yes in many cases. Overpriced? Yes I do agree. It is literally cheaper or me to drive to SF at 22mpg than it does to take BART into SF, provided I can find parking. All that money and you aren’t even guaranteed a bathroom, let alone a clean one, at most stations.
BART needs to be more safe, more clean, and the price needs to drop somewhat. It is cheaper for me to drive in SF at only 20 miles per gallon than it is for me to pay BART to take me there, which is just silly. Given a peaceful population who would always pay their fares, I bet we could get the price down to 1/3 of what it is.
Sorry Bart you stuck it to your riders for years, service declined, prices raise, you can’t protect us as we ride. You can’t protect our cars while we park. Your attitude to riders was “You need to pay our prices, adjust your budget, do with less!”.
Now your having problems paying for your new building. Sorry! Adjust your budget, due with less!!
Well said Ken
Instead, they cut police services to add “ambassadors.”
They’re not interested in solving the problem.
Maybe they should cut the tops off of the Bart cars, kind of like a roller coaster. Fresh Air, well kind of.
I haven’t ridden Bart for a long time.
If I rode it today, knowing what we all know now, I would wear a good surgical mask and disposable gloves.
And if it were allowed, I carry some sort of serious defense mechanism.
We live in a different world today.
BART is supposed to be in the transportation
business not a social service agency. Deal with making the trains SAFE and CLEAN not a haven for fare evading dirt bags! .
How about the so called directors and board to give up part of their salary and to make the trains safe and clean. Stop pandering to the thieves and those who do not pay their fares and act so gross on the trains, platforms and parking lots. Stop running HOTEL BART for the homeless.
Stop raising fares and treat those of us who ride BART with the same privileges that others get….all fare paying riders matter!
I know, how about a focus group?
Focus groups, the practical alternative to work……..
LOWER fares…it is WAY too expensive…especially if you are going to the airport. But daily into SF is just too expensive PERIOD! And the parking fees are crazy high.
I’ve been a BART commuter for 37 years–East Bay to SF. Yes, I’m sick of the crap that goes on but no way is it cheaper to drive. I pay $14.70/day, including parking fee. Can’t drive to city with gas, bridge toll, and parking for $14.70.
So the plan is increasing ridership short term to finance ridiculous pensions management promised workers and wait out the crisis. The board of directors is filled with people who do not seem to have any qualifications, such as a bicycle activist who does not own a car and almost never rides BART. The coronavirus issues will eventually go away whether it is months or years from now. BART has been on an empire building mission for years, extending service towards Tracy in the East, building south to hook up with San Jose, and northeast to bring in long distance commuters from Sacramento as their jumping off place. So, with an overburdened two track line in each direction and the cars filled before they even get to who this was originally built for (that is, us), the problems may only be magnified in the future.
How times have changed. BART has been neglecting its ridership for years. Allowing the homeless to take over their stations and ride free, filthy outdated cars, systemwide mechanical and technical problems, service delays and price gouging. It’s really no wonder riders have found other options.
Let’s see… how about a return to basics. Safe, dependable, clean and economical service would help.
However, as long as BART resembles a North Korean cruise ship buffet line, without the booze, many of us will take Nancy’s advice and Just Say No!
Safe, clean, free of street people and all the trash, smell and bodily fluids they leave all over.
SECURE THE SYSTEM! Only paying customers get into the system and near the stations. No gate jumpers, cheaters, etc. The people that use the system as a bedroom and bathroom during the day aren’t paying customers, HELLO.
Secure it and they(customers) will come. Wouldn’t it be nice.
I really don’t know what they can do, start running it like a transit system instead of social program? I certainly won’t be going back unless there’s a vaccine for COVID or a treatment, the trains are disgusting and there’s no way to social distance. My employer totally understands and will let me work from home as long as I want, I’m very lucky.
Attended many a “business” meeting with BART representatives. What a laughing stock of really well paid Fools. The BART system is representative and reflective of those Fools. How about making the whole system one large homeless residence on wheels? Perhaps the Woke can implement “adaptive re-use” and make one car the potty car, one car the free food taxpayers are paying for car, several sleeping cars, and taxpayers can pay for a 24 hour cleaning and concierge service. After all, they’re just people too hampered by years of bad choices and weak minds and we all have to adapt and pay the price for their “bad luck.”
First you need to clean the filthy trains. Even the newer models are getting dirty. Then you need to find a way to add more cars to each train in service, increase the number of trains running during peak hours.
And of course, enforce basic rules (i.e., priority seating for seniors/disabled people ONLY) fines for violators, and more security making sure people do not “push” their way onto over crowded trains.
If they want some quick revenue:
Do a higher priced “Concierge Express Train” from WC to SF that does NOT stop at the Oakland stations. People will gladly pay more to ride a safer train.
I suspect too much of BART’s budget goes into fat pensions for their workers. If they want to improve BART they need to think BIG. Add a food and drink car or let people rent space at the stations to serve food. Have clean toilets and people constantly cleaning up and watching over the cars and stations. BART always looks and feels like a bad trip from the 1970s.