BART discussion

[BCL]

https://www.bart.gov/50years​

50% Off BART Fares All September​

BART is also thanking its riders and encouraging more people to return to the system by offering a 50% discount for the entire month of September. Riders using Clipper will get half off all published BART fares in September. That includes 50% off already discounted fares for youth, senior, Regional Transportation Connection, Clipper Start, and Gator Pass riders.​

 

[MARC Rider]

The original fares in 1972 ranged from 30 cents to $1.25. The current fares range from $2.15 to $10.30, not counting the extra charges to the airport stations or stations in San Mateo County. While a 50% discount in honor of their 50th anniversary is nice, it would have just been nicer if they just charged 1972 fares for a few weeks. Maybe they could reserve the 50% discount for trips to the airports or San Mateo County, as these services weren't available in 1972.

 

[BCL]

The original fares in 1972 ranged from 30 cents to $1.25. The current fares range from $2.15 to $10.30, not counting the extra charges to the airport stations or stations in San Mateo County. While a 50% discount in honor of their 50th anniversary is nice, it would have just been nicer if they just charged 1972 fares for a few weeks. Maybe they could reserve the 50% discount for trips to the airports or San Mateo County, as these services weren't available in 1972.

It think they just end up more in the hole if they did that. And there were a lot of stations that weren't there in 1972, including the spur to Dublin/Pleasanton, everything south of Daly City, anything east of Concord (including the extension run on standard gauge rail using DMUs, anything in Santa Clara County, and the Oakland Airport connector on a cable-pulled line.

Now I do miss the old paper tickets. They could get pretty soggy after a while. I also did some crazy things to them over the years, including using a marker across the entire surface and seeing if it would still take them. Never had one jam. But eventually the polymer versions were considerably more robust.

 

[MIrailfan]

Service cuts could be coming to BART
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/bart-considers-cutting-weekend-service-17602366.php

 

[GDRRiley]

Service cuts could be coming to BART
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/bart-considers-cutting-weekend-service-17602366.php

Theres already plans in the works for new funding across the region, most of the orgs are strugging espcially ones that had a high farebox ratio. BART was 70% so it needs ridership as strong or stronger than it was back in 2019 to keep operating.

 

[MIrailfan]

BART says safety and clean trains will bring bahttps://www.danvillesanramon.com/news/2023/03/26/bart-aims-to-increase-safety-cleanliness-as-ick riders

https://www.danvillesanramon.com/ne...-cleanliness-as-it-suffers-from-low-ridership

 

[Brian Battuello]

That led me to this, which made me feel so much safer.

https://www.bart.gov/guide/safety
After 9/11 BART closed almost all of their station restrooms. Now given that BART trains don't have toilets, and a BART run can easily exceed an hour, that makes for a challenging ride home after having a few drinks. I think most of the station restrooms are now open, but I've heard that many are in constant use for reasons other than relief. No one wants to wait for 10 minutes and risk missing the only train for the next 20 minutes.

I'll take the MTA with the railroad-sold gin and tonics and bathrooms in every other car...

 

[BCL]

That led me to this, which made me feel so much safer.

https://www.bart.gov/guide/safety
After 9/11 BART closed almost all of their station restrooms. Now given that BART trains don't have toilets, and a BART run can easily exceed an hour, that makes for a challenging ride home after having a few drinks. I think most of the station restrooms are now open, but I've heard that many are in constant use for reasons other than relief. No one wants to wait for 10 minutes and risk missing the only train for the next 20 minutes.

I'll take the MTA with the railroad-sold gin and tonics and bathrooms in every other car...

Caltrain is legendary for the open consumption of alcohol. I remember boarding a train with a stroller with large stroller and my kid walking up. A fare inspector (or conductor?) did warn me that they were supposed to be folded up before boarding, but he didn't say anything further about it. I pointed at the Corona Extra in the cupholder, and he said "Don't worry. You're good." I've seen cases of beer as well as full bottles of liquor being poured.

 

[Willbridge]

Caltrain is legendary for the open consumption of alcohol. I remember boarding a train with a stroller with large stroller and my kid walking up. A fare inspector (or conductor?) did warn me that they were supposed to be folded up before boarding, but he didn't say anything further about it. I pointed at the Corona Extra in the cupholder, and he said "Don't worry. You're good." I've seen cases of beer as well as full bottles of liquor being poured.

It's been a while, but when the Del Monte was integrated with SP Commute service it had a Parlor-Lounge on it and coach passengers could take drinks back to their seats. The mellow attitude likely goes back to SP crews.

 

[BCL]

It's been a while, but when the Del Monte was integrated with SP Commute service it had a Parlor-Lounge on it and coach passengers could take drinks back to their seats. The mellow attitude likely goes back to SP crews.

What Caltrain is famous for BYOB. They do bar it late nights after event days. It can apparently get rowdy.

BART doesn't even allow food consumption, although I hear enforcement barely exists.

 

[Trollopian]

My cat, Black Bart, is following this discussion with keen interest.

 

[Fenway]

They served the Bay Area well