New BART fare gates could go into service next week in West Oakland

Alex Baker
·2 min read

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — BART is targeting the end of December as the first day of service for its new fare gates, the transit agency announced in a thread on X, formerly Twitter. The gates, which are currently undergoing hundreds of tests, will be rolled out first at the West Oakland station.

BART has yet to arrive at a final design for the gates and is currently still testing new designs, materials and features, the transit agency said. Fares, BART said, have been the agency’s main source of revenue since it first launched in 1972.

However, since 2020, when the COVID pandemic brought on a steep drop in ridership, BART has been reliant on state and federal funding to stay afloat.

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“As we welcome riders and seek more sustainable funding sources, fare gates remain critical for our operations funding,” BART said. “We have long needed to replace our decades old fare gates, which are at end of their useful life.”

<em>Graphic: BART</em>
Graphic: BART

The new gates, according to BART, will help deter fare evasion, improve reliability, and improve access for riders with wheelchairs, bicycles and strollers.

Benefits and features of the BART Next Generation Fare Gates include:

  • Tall swing barriers that will make it more difficult for fare evaders

  • Advanced sensors to detect wheelchair users and riders with luggage, strollers or bikes

  • Updated technology to make gates more reliable and easier to maintain

  • Sensors that can detect fare evasion in real-time

  • Compatibility with Clipper readers to allow for open payments by tapping contactless cards and smart devices

BART said it is aggressively planning to replace the fare gates at all 50 BART stations by the end of 2025. After the gates are implemented at West Oakland, BART staff will select the final design and the next eight stations to get new gates.

<em>Graphic: BART</em>
Graphic: BART

The cost of the project is $90 million. Of that, BART will pay $12 million with the rest coming from federal, state and local funds.

<em>Graphic: BART</em>
Graphic: BART

BART also announced it is helping low-income riders pay for fares. Beginning in 2024, BART’s fare discount for low-income Clipper START card holders will be raised to 50%.

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