Have you ever asked yourself, why doesn't BART run longer trains?
Have you ever been sandwiched during a commute on BART and asked yourself, why doesn’t BART run longer trains?
Well, BART officials have an answer for you. It’s because the transit agency does not have enough train cars.
In an infographic titled “Why Aren’t There more 10-Car Trains?” BART explains it has total of 662 trains, but about 535 are in service during peak commute times, about 86.5 percent of its fleet. BART said it runs more of its fleet than any other major transit agency despite having the oldest trains in the nation.
As for the other 127 trains, BART has 38 trains on standby during peak commute times and holds 89 trains out of service for repairs.
Out of the 89 trains out for maintenance work, about half are out of for unscheduled repairs while another 20 trains are scheduled for routine maintenance. An additional 19 trains are undergoing rehab work and another 10 trains are getting truck work done, which includes the motor, axle and suspension.
New trains will starting arriving in December 2016. The transit agency ordered 775 trains, but has a goal to increase the fleet to 1,000 trains, which will boost its fleet by 50 percent.
Until then, hold on tight and make room for everyone.
Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.
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You keep using the word “trains” when you really mean “cars”.