Big improvements are underway for BART riders, with new data indicating higher ridership, enhanced safety, and decreased fare evasion. According to a recent BART report, ridership increased 6.4% for the fiscal year's third quarter compared to the previous year. Even more notable is the growth in weekend travel, as Saturday average ridership rose 14%, and Sundays went up by over 8%.
Customer satisfaction isn't lagging, hitting a high of 84%, while perceptions of cleanliness for trains and stations have jumped by 58% and 52%, respectively. BART's efforts have concentrated on their Safe and Clean Plan, which includes a boost in BART PD's visibility and the introduction of the new Fleet of the Future trains. Crime rates are also down, with robberies on BART systems almost halving from 42 to 21, and electronic theft following suit. These improvements have come even as customer service complaints about police interactions plummeted by 63% from the previous year.
Kevin Franklin, BART's Chief of Police, gave insight into the progress, per BART, "Riding BART today is nothing like what it was during the pandemic. Our new deployment strategies and proactive enforcement is providing a more welcoming experience for families in our stations and trains." The reported advancements come amid a broader strategy to reinforce the system, which includes new fare gates featuring enhanced security measures and sensors. These gates have been installed in 40 stations, and we hope to have them in all 50 by year's end.
On another front, rider reports of security concerns are down, which BART measures through its BART Watch app. Code of Conduct violations and welfare check requests have decreased, with 2,398 reports this quarter compared to 3,166 the year prior, and welfare checks dropped to 680 from 763. To curb negative behavior, BART has put out 400 posters against activities such as smoking and harassment. These actions underscore the commitment to enforce the Code of Conduct and maintain an inviting space for everyone.
