In the face of an unexpected systemwide outage, the BART network unexpectedly went down, causing the SF Bay Ferry to rise, providing additional transport options for stranded commuters across the Bay. As all BART lines are suspended due to a computer equipment problem caused by an ill-fated network upgrade, the ferry service is preparing to increase its capacity to handle the surge of travelers in need of alternative routes.
The issues with the BART system were first announced at 5:03 a.m. on social media and have caused a significant hiccup in the morning's commute. According to KRON4, BART spokesperson Alicia Trost explained that routine maintenance and upgrades are done nightly, but something went awry early this morning, leading to the current disruption in service. Trost told the publication, "So every night this work happens and typically everything works fine and we’re able to get the service up and running. But this morning, we knew at around 4:30 a.m. that things were not working as usual from the operations control center."
The SF Bay Ferry, on its part, is maintaining regular transit schedules while eyeing the situation closely and liaising with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and local transit agencies to accommodate an influx of passengers as best. Their website states that "SF Bay Ferry operates first come, first served for its regular service," with trips costing $4.90 each way on most routes serving Downtown San Francisco.
Today's BART disruption is reminiscent of a similar incident four months ago, when a systemwide outage took place on May 9 due to network device issues. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has reported minimal impacts to its services, providing some relief for commuters.
