California subway system fortifies fare gates, records highest ridership day since 2019

The ridership boost highlights a positive trend for the agency, as more commuters return to public transit for work, school, and leisure actPhoto byEphraim MayrenaonUnsplash

BART recently achieved a significant milestone, recording its highest ridership day since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, over 190,000 commuters exited BART stations across the Bay Area, the transit agency announced.

“We have been seeing ridership bounce back recently with Back-to-School and busy weekends full of fun events. It’s evident people are taking BART for so many different reasons!” BART shared on social media platform X.

In addition to a general return to normalcy post-pandemic, BART attributes the uptick in ridership to its new “Next Generation Fare Gates.” These gates are being installed to prevent fare evasion, replacing the older waist-high gates that were often bypassed by fare-hoppers.

The ridership boost highlights a positive trend for the agency, as more commuters return to public transit for work, school, and leisure activities.