BART Completes Next Generation Fare Gate Installation Months Ahead of Schedule
BART officially celebrated a major milestone on September 26, completing installation of 715 Next Generation Fare Gates at all 50 stations—months ahead of the December 2025 deadline. The Bay Area Council joined BART leadership to mark this achievement at West Dublin/Pleasanton Station.
“The installation of these fare gates has dramatically improved the look and feel of the system—so much so that we’ve been calling this the NEW BART,” said Emily Loper, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the Bay Area Council, who spoke at the announcement.
The Council helped create BART over 50 years ago and remains deeply invested in its future success. Safety improvements are key to attracting and retaining riders. In 2023, Council polling found that riders and potential riders by overwhelming numbers wanted a significantly safer and cleaner system, including new secure fare gates. The Council leveraged those findings to mount a powerful advocacy campaign over many months to accelerate the installation of fare gates. BART responded. And delivered.
The results speak for themselves: reports of fare evasion have dropped dramatically, with only 10% of riders witnessing fare evasion in the latest quarterly performance report. The system is safer, cleaner, and more comfortable than ever before.
“These fare gates have greatly improved the rider experience and made it clear that BART is a system worth investing in,” Loper said. “That’s why we’re helping to lead the campaign to pass a regional measure next year to more sustainably fund the system.”
The unique gates feature a one-of-a-kind door-locking mechanism and advanced 3D sensors that detect wheelchairs, bikes, strollers, and luggage. BART is now focusing on utilizing advanced sensors to prevent “piggybacking” through the gates.
The $90 million project was funded through partnerships across multiple counties and is expected to generate at least $25 million annually in recovered fare revenue.
To engage in the Council’s transit safety work, please contact Vice President Laura Hill.
