Jul 17, 2008 11:57 pm US/Pacific
Green Beat: BART Cars To Receive Overdue Upgrade
OAKLAND (CBS 5) ―
Hundreds of thousands of people in the Bay Area rely on BART each day to commute to and from work. But after more than 35 years of service, the system is overdue for an upgrade.
Currently, BART carries around 375,000 passengers a day, a far cry from under 100,000 back in 1972.
"We're busting at the seams," said BART Spokesperson Linton Johnson.
The system is still a workhorse today, but it is also failing with dirty stations and aging cars, half of which were put into service during the Nixon administration.
BART officials promised relief is on the way, by unveiling the next generation of train cars. Sleek, futuristic trains will start operating in five years; with all 669 cars eventually replaced.
"You'll start seeing brand new cars, state of the art cars…brand new amenities," Johnson said.
The new cars will have three doors instead of two, so riders can load and unload more quickly. BART officials say that will make trains move faster and allow more trains on the system at any one time.
If you are planning to hang around for the new BART cars, you'll still be hanging around. BART may end up with half a million riders. But every new car will have built in straps, for standing riders to hold on to.
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