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BART announced this month that crimes against riders have dropped significantly since the end of 2024, even as the number of passengers has increased in the same period.
The agency said that according to new data, the number of crimes against riders per million trips has dropped 67% between the end of 2024 and June 2026. BART police delays and safety-related delays also fell by 47% as there were fewer reported incidents.
Officials attributed the drop in crime to the installation of new fare gates at BART stations, a project that was completed in September last year.
“We knew updated, modern gates would improve the rider experience,” BART General Manager Bob Powers said in a news release issued Sept. 8. “The new gates are at the core of what I call the ‘New BART’. We are offering our riders a safer, cleaner and more reliable experience than even just a year ago.”
The new gates are more difficult to bypass illegally and have led to a 60% drop in riders reporting seeing fare evasion, according to the news release. BART estimates that the gates are saving the agency $10 million annually as a result.
At the Coliseum and Pittsburg Center stations, BART is currently testing an improved version of the gates that can withstand impacts better, the agency said.
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