Exclusive: How BART is keeping its trains moving

CONCORD, Calif. (KRON) — BART’s Concord maintenance facility plays a crucial role in keeping the Bay Area Rapid Transit system running smoothly, housing 319 of the agency’s new “Fleet of the Future” cars. The Concord facility is one of four BART maintenance yards, alongside Hayward, Richmond, and Daly City, responsible for maintaining the transit agency’s fleet.

The transition to the new cars has improved reliability, according to Scott Fitzgerald, the superintendent of the Concord facility.

“The new cars — they’re far more reliable than the old cars,” said Fitzgerald.

BART’s system encompasses 50 stations and over 130 miles of track, serving millions of riders each month. In March, BART reported over 4.5 million rides, an 8% increase compared to the previous year.

The maintenance team at Concord works around the clock to ensure the trains are safe and operational. Every 900 hours, each car undergoes a thorough inspection and maintenance to prepare it for another 900 hours of service.

Upgrading to the “Fleet of the Future” has allowed BART to address issues more efficiently, particularly with software updates that were not possible with the old hardware-based legacy cars. This has minimized stoppages and delays, enhancing the overall service.

All facts from this article were gathered by KRON4 journalists. The article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KRON4 staff.