BART is wonderful. It is cleaner than any other subway/metro system (NYC, DC, Chicago, Boston). Unlike most, it has plush seats and carpet. The trains are always on time. People wait in line in a civilized manner instead of pushing onto the train en masse. The other really great thing about BART is easy access to information. Online, it is easy to use Trip Planner and map routes and find schedules. At the station, there are signs to tell you exactly which train is approaching, plus maps and schedules. They announce when trains will be arriving, and which ones when and where. None of these things happen in NY on the subway, where you have to figure out if the train is express or local, they aren't well-labeled, it's hard to figure out which is which direction, and if you go in the wrong entrance, you've lost your subway fare and have to repay once you go in the other way. read more

I love BART. I save so much money from taking it. It's convenient, usually pretty dependable, and with gas prices the way they are these days...really, public transportation is the way to go. I've met my fair share of interesting people on this thing though. There are the nice old Chinese ladies who don't really know what stop to get off at, so I help em' out if I can understand them. There are the hippies and the drunks. And then there are the pervs, like the one that decided it'd be cool to sit a couple feet away from me and stare (and stare, and stare some more...) while openly masturbating. Yeah, that was pretty freaking disgusting. But other than that, I can't complain. read more

It was my first time riding the BART last week. Before coming up to the bay area I had heard mixed reviews about it. The BART trains do come quite frequent. At the Millbrae station my friend told me that they are usually nice and wait a few minutes for the CalTrain ppl to arrive. But I guess that day they weren't so nice. When I stepped into the train I immediately noticed the carpeted floors. I thought it was nice, but I thought again about how it must be gross when it rainy and the floor must be all wet. And carpet in general is not easy to clean. Their seats remind me a lot of airplane seats. The ride northbound from Milbrae to SF was VERY loud and squeaky. For each of the stops, I couldn't hear the operator announce the stops. I wish they had something like the lightrail where the name of the next stop is flashing in red. The BART stops at every stop, which can be a bit slow of a commute. The ride itself is quite smooth. People standing with bikes can comfortably stand with their bike when the train stops. The trains are always packed, especially when you near SF. read more

New seats and new carpet woohoo! My ride this morning to work was fabulous love the new seat material, and carpet is nice read more

BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit - New seat fabric - extremely comfortable - Public Transportation Near Me

See all

If there's one thing that turned me infantile while visiting San Francisco it was BART. There's this really futuristic wet dream that looks like Gattaca, is a smidge cyber punk and is ruled by Aldous Huxley. BART is like being dripped through a crooked metal funnel while pleasant and monotone annoucements soothe in preparation for the stir of emotion when the first wave of wind comes barrelling through the tunnel to announce your train is near.. It's really too much for me to describe here. I carried around my BART ticket with me for a solid week after I got back from SF.. read more

BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit - I love you Bay Area Rapid Transit - Public Transportation Near Me

I have no problems with the public transportation system that surrounds San Francisco. Like my trip to New York, there is an AirTrain that goes from San Francisco International Airport to an underground transportation system. In New York, the AirTrain took me to the MTS subway system. In this case, the AirTrain went to the BART station after about four stops. For those of you uninitiated, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is an underground train system that begins at SFO Airport and extends through the city of San Francisco and into Oakland and the East Bay. It goes as far north as Concord, passing Berkeley on the way. The BART moves fast, is clean, and relatively quiet. We arrive at the Powell St. station to get to our hotel. The BART was less friendly on our little diversion to Oakland to see the Chargers-Raiders game last Sunday. Getting there from the Powell St. station was fine. Make one transfer onto the train bound for the Coliseum and you were set. Only leaving the game became a hassle. A giant human traffic jam met us outside the stadium and in the elevated walking bridge to the platform. We walked for nearly a half hour amongst drunken Raiders fans (I was reminded of Sean Connery's line in The Last Crusade about being "pilgrims in an unholy land"), then resorting to taking the Concord train to get away from the human masses gathered at the Coliseum platform, then transferring to a train that went into San Francisco. Ugh! read more

At least panhandlers try to earn their money by trying to help newbies buy tickets and figure out their direction. I like it better than the Metrolink where my entire car was asked to move. It feels more comfortable to me than Metro North Rail. I've never ridden it with musicians playing. Its reliable but my friend complained that it smelled old. read more

Broken, dirty, mislabeled. Waste of time and money. Only take Bart when it's a last resort. I hate depending on Bart because it's in dependable. read more

The reason why most companies would go online is for convenience and security reasons. Bart online payment Services is a headache. You make a payment hoping to use the clipper card, bart system tells you: " -        If you place your order by 6 p.m., you can usually pick up your value in the next 1 to 2 days. -        If you are picking up your value on a bus or a Muni light-rail vehicle, please allow up to 5 days. -        If you set up Autoload using a bank account as your payment method, please allow an additional 10 days for value to first be available. " Its 2018! The can afford thier system to interfaces with other system more often that 24 -48, 5 or 10 days or upgrade to a faster processing machines if speed os the issue. read more

Overall smooth ride, but didn't play footloose. Left disappointed and without a line dance

BART can save you money. Really. It's nice not having to drive on occasion too. I only wish they would let us add together all the old tickets accrued over the days. They should operate late night too(if they could afford to at least). I remember the races we used to have at each stop coming back from Dublin skate park.....start from the back door, run out the exit to the platform, into the next car, slap the adjoining door, run back out, then into the car you started in. There were afew close calls with friends being left behind, but it was all fun... Don't forget you can use your adult MUNI fast pass on BART in the city. read more

See all

Got my EZ Rider Parking Pass! Signed up on line to link my Clipper card and a BART EZ Rider parking hangtag. Three days latter, I received an EZ Rider parking hangtag in the mail. Now I can just walk through the entry fare gates, simply tag my Clipper card at a Parking Validation Machine, and the daily parking fee will be deducted from my BART parking account. I'm only charged for the days I park at any BART Station. Now I don't have to remember my parking space number and since Parking Validation Machines only take cash, the EZ makes it a breeze! read more

Where to start... Well let's start with being stuck at 19th St. station due to a missed connection/transfer (BART mistiming), and a train that just did not f****** show up. Not to mention there is only set of rail track, so you can forget it if there is a maintenance requirement. Everything stops, usually at the height of rush hour because the system handle the ridership capacity. Public is supposed to keep my car off the freeway, but it does the opposite. It makes me want to add my car to the Bay Area commute. Just a real sh**** system. read more

BART is in serious need of renovation. Tracks/trains are unbelievably noisy and usually dirty. For a major city's public transportation, it ranks below standard or acceptable. In addition the timing of the Oakland airport connector to BART is terrible. Missed BART by 1 min countless times and the next train is a 20 min wait. Disappointing. read more

Honestly I can now see one of the reasons Bart's ridership is down. It's too damned hard to get a ticket to ride it. My phone that is four years old is too new it says for me to be able to use App. I could buy a clipper card but in order to do that there is a $3.00 fee which is waived if you allow for deduction monthly from your account. I can find no place to tell me how to add rides to card, or if the $3.00 is a monthly fee. Also in their contract they state they share your info and are not responsible for their content. They say I can use Google wallet, but I don't need one more way to access money or give another corporation my account data. Bart itself has a separate website you can't buy tickets from. Too much technology has ruined the ease of things. More access to my bank account is not better. My info sold to third parties because I just want to go for a ride is not better. I guess I won't be riding bart. :) read more

While it can be dirty it is certainly a very fast and efficient way to get around. It goes most places in the East Bay, and a few important ones in SF and the peninsula. My only complaints are that it doesn't go more places in SF and that it can have pretty long headways. Overall a nice way to commute, better than driving any day. read more

I take BART just about everyday to and from work (S. Hayward station to Macarthur station). The Pros: I save on gas (big truck not so good on gas), I don't have to pay for parking at work (not to mention maneuvering around the garage with the truck), I get to relax/sleep/read to and from work, I've made friends on BART (those regulars you see everyday), avoid traffic, no chance of getting into a car accident, wear and tear on a vehicle, it's usually on time by the minute (which in turn makes you more punctual), and above all, it's good for the environment! The Cons: You don't get to enjoy driving your vehicle, the crazy/drunk/drugged out hoodlums and/or lowlifes, the stops aren't as convenient as the NY subway for example (after getting to my stop, I still have to take a shuttle to work), it takes a little longer than if I actually drove to work, it sometimes gets dirty, without an ipod, you cant fall asleep bc of the immature people that talk loud on their phones, it can sometimes gets crowded, if you ever take BART in the middle of the day, there aren't your 9-5 commuters, there are a bunch of drunks and kids that cut school, parking at the BART station isn't the safest (knock on wood), the BART delays SUCK! read more

BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit - BART during rush hour - Public Transportation Near Me

$75 FINE FOR USING THE PARKING GARAGE BEFORE 10AM!!! Today I used the parking garage like I always did when I had to commute to a work site. I came home to find a parking ticket on my windshield. How fucking useless is it when you can't even park at the FUCKING DUBLIN BART station before 10AM?! read more

Well, I have to give it a 1 out of 5 star rating. Not until Bart (or other Bay Area public transit) can come up with a way to let commuters commute into the city in less than 30 mins, I won't give my endorsement. Expected Time of Arrival: By Rapid or Express train: From Union City to Montgomery: 22 mins (as opposed to 42 currently + 15-20 mins of delay) From Fremont to Montgomery: 27 mins (as opposed to 47 currently + 15-20 mins of delay) There is no point of stopping after Bay Fair. The train in rush hour is virtually full with no more seats and standing room. Express: stop at warm spring, fremont, union city, bay fair. Rapid: all the stops aforementioned, and south Hayward, Hayward, and San Leandro, and coliseum. Does it make sense? New York Metro has rapid and express trains. Why can't Bart have it? read more

So asking for help by the attendant at Bay point bart was like asking her if the sky is blue. Condescension, as If I should know the questions I am asking her...hello...if I know how to do it....YOU WOULDNT HAVE A JOB!!!! She is surely a person thst would demand a police officer was kimd and courteous as she was pulled over foe speeding...because you know. She deserves to be treated like the princess she is sitting in her fish bowl all day. So that she can help BART customers. Oh wait....her attitude lends to the fact that she is well above helping any one. Epic employee fail! But hey. You go on with your skills and sit i. Their allllll day girlfriend! read more

Sooooooooooo hot no air conditioning just a fan I believe

Today I had the god awful experience taking BART. Went to spend the day to join my daughter at the SFO Airport. After spending $46.20 for two round trip tickets from Orinda (including parking). We were joined by two males who (I am sure paid for tickets) that decided to do a little heroin. They took it out and decided to smoke it rather then shoot it up (kindly not leaving any needle behind.) They both were very high and both nodded off into a drug state at the the same time. Called the BART Police who were really not sounding very interested in getting involved. I told them what train we were on and they said OK. The two gentlemen woke up in San Bruno and decided to get off the train. I called BART dispatch back and advised them and they hung up on me before I finished talking. On the way back we decided to stop in San Francisco to visit a friend to find out that there was $5 extra dollars for this privilege per ticket. After walking over needles and the homeless and smelling the air full of urine. I attempted to get clarification from a BART employee in the booth regarding the $10 plus dollars deducted off the cards he told me to be quiet. NO CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS WHAT SO EVER. I added more money to one of the tickets. Since there no change machine working when I attempted to add more money to the second ticket I used a ATM card the machine took the ticket that has $1.15 left on it and charged $24.15 to a new BART card and would not provide a reciept. Got on train sat in what felt like a wet seat, to no surprise since there are no bathrooms to be heard of someone just probably pissed their pants. Get back to Orinda and one ticket goes through and the other one still says it does not have enough cash on it even though I added cash on it at Montgomery. Station agent at Orinda was only person with any common sense he took tickets could see I put money on both tickets and let us go, as if to say yea yea I know this system is totally messed up, I know. WORSE TRAIN SYSTEM IN THE WORLD BE FAR!!! read more

have lived all over, europe, asia, etc. and also in many large u.s. cities ~ the older train equipment is quite noisy and dirty, so if you can, wait for one of the newer trains..it's worth the difference!! also, have spoken with several 'agents' and they have all been extremely rude and definately have an attitude, one even started screaming at me just because my clipper card didn't work and i asked...why so, give it a try and see.. read more

This review is dedicated to my ACRONYM twin in Tampa: Chris W. A brief text history between myself & Chris prior to leaving for SF (not verbatim but in general): Me: "Hey, how are you getting to the hotel? Are you taking Uber or the BART?" C: "I'm taking an Uber." Me: "Yeah, me too!" In summary, we were both too chicken to try public transit in a city we weren't familiar with. Yes, I'll admit it: I scoured YouTube on the 'how to' vids and any kind of tips I could find in Reddit or wherever I could find them. I analyzed and reanalyzed the maps and broke everything down into charts, graphs, and color codes. I didn't want to take an Uber. I wanted to experience the BART. When I landed at the airport, I felt empowered. I was gonna DO THIS. I asked an airport employee where I should start and she was kind enough to take me pretty much all the way to the starting connection. I walked up to the machine and purchased my ticket. I was almost there. Sweating... such an intense moment. I saw other people who were standing around confused at what to do. In my mind I was like, "HA! I watched YouTube how to's! I studied!" I was so excited I had to remember to break away from it to pay attention as to which train was the one I needed to take. I got on, luggage and all... and heard the boarding signal. Within a matter of minutes, the train was moving. At each stop I looked at my trusty BART app and watched which stops were which so I could get a better idea of how fast we were going and of course, see where I was at so I wouldn't miss my stop. I did enjoy all the great scenery on the trip too so aside from the smooth ride, I got to take in a few pics & vids. It really wasn't all that bad. I got out about a block (more or less) from the Galleria Park Hotel and with a little more guidance from a local as to where the hotel was at, made it in no time. In conclusion, I'm a fan and Chris, if we ever meet in SF again, you are taking the BART! =^^= read more

I love San Francisco. I was there for the first time last spring and I want to go back and live there. While I was there I had to take the BART. What the fuck is up with your ticket machines? $5, minus $1, minus $1, minus $1, minus 5 cents, minus 5 cents, minus 5 cents divided by the square root of Pi, minus 5 cents, minus 5 cents, carry the 1, multiplied by your 7th grade gym locker combination plus your hat size...and then it spits out a ticket. Then you have to figure out what train goes where. I've heard that there is a civilization of New Yorkers who got lost and now live in the tunnels wandering around surviving on awesome burritos. _____ read more

For reasons both familial and professional, I've always considered myself bi. Coastal, that is. One of the major perks in my escape from behind the Orange Curtain was BART. I love my family, but I don't miss the 5, 405, 91 or the 10 freeways. While BART does not have the extensive range or highly desirable schedule that other Tubes, Bullet Trains or Subway Systems have... I still adore it for the pure entertainment value. BART is where I can truly be a voyeur, since I'm the only one NOT listening to an iPod, nodding off with my mouth open, or completely engrossed in the WSJ or a good bodice-ripper novel. Morning commutes are almost completely silent, with a few exceptions: (a) Young College student on her mobile, "confiding" to her BFF that she's pregnant and is on the fence about scheduling an abortion. "Promise me, no - seriously - swear to me that you WILL NOT TELL ANYONE!" She practically screamed into her cell. "Can you hear me now? Yeah, so... where was I? Oh, I'm going to Italy for that work-study... in the Spring, and he's like... hella freaked out. I know. So, of course I wanna have kids someday, just not right now. But PROMISE me you will NOT LET THIS GET OUT. I would be so embarrassed if anyone knew." (b) I have watched educated, professional women (primarily) hold onto the rails, and LICK THEIR FINGERS between each page turn of their bodice-ripper book. And eat full-blown meals, ranging from McBillions to coffee house muffins and sandwiches. Fascinating AND disgusting. Purell, anyone? And maybe pay attention to the fine you can incur for eating on BART, never mind the microbes, germs and other filth you're ingesting along with that bagel. (c) Jeebus, Mary and Joseph... what is that horrific smell? It *could* be the Service Dog... or maybe it was actually that corpulent guy 2 seats over, who conspicuously shifted his weight and now looks more notably relieved. Yeah... even the Service Dog is whimpering, it was the guy. (d) My favorite: A woman and her 2 young children board; a guy in a suit and tie is sitting on the inside of a 4 seater configuration; Mom and kids are facing each other. Mom is multi-tasking - alternately berating her children or threatening to beat them. The oldest is in first grade, tops. All of this dramz while she's on her cell, regaling her friend about the fight she had with "some bitch" - and she's dropping the F-bomb like it's going out of style. I felt empathy for the children, but they were so insubordinate and unfazed by the stream of profanity spewing from their Mom's mouth, it was actually very sad. "Oh, wait, girl - I'm gonn' hafta call you back, I'm goin' through a - Hello?" She'd start in on the kids again. "Why didn't you let yo' sister use the bathroom this mornin'? What the f*ck is wrongwitchoo? Y'all better f*cken get yo' sh*t together; 'cuz I ain't gonn' tell you one mo' 'gain." WTF? My degree is in Literary Journalism, so all of the grammatical issues were a very close second in the whole level of discomfort for how the children were treated. Not to mention the poor suit and tie man, who seemed to be melting into the wall, so as to put as much space between himself and Moms. "Oh, girl... So where was I? Oh, yeah - so then I called her up and was all, Bitch, you don't know me! I will f*ck you up!" Road Rage vs. BART Dramz. But seriously, Girl: I do not f*ckin' miss the sh*tty traffic - AND I AIN'T GONN' TELL YOU ONE MO' 'GAIN! read more

The tickets: - I've had more tickets lose their magnetic info than I care to consider. The last time I talked to a booth person about it there was a sign on the window listing what could de-magnetize the card: cell phones, credit cards, keys, cameras, change, etc. Why not just say "anything you have in your pockets" and be done with it? Where am I supposed to keep the fucking thing, in my teeth like a pirate? - When you have to set up booths to exchange the "tiny tickets" with remainders on them, your system is fundamentally flawed. When the prices are set up so that there is no reasonably easy way to travel regularly without ending up with remainders, your system is a god damn scam. - BART finally implemented their EZ-Rider tickets, like an EZ pass for BART people. It's a limited program (WHY?) and you have to MAIL-IN a printed out PDF application. I suppose this is better than sending a herald, or having it delivered by Pony Express, but what the hell, man??? The Stations: - The spectrum of filth varies from abattoir to back-alley, often scented with that horrible industrial cleanser. No trash cans = trash on floor, on seats, on me. - Manned by the most languid and irritatingly snobby people, the Ticket Booths are a mecca for institutionalized smartassery and heavy-lidded unhelpfulness. No, I didn't jump the turnstyle, yes I know I have to use the ticket on the way out, no I didn't keep the ticket next to my cell phone - what's that? Oh, the ticket is "bad"? Thanks for a voucher to go to a different station and turn it in to an exchange program - ARE YOU EFFIN SERIOUS??? (answer: yes) No one could say "sorry sir" and mean it less than these drones. - The Embarcadero escalators are broken every single day. EVERY DAY! For years it's been like that. I know the names of the repair people's KIDS for crying out loud. - I'm sure there's a good reason to have BART police outside the station in cars, but I'm not sure how much that helps me inside on the platform when Dr. Empty-Your-Pockets comes by. The Trains: - Public transportation that essentially dries up at 8PM is good for Backass, Nowhere but it's full-bore bullshit for a city that I think everyone would agree is one of the top-10 in the world. Full closure at midnight? Bollocks. - LRN 2 DRIVE PLZ. At least 3 times this month the train has just gone right on down the platform, half the train past the station and half on the platform. I don't even run to catch up like everyone else, I just laugh. - I'd like an hour or so in a closed room with the fucking hippie who decided that wrapped sponges was a good idea for public transportation seats. God help you when there's a rainy day and you feel that wonderful gush of WMDs squirt out of your chair into your pants. Hmm, I wonder how many thousands of diseases just went up my ass? ZERO stars. ZERO do you hear me!?!? read more

UPDATE: I just read this article about the BART strike and the reasons why negotiations broke down over work rules and the "past practices" clause. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-workers-go-on-strike-4904918.php Scroll all the way to the bottom of page 2 and read the summary of the negotiation points. Read the work rules changes proposed-- electronic paycheck stubs, emailing reports, and scheduling changes. Are you fucking kidding me??? The Union refused the offer from management because they don't want to switch to EMAILS? *facepalm* If the union members don't own computers and don't know how to use email, then they're probably not qualified to operate and program electronic trains. -------------------- Un-fucking-believable. After 3 months of negotiations, the union and BART management can't come to an agreement? What are they doing in there every day? Just staring at each other and saying "fuck you"? Both sides are assholes. I don't even take BART, and this is causing major disruptions in my work because my coworkers do. One star, but I'd give them zero stars if I could!!! read more

Long story short: I LOVE the BART. I wish we had public transportation like this down in LA. Long story long: Otherwise known as Bay Area Rapid Transit, the BART is such a convenient and reliable means of transportation in and around San Francisco. Each line reaches to 5 vital areas of the bay. It goes as far South as Daly City to the Southwest, Fremont to the Southeast, Dublin and Pleasanton to the East, Concord and Pittsburg to the Northeast, and Richmond to the North. They all run through the city center and covers all the major areas such as SFO, Oakland and its airport, and Berkeley. Each station is laid out slightly differently and even some stations will have multiple access points, but it all leads to the trains below. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon, these trains will be packed with commuting professionals and even students. Depending on which station you're at and the line, a train will come every few minutes. As long as you're going to a station that serves multiple lines, you can hop on either train. This isn't the first time I've used the BART. I've used it a few times over the years whenever I've been in the bay area, but my most recent trip, I relied HEAVILY on the BART to get me in and around town. Fares are really cheap and you can purchase a $20 ticket that will most likely get you through the day depending on how many times you're in and out of the train. When I drove up from San Jose to SFO, I purchased a $20 "all day pass" that took me into town so I could check into my hostel, then used it to get to Berkeley, going in and out a couple more times, then one last time to get back from Berkeley after dinner, and I still had a couple dollars to spare. The next day, I just took that ticket and reloaded it with another $20. That was enough to last me the remaining 1+ day I was in town. The stations themselves aren't the cleanest or the nicest, but they're relatively safe during the day. I probably still wouldn't recommend traveling alone late at night if you are a woman. The tunnels are virtually empty and well, you can never be too careful in a place like that. Not to say you should fear for your life, but as some people say, "better safe than sorry". The stations in town are probably the best because they drop you off at some key places. Embarcadero station drops you off 2 blocks from the Ferry Building, and the red line stops right in Downtown Berkeley. It really is a prime example of convenience. It's definitely much cheaper than taking a cab all over town. Combine the BART with all the walking I did, it was a great way to get around town. I wish we had public transportation that was this reliable and convenient down here in LA. Trust me, I've taken the metro and it's not as convenient as BART. I will always continue using the BART whenever I'm in the bay read more

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I am writing this at 7am. With the Bay Bridge closed for the grand opening on Tuesday, I was therefore relying on BART to get me over to the East Bay this morning for brunch at Brown Sugar Kitchen at 8am BART was trumpeting a 24 hour service to help out while th bridge is shut I woke up early and got to San Brino station to find it all locked up. I then used the BART trip planner to find out that the 24 hour service only runs until 4.52am and that the first BART train from anywhere on this side of the bay starts at 8am, whivh means I'll miss my brunch meeting with friends So, one star for your stupid incompetence, BART. And go back to school to find out what 24 hour really means Useless and ridiculous, BART!!!! read more

In the last few years, I have come to the conclusion that I live on the West Coast and I am stationed in Seattle. I have easy access to, people to see, and things to do, in every major city destined to fall into the Pacific Ocean. I hit SF, SD, PDX, and LA at least once a year now that I get every other weekend to MYSELF (yay divorce and joint custody!) What sets SF apart from all these other cities? NO MOTHER FUCKER IS WILLING TO PICK MY ROYAL ASS UP FROM THE AIRPORT. Ok, so 99% of my friends here don't have cars - BUT STILL, they can be rented. I'm just saying.... Anyhoo - my M.O. has been to suck it up and take a cab for $1.5 M. Fuck it, it's just money - they'll make more and it will somehow fall into my pocket. And I really don't like hauling all my shit around with me through crowded city streets - it makes me all off balance and I'm tippy - I'll just fall right over. However, on this trip I was shamed into taking the MF train into town: ME: I'll just rent a car this time - fuck it. We needs one anyhow. FRIEND: OH MY GOD TAKE THE FUCKING TRAIN YOU SPOILED ROTTEN PRINCESS, I WILL GET THE CAR TOMORROW. ME: BUT MY BAG IS HEAVY. Jesus. I'll just take a cab. FRIEND: CAN YOU PAY OFF MY FUCKING STUDENT LOANS TOO MONEY BAGS??? JESUS, JUST TAKE THE TRAIN. ME: OK! *hobbles off to find BART platform, takes a couple wrong turns, and final makes it mumbling to self all the way about the niceness of airport pick-ups and how many I have made in my short life* I sat down on the train with all my two-tons of crap, put on my headphones and settled in. Immediately I remembered the last time I was on BART...I think I was 16 visiting, my step-g-parents in Orinda. I was given a pile of money, dropped off at the BART station and sent on my merry way. I remember being excited to be sent off to explore on my own, at the prospect of maybe scoring some freaking drugs in the big city and to ride the fancy NEW train (yes it was 1986.... :/) I am fairly certain the first thing I did when I sat down on the train was put on my headphones and settle in...I am fairly certain the TAPE in my WALKMAN was U2 - Unforgettable Fire. I spent that day wandering around, smoking, getting all hopped up on Cherry Cokes and Suzie Q's, wishing I could lay hands on some pot, finding "Jumping Jack Flash" playing in some sketchy theater on Market and being amazed that people were SMOKING IN THE THEATER (which I, of course, joined in), and being a punk kid from a much smaller city semi-overwhelmed by my surroundings. As I remember this, I update my Facebook status to: Nancy B.: The last time I rode BART I was listening to U2 on my WALKMAN. ( I should have added that BART was also still shiny and new back then, like I was. I hate having status update regret....) Friend immediately chimes in: See? If you had taken a cab, you wouldn't have gotten to have that memory. FINE. I still felt like a fucking pack horse walking from the friggin' station to my hotel and I was nearly tipped over like A MILLION TIMES. Rapid tranist is nice, can't wait til the year 2065, when we finally have it going on in Seattle.... read more

I'll keep this short. I'm glad that a strike has been averted for 7 days (I didn't really want to carpool to work). Thank you, Governor Brown (my hookers were willing to thank him in person, but I told them no because the last thing he needs is a scandal). Bay Fair BART Station (8:02 this morning): There are often 2 annoying women on my morning train (they're annoying because they basically cut in front of me all the time). They have a great rapport with the female driver of the San Francisco train that arrives just before our Richmond train (the women actually ride the San Francisco train too). After the women disembark, the driver briefly chit-chats with them (it's like a little love fest). The 3 women were happy to see each other, and the driver is happy to be working. Anyway, the driver was asked about the negotiations: "They [management] haven't come up with a darn thing. They haven't budged. At all." (The driver was visibly agitated and upset, like my wife when I forget to put the seat down. o_O) I take the driver's comments with a grain of salt (many reports indicate that at least some progress has been made). I also don't sympathize with BART employees. Still, I echo her frustration in this regard: "How long are we going to play this game?" Yes, indeed. This situation has caused me a fair amount of uncertainty and stress, and I know that I'm far from being alone. There needs to be a resolution, and quick. The lesbian has been looking hotter than ever lately (thank you, dear). That will comfort me a little this week as another countdown continues. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCrb1oNbH4 read more

I had a lunch date with a friend in Walnut Creek this afternoon. To get there, I had two choices: 1) Hitchhike across the bridge, risking the chance of being thrown in the back of a blue van, bound/gagged, and driven up to Oregon. (No worries, my mom taught me at a young age how to disable tail lights. She was a little paranoid, so I am also able to slash faces with car keys and know to scream "fire!" instead of "help!" Yeah, I'm a fun date.) 2) Ride the BART. After weighing my options, I chose the latter. On my return trip from Walnut Creek to the Civic Center, I text-messaged myself the following message. What I should have said to the guy who sat next to me: My seat smells like pee. Quit looking at me. Remove your hand from my back. Sorry yo momma did crack. --End-- Well, I guess if this whole finance thing doesn't work out, I can see if Ne-yo still needs help writing lyrics. Wurd. read more

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAIKU small bloody tampon, cyclops albino mouse perched on the BART stairwell read more

BART does so many positive things. It stimulates the local economy, boosts the immune system, teaches you time management, and has a few valuable safety lessons hiding in the package it presents to the general public. Let me explain how..... I assume the local economy must be getting a boost because every other major city I have been to with a public transit system is less expensive. Maybe the money is going to the high paid officials but I can only assume that they spend money, so hooray for all of us public transportation takers funding their fine dining and luxury goods habits. You clearly have to be building up your immune system when you are exposed to the multitude of germs crusted onto the upholstered seats that have not been cleaned since 1972, when BART first opened. You have to have a good sense of time management to make sure you make the last BART train back to where you came from by midnight. Forget the fact that you will have to leave all of your friends who are still having a good time, this is about responsibility, damnit! Safety lesson #1. If you are standing at a BART station make sure you are very aware of your surroundings, because security is not present most of the time. Safety lesson #2. Learn that if you want to stay out past 11:30 it is important not to drink with your friends. You will need to drive home, an activity best tackled sober. Safety lesson #3. Some people will not adhere to safety lesson #2, so be a very careful driver, lest a drunk person ram you off the road. Yep, thanks BART for really stepping up and being there for us. You are the BEST!!!! read more

My BART ride was short enough that I stayed awake on BART usually, but long enough that I thought. A lot. And that's with the iPod going. I have a lot of revelations and thoughts about life, the world, existence, yadda yadda yadda... Don't get me wrong, coming from a state that has only one form of public transit *cough*TheBus*cough*, it's very fast, it's efficient, and it's USUALLY on time. HOWEVER The worst realization to have while sitting on BART: "They don't actually....*wash* the seats...do they." Funny how much denial your brain can be in for a couple of months. This is what it progressed from. "I'm sure they clean these seats. I mean just because I don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen" Turned into "So they walk up and down the aisles and pick up paper. I hope that's not all they do." Which eventually, after a couple of months, has finally turned into. "No. They don't actually wash the seats." and then of course the further epiphany that would make my Art History prof proud: "Now I know why that one guy stands all the way from Millbrae to the East Bay." read more

I am not a fan of public transportation except in New York or Tokyo. It was a little confusing at first but you get used to it. Just be careful not to miss your exit. I did =P And make sure you take the right train. I took the wrong one =P Buying the ticket was a little confusing. Okay I messed up when I bought the ticket too =P Take the taxi if you don't want to take BART. BART EZ Rider is cheap and convenient. read more

I was torn between giving BART two or three stars, and I decided to give it two, because although it has gotten me to work on time almost every day for the past year (only late twice because of BART), I have a few complaints about BART. As plenty of reviewers have mentioned, the seats and the trains with carpeting are FILTHY! There was an article that came out a few months ago about a scientist from SFSU who tested the seats on the seats and found NINE types of bacteria lurking there, including MRSA. Oh, and she said some of those bacteria are there because she found fecal material as well. WOW. This is why when I fall asleep on BART I never, ever, ever put my head back on the seat. And even when it's super hot in there, I refuse to take my jacket off so my bare skin doesn't touch the seats or the armrests. I am also getting sick of the broken escalator situation, specifically at the Civic center station. Really? The escalator up to street level was out for almost a month, and the down escalator going to the trains is currently broken and has been for over month. I pay $10.60 round trip every day. 300,000 people use BART every day. Where is all that money going? Clearly it's not going to cleaning the seats or repair and maintenance of the stations. Oh, I forgot to mention, the Monday after Gay Pride weekend, the Civic Center station was a freaking MESS at 6:30am. There was garbage everywhere and the floors were disgusting. You'd think after an event like that they would have had a crew working all night to clean up the aftermath. Although I am grateful to have the option to take BART to work and the Bay area really is very lucky to have a transit system that reaches far and wide and is quite convenient, I wish they would invest more time and energy into upkeep of the trains and the stations. Now after writing this review I need to go disinfect the shoes I wore yesterday and wash my jacket. read more

If my BART train were a girl she would be a dirty little whore. A dirty little whore I'd do once in the morning and once in the evening but never on weekends. She can sometimes smell funny and take too long. The worst is when she is late because shes usually always on time. I share her with thousands of other people. I love and hate you. Davids bottom line: I take bart from Fremont to Embarcadero and back every weekday. It gets me to work and it beats dealing with traffic. Yeah it can be sticky, smelly, and full of ghetto ass people....but what good whore isnt? BART is dirty if you want nice take Caltrain. Oh and an observation...and please oh please I swear im not racist...just lazy and always scheming for a seat... most of the Indian people live in the southern area of the east bay...meaning if the train is full from SF and you are waiting for a seat....you should wait near the black, hispanic, white, asian people because they tend to get off sooner. Okay that sounds completely racist huh? read more

Right after college, I dated a guy named Bart. I met him when I was waiting tables, I believe his friend lured me over with the promise of a palm reading. I read more than Bart's palm. As cute as Bart was, and as sweet as he could be at times, it was just not meant to be. Bart didn't respect me. He didn't really take me out, he didn't call when he said he was going to...basically he was like 90% of the guys I've dated. Why I continue to do this to myself, I will never know. Riding BART is a lot like dating. It can be uncomfortable, disappointing, and can make you mad. An 8 car train during rush hour when it's raining is just bad judgment. Kind of like my dating life. read more