The Facts

BART’s new “next generation” fare gates, now installed at all 50 stations, are generating an estimated $10 million per year and saving 961 hours of station “corrective maintenance,” according to reporting by Rachel Swan at the San Francisco Chronicle.

BART shared an astonishing graphic showing the huge decrease in station "corrective maintenance" hours, meaning time spent cleaning up graffiti, vandalism, broken things, etc, pre- and post-gate installation:

The Context

BART’s fare gate project is a roughly $90 million effort to harden stations against fare evasion and reduce the damage and disruption that comes with it. By generating an extra $10 million per year, and reducing maintenance costs all while increasing safety and overall cleanliness, this project will have paid for itself in just a few years.

The gates appear to be improving rider experience: BART reported that the share of riders who said they witnessed fare evasion fell from 22% to 10% over roughly a year as the gates rolled out, in a BART project update.

BART says it will hit a fiscal cliff when pandemic aid runs out in spring 2026, with $350M–$400M annual operating deficits starting FY2027, per BART’s financial crisis overview.

The GrowSF Take

It turns out that a small portion of riders cause almost all of the problems, and the same people who hop the gates also exhibit other anti-social behaviors that make stations less safe, less clean, and less pleasant for everyone. By investing in infrastructure to reduce fare evasion, BART is not only increasing revenue but also improving the overall experience for riders and reducing maintenance costs. We love to see it!