BART will hold community meetings next month to get public feedback on what the agency calls "critical issues":
- fare hikes
- Clipper Card distribution for seniors and youth
- environmental justice policy
Proposed fare increases
BART policy since 2006 has been to adopt inflation-adjusted fare increases every two years. For this year, beginning in July, the transit agency is seeking public feedback on whether to continue with the same policy or try something else.
It is proposing three options:
- as in past years, a system-wide inflation-adjusted increase, which would be 1.4 percent this time
- a 10-cent increase for trips between San Francisco and the East Bay, with no other increases
- a 5-cent increase in fares system-wide
BART says the fare boost is needed in large part to help pay for replacing its aging fleet of 669 train cars, most of which date back to the agency's beginning of service 40 years ago.
The San Francisco Chronicle published an article about the proposal Saturday, and BART has detailed information on its Web site.
Clipper Card distribution for seniors and youth
Seniors and youth can use a discounted Clipper Card, meant to replace the discounted red and green BART tickets. BART wants public feedback on the best way to distribute them.
"BART wants to ensure that eligible BART customers can readily obtain discounted cards in their communities," the agency's notice says. "Your input is necessary to determine the adequacy of existing locations to obtain Clipper cards and to comment on what would be adequate for you and your community."
Environmental justice policy
BART also seeks public reaction to its draft Environmental Justice Policy, which BART says has three components:
- integrating Environmental Justice prinicples into BART's transportation planning
- evaluating impacts on minority and low-income populations
- enhancing public involvement activities to identify and address the needs of minority and low-income populations in making transportation decisions
The five community meetings will be held:
- March 6, Tuesday, Oakland; 6:30–8 p.m., Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter Auditorium, 101 Eighth St.
- March 12, Monday, Concord; 6:30–8 p.m., Monument Community Partnership,
1760 Clayton Rd. - March 14, Wednesday, San Francisco Mission District; 6:30–8 p.m., Mission High School Cafeteria, 3750 18th St.
- March 15, Thursday, Daly City; 7– 8:30 p.m., War Memorial Community Center Activity Room, 6655 Mission St.
- March 19, Monday, Richmond; 6–7:30 p.m., Richmond Main St., 1000 McDonald Ave. Suite C
A BART notice with descriptions of the topics and the meeting dates is also attached to this article.
Members of the public are invited also to provide feedback on the fare boost and Clipper Card distribution through a BART online survey.
