The media has been buzzing with reports about fare evasion at BART stations, and rightfully so. As a paying BART rider or a taxpayer, it’s our money that’s being lost. BART staff estimates the revenue loss due to fare cheats at $10 million to $25 million per year, but recent conservative figures suggest that fare evaders constitute 4 to 5 percent of overall ridership. This translates to a staggering loss of $22 million to $35 million annually, potentially exceeding BART’s projected structural operating budget deficit of $327 million over the next decade.
Fare evasion manifests in various ways: riders hopping over, sliding under, or pushing open barriers, using elevators that bypass the fare gate system, walking through unlocked emergency swing gates, or piggybacking on others. The current debate centers on whether to continue the fare inspector program, which costs almost $2 million annually. However, the real issue lies in accurately estimating the revenue lost to fare evasion to make informed decisions on how much to spend on solutions.
BART board members Debora Allen, John McPartland, and Liz Ames had repeatedly called for a concise methodology to estimate fare evasion accurately and include these results in quarterly financial reports. They argue that taking fare evasion seriously supports the vast majority of riders who always pay the correct fare.
Unfortunately, BART Board member Rebecca Saltzman since 2012 avoided addressing fare evasion even when BART received $3.5 billion from a bond measure in 2016, which would have funded new faregates. She avoided addressing fare evasion despite its significant cost and safety implications, nor has she demonstrated financial responsibility in her tenure.
A recent tragic incident underscores the magnitude of the delay in addressing safety concerns at BART stations. On July 2, 2024, a 74-year-old woman was killed after being pushed into a moving BART train at Powell Street station by a man identified as a transient. This incident highlights the dangerous environment created by fare evaders and other unauthorized individuals on the premises.
Rebecca Saltzman currently serves on the BART Board of Directors, and her work there, along with her bid for City Council, reflects her dedication to public service. However, despite her commitment, she has not demonstrated fiscal responsibility or prioritized addressing fare evasion. This raises questions about her capability to tackle these critical challenges.
As voters consider her bid for City Council, they should carefully weigh her commitment to making BART a safer, more reliable, and fiscally responsible transit system against her track record.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 