Fare Evasion on BART Declines, but Fiscal Crisis Remains

The objective: Deter any would-be turnstile-jumpers attempting to ride for free. Nearly one year after BART outfitted all fifty stations with the system’s new full-length fare gates, the results are in. BART’s new gates appear to be working well—and then some. Staff have seen a noticeable drop in maintenance hours at Embarcadero, 16th/Mission, Balboa Park, and Daly City stations. Fewer incidences of graffiti, property damage, and costly vandalism saved an estimated 1,000 hours of maintenance work systemwide. Crime on trains, platforms, and immediate station surroundings decreased by 41% in 2025 alone. Although BART’s new barriers are mathematically effective, are they enough to recoup those coveted pre-pandemic profits? 

August 2025 marked a milestone for BART. By that point, their new fare gates were installed and functional at all fifty system stations. Even stoners like myself could (allegedly) vault over those older, hip-high gates. They made it easy to skip fare. BART knew it, and so did every frustrated rider who’d already swiped their Clipper card. These new, full-length saloon-style doors are equipped with a swift locking mechanism that curtly shuts them behind paying customers. Following someone, called “piggybacking” or “tailgating,” is tougher—toughest when paying passengers walk with a little more pause. Slow enough to let the gates immediately close behind you. Hence, the new gates. 

BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin primarily credits the safety increase to heavier police presence, additional fare inspectors, and crisis intervention specialists. Chief Franklin next gives thanks to the national decrease in crime overall, alleging that BART reflects these changes. Finally, per the Chronicle, he points to the improved fare gates as a boon to BART safety, if begrudgingly so. 

However, when measured per one million rides, BART has seen a reported 9% uptick in property crime relative to 2025. Property crimes include burglary, theft, intentional destruction, and arson. Any crime that takes place on a train, station platform, or its immediate surroundings falls under BART police jurisdiction. Though it sounds significant, this 9% spike might not accurately reflect any appreciable change. In 2024, BART Police policy determined that when multiple items were stolen, only the most expensive one went into the report. If your car, containing your laptop and smartphone, was stolen from BART parking, only the vehicle was mentioned. In 2025, this policy was amended to require an itemized list when multiple items are stolen. Now, what was a single theft charge (your car) includes collateral (your laptop, smartphone). 

Inflated or not, thefts on BART territory still fall well below pre-pandemic levels, and are nowhere near their 2021 peak. June saw the highest number of BART passengers since the pandemic. To many, it appears BART may be on the mend. Realistically, even as BART resumes 10-car service, the agency has a ways to go before they officially bounce back. Even June’s auspicious numbers account for about half of that now mythical pre-pandemic average. BART is facing a nearly $400 million budget deficit that could bring station closures if financial needs aren't met. One revenue opportunity being explored now is selling advertising space on fare gates, because we don’t see enough ads already. 

You might’ve already seen them beta testing this idea at your BART station. They ran ads at 16^th Street-Mission, 19^th Street Oakland, Concord, Daly City, Downtown Berkeley, Dublin/Pleasanton, and Fremont in June. More ads went up on the fare gates at the SFO and Oakland International Airport stations just prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Continued advertisements would appear on adhesive plastic decals cut with unobstructed lines of sight for BART staff, police, and EMS. If that catches on, perhaps BART will close their deficit, and you will finally buy the air fryer that keeps appearing in your dreams.