BART

BART taps Bombardier for more cars

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013 exercised an option worth $638.9 million for an additional 365 cars from Bombardier Transportation, as part of BART’s “fleet of the future” program, which now ratchet the total number of vehicles on order to 775.

BART removes ban on bicycles

Bicycles will be allowed aboard BART trains at all times, including rush hours, following a unanimous vote Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 by the BART Board of Directors to lift existing restrictions.

BART workers on strike

Six months of labor negotiations between BART employees and management failed to yield enough agreement to avoid a strike, with BART workers walking off the job Friday, Oct. 18, 2013, just after midnight, Pacific Time.

BART operations continue through weekend

BART trains will continue to operate through most of the weekend of Oct. 12-13, 2013, as union representatativs and management agreed to extend contract talks late Thursday, Oct. 10, in an effort to reach contract agreement.

Bay Area buildup

Big cities can tout big projects. San Francisco keeps expanding its rail reach and effectiveness in big-city fashion out of proportion to its actual size.

Bill Stokes, 1924-2013

Former Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) General Manager B.R. (Bill) Stokes died May 15, at his daughter’s home in Sammamish, Wash. He was 89. Stokes was considered a pioneer in the advancement of public transit.

BART explores express, split/merge service

BART officials have begun reviewing system operations with a eye toward offering both express services and split/merge operations, where a train is divided or joined en route to or from two different terminal points.

Twin California defeats loom for rail

Los Angeles County voters Tuesday who supported Measure J, extending a half-cent tax for public transportation, accounted for 65% of those voting on the measure, thus falling short of a supermajority needed to pass the measure.