BART begins installing new toll gates at San Francisco stations to stop fare evaders

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — BART is installing its next batch of what it’s calling next-generation fare gates to deter people from fare evasion.

The San Francisco Civic Center BART station is the second location where new barriers will be installed. The first station where BART tested new barriers was in West Oakland more than six months ago.

MORE: New BART barriers to be installed at 8 more stations for public safety and fare evasion prevention

BART rider Dennis Fernandez says he has seen several people evade paying their fare.

“People are jumping, or people are trying to sneak and squeeze through the turnstiles, or I’ve seen someone waiting for someone to come in and sneaking through the entrance,” Fernandez said.

According to pre-pandemic figures, BART would have lost tens of millions of dollars because people found ways to avoid paying.

“It also bothers me that this is happening right in front of BART employees,” said BART rider Richard Peterson.

ABC7 News saw several people jump over the barriers. One was stopped by a BART police officer just after reaching the other side.

MORE: Woman killed after being pushed onto SF BART train called ‘kind and generous’

We are learning new details about the woman who was killed after being pushed onto an oncoming BART train at Powell Station in San Francisco.

Just two weeks ago, Corazon Dandan, a regular BART rider, was killed when a man pushed her onto an oncoming train at Powell Station.

On Thursday, BART confirmed that the suspect had no proof of paying for his fare.

“The reality is that not everyone who cheats on fares is committing a crime, but it is not uncommon for us to see people who are engaging in undesirable behavior on BART cheating on fares to get on,” said BART spokesman Chris Filippi.

Our ABC7 News data team looked at monthly fare evasion tickets and found that fare evasion is on the rise. BART says it has seen a drop at the West Oakland station where new barriers were installed in December of last year.

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“The number of entries and exits in West Oakland increased by 120,000 compared to the same period in the first six months of 2022. So that tells us that there are more people showing up with their Clipper cards in West Oakland than before the new gates were installed,” Filippi said.

BART’s plan is to replicate the West Oakland station gates across the system. This week, they begin installing the second batch of new gates at the San Francisco Civic Center station.

“This is a priority project for BART. We will be installing over 700 gates across the system, at each of our 50 stations,” Filippi said.

MORE: Are BART’s new 6-foot-high toll barriers effective in deterring fare evaders? Here’s what the agency says

For years, BART has struggled to keep ticket evaders off its trains. Two weeks ago, the agency began testing new 6-foot-tall barriers at the West Oakland station.

BART said the new doors are one aspect they are improving, adding an increased police presence is another.

When ABC7 News noticed a person jump over the barrier, they saw a BART officer and went back to buy a ticket.

“New doors are one thing, but security has to go beyond a door,” Peterson said.

BART plans to have all new fare gates installed by the end of 2025.