BART to stop trains for one minute Thursday for Great ShakeOut quake drill

BART will stop all trains on the system for about one minute at 10:21 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, as we participate in the annual statewide earthquake preparedness event called “The Great California ShakeOut.” Organizers indicate that the ShakeOut is the largest earthquake drill in the world.

While BART workers regularly practice and refine their response to earthquakes and other emergencies, our participation Thursday will be more of an acknowledgement that the threat of an earthquake is ever present. The Hayward fault is of particular concern to BART because the fault line is close to much of the system.

"I’m proud to say that BART has been very proactive in preparing for earthquakes," BART Vice President John McPartland said. "We launched our Earthquake Safety Program in 2005, thanks to overwhelming public support for a bond measure to help fund the work, and we are on time and under budget."

The Earthquake Safety Program includes retrofitting 74 miles of track, 34 stations, and the Transbay Tube to withstand the maximum credible earthquake. Learn more about the Earthquake Safety Program by visiting www.bart.gov/earthquake.