BART awarded key state grant to fund more Fleet of the Future cars
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has announced that it is awarding $107 million to BART for the purchase of more Fleet of the Future railcars. Adding additional Fleet of the Future cars is a critical part of BART’s Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program, which will eventually allow BART to increase the number of trains that travel through the Transbay Tube to as many as 30 per hour during peak commute hours.
“We are grateful to the California State Transportation Agency and State Transportation Secretary David Kim for awarding this grant, which will play a critical role in expanding the Fleet of the Future and serving the Bay Area,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “Though our ridership has dropped dramatically due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Agency recognizes that eventually riders will return to BART and we need to add more cars to address future demand for transbay trips.”
Assembly members and state senators from across the Bay Area advocated for BART’s funding request to the California State Transportation Agency. The proposal was also supported by the Alameda County Transportation Commission, Bay Area Council, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, San Francisco County Transportation Authority and several transportation and public health advocacy groups.
The Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program will increase the capacity of the existing system by up to 45%. The program calls for BART to add 306 new train cars on top of the initial Fleet of the Future order of 775 cars. The grant from the California State Transportation Agency will help pay for those 306 new cars. The Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program also calls for implementing a new communications-based train control system to safely run trains closer together, building a new railcar storage yard, and adding power substations to ensure a reliable and redundant source of electricity for the additional trains.
The $107 million grant is being awarded to BART through CalSTA’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program. The total cost for adding 306 new cars is estimated to be $1.105 billion. The purchase of those cars is being supported by $500 million from Regional Measure 3, which was approved by Bay Area voters in 2018 to support transportation improvements. The Federal Transit Administration is providing $200 million through a capital investment grant. Additional funding is still being sought.
BART has received more than 170 Fleet of the Future cars. That’s enough to ensure every BART line is served by at least one Fleet of the Future train.
Learn more about BART's Transbay Core Capacity Program here.