BART Board elects Rebecca Saltzman President and Janice Li Vice President
The BART Board of Directors held its annual election for leadership positions today, electing Director Rebecca Saltzman President and Director Janice Li Vice President.
Incoming Board President Saltzman says one of her primary objectives during her 2022 term in office will be working to improve the rider experience, including boosting service.
“I’m thrilled that our February schedule change will represent a tremendous investment in Sunday service with the return of midnight closure and running 5-line service,” said Saltzman. “We need to get more and more to the point where our weekend service gets closer to our weekday service, as it is our greatest area of growth.”
Saltzman also said riders can look forward to the reopening of underground restrooms at Powell St. and 19th St. stations in 2022.
The incoming president, who previously served as Board president in 2017, also noted BART would continue work on longer term initiatives such as fare integration, Transit- Oriented Development, and an Equity Framework for BART.
She also announced she will bring back evening BART board meetings to increase public access to meetings.
Rebecca Saltzman was first elected to the BART Board on November 6, 2012 and was reelected in 2016 and 2020. Director Saltzman represents District 3, which includes Albany (partial), Berkeley (partial), Oakland (partial), Piedmont, San Leandro (partial), Unincorporated Alameda County (partial), El Cerrito (partial), Lafayette (partial), Moraga, Orinda and Unincorporated Contra Costa County (partial).
During her remarks, Saltzman acknowledged the leadership of outgoing President Mark Foley of District 2. Foley looked back at a year in which BART’s labor partners worked closely and collaboratively with the Board and senior BART management to navigate the first full year of the pandemic. During Foley’s presidency, BART returned to near pre-pandemic levels of service and launched the progressive policing bureau among a long list of accomplishments.
Saltzman is scheduled to preside over a Board meeting as President for the first time at the January 13, 2022, meeting.
Directors also elected Janice Li to serve as the Board Vice President. Li was elected to the BART Board of Directors in November 2018. She represents District 8, which includes parts of San Francisco.
“I look forward to working with the board, BART staff, and our labor partners on our ambitious objectives for the coming year and improving the customer experience,” Li said.
Li noted one of her highest priorities will be continuing to address public safety and supporting the Asian Pacific Islander community in preventing harassment and acts of violence. “We must build on the success of BART’s new Ambassador program and Progressive Policing Bureau to ensure the system is safe and welcoming for all.”