The Bay Area without BART? Residents fret losing transit options if funding effort fails

EVERY DAY, THOUSANDS OF BAY AREA RESIDENTS descend into underground stations, tap their Clipper cards at designated entry points, and board trains that carry them across multiple cities and counties. Since its service began in 1972, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has been a major part of the region, serving more than 3 billion commuters, students, tourists and residents since its inception.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic (now in the endemic phase) pushed BART into a nearly $400 million deficit, the transit system currently relies on increased financial assistance from the state to stay afloat.