BART updated the fare gates at all of the agency’s train stations in the Bay Area this week with a new chime that will help riders who rely on auditory cues to navigate during their trips.
The new tone will sound when a rider holds their fare media — such as their Clipper Card or bank card — for an additional second after a gate opens and is intended to be more audible over other background noises.
The agency said the change was made to phase out outdated technology and improve the experience for blind and low-vision travelers. People should listen for an “ascending chime” when entering and a “descending chime” when exiting a station.
BART’s Director of Customer Access and Accessibility Ryan Greene-Roesel is a musician and developed the new chimes on her piano. The agency said its sound engineers then put the chords into a digital program that let the team generate various iterations before a final selection was made.
“We hope customers and station staff enjoy the new tones as we continue to work hard to improve the BART experience for all of our riders,” Greene-Roesel said.
More information on accessibility can be found on the BART website.