The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) agency rolled out its new fare gates, termed the “Next Generation” fare gates, in December 2023 at the West Oakland station, with high hopes of curbing fare evasion.
These 72-inch gates, boasting an extensive price tag of $90 million, were designed to prevent passengers from easily pushing through, jumping over, or maneuvering under them.
Initial data from West Oakland indicated a notable 11 percent rise in entries and exits from January to June 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, nearly double the increase seen across the BART system as a whole.
The premise was straightforward: with improved gate design, it was expected that paid ridership would see a corresponding increase.
However, a deeper look into the circumstances at Mission District stations, specifically 16th Street/Mission and 24th Street/Mission, reveals a less optimistic conclusion about the effectiveness of these gates.
Six months post-installation, both Mission District stations recorded increases in entries and exits, but these were at a lower rate than the system-wide average.
For instance, the 24th Street station registered 1.7 million entries and exits between October 2024 and March 2025. This constituted a 3.2 percent increase year-over-year, lower than the overall BART system’s 5.8 percent increase during that time.
Similarly, the 16th Street station, which had its new gates installed on October 12, 2024, saw only a modest 2.3 percent rise in entries and exits, significantly trailing the 6.3 percent system-wide increase of the previous year.
BART spokesperson James Allison cautioned against prematurely judging the gates’ effectiveness at the Mission stations pending a comprehensive review of the data.
He referenced a quarterly performance report published in March, which showed a decrease in firsthand fare evasion experiences among riders — down to 17 percent from 25 percent the year prior, before the new fare gates were installed.
Allison noted that several stations, including Pittsburg Center, reported increases in fare revenue following the installation of the new gates, with Pittsburg Center noting a 6 percent increase in paid exits in the first week post-installation.
“I encourage riders at the Mission stations to see for themselves the difference between the old gates and the Next Generation Fare Gates,” he stressed.
Despite the agency’s firm stance, passengers at the 24th Street station voiced concerns about the real impact of these new gates.
Gloria Lopez, waiting for a train to Antioch, recounted experiences of being closely followed through the gates multiple times, raising concerns about personal safety.
“It’s more dangerous now, because you don’t know who’s behind you,” she stated, expressing discomfort with close proximity, especially from men.
Another passenger, Jeff, echoed her sentiments, noting, “People don’t hop it. What they do is they go right behind you really close. It feels kind of weird. They almost push you so that they can get through faster.”
An anonymous BART agent provided further insight, noting that while the gates might deter some individuals from entering without paying, they might also change the dynamics of fare evasion.
The agent remarked that the gates led to “fewer homeless people with shopping carts coming through,” suggesting that the implementation had effects beyond fare compliance.
Nevertheless, the agent warned that those continuing to evade fares have become more aggressive, relaying a troubling incident in which a woman in her 60s was physically assaulted by a group of teenagers after she refused to let them exit through the gates behind her.
“Fare evasion is still there,” the agent commented, adding, “It has just changed.”
Overall, while the new fare gates at BART may have had some positive impacts, the mixed feedback from passengers and reports of increased aggression present a complex picture regarding the ultimate effectiveness of this significant investment.
image source from：https://missionlocal.org/2025/06/sf-bart-gates-data-fare-evasion/
