Sen. Scott Wiener touts BART improvements

WALNUT CREEEK, Calif. - BART and state leaders say they are working to improve the overall feel of ridership, which means addressing safety, cleanliness and reliability for riders and employees.

But a lot of the improvements mean the agency needs more money.

On Tuesday, state Sen. Scott Wiener rode the train from San Francisco to Oakland with BART's General Manager Bob Powers to highlight some of the improvements. 

Wiener said he’s working in Sacramento to provide financial support for agencies struggling with budget deficits since the pandemic. That includes BART, which has doubled the number of sworn officers. 

"There’s a narrative that nobody is riding transit," Wiener said. "Almost 200,000 people a day are riding BART. Almost 400,000 people a day are riding Muni. These systems continue to be the lifeblood of the Bay Area's economy and culture, and we need for it to be as good as it can be. And we need to support it financially."