Board votes on “one ticket, one seat” ordinance
6/22/17 Update
On June 22, 2017 the BART Board of Directors voted to repeal the 2016 ordinance that prohibited patrons from utilizing more than one seat on BART trains.
Director Keller requested staff to explore a one year pilot program restricted to the eBART (BART to Antioch) system that is scheduled to open in May 2018. The pilot program requires Board approval and will be brought back to the board at a later, yet to be determined date.
*An enforcement date for this policy has not yet been set
*On June 23, 2016 BART Police Chief Kenton Rainey presented the proposed enforcement policy to the Board of Directors.
4/15/16
On Thursday April 14th the BART Board voted 5-4 in favor of the following motion as proposed by Director Joel Keller:
“The Board adopts Ordinance 2016-1 regarding prohibiting patrons from utilizing more than one seat during commute hours. Prior to being in effect, the District shall develop an enforcement policy to be reviewed by the Board and study the practically of extending the ordinance to enforce senior and disabled priority seating.”
The BART Police Department will now work to develop an enforcement policy and will present it at an upcoming (yet to be scheduled) Board meeting for Board review before the ordinance takes effect.
The ordinance defines commute hours as weekdays, 6am-10am and 3pm-7pm.
The ordinance calls for the following penalties:
- Prior to any citation, a warning shall be given. Record of the previous warning shall be retained by the Police Department.
- $100 for the first violation.
- $200 for the second violation within one year.
- $500 for each additional violation within 5 years.