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BART to run shorter trains for rider safety starting soon

BART police stand on the platform at the Civic Center station in San Francisco. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard

BART will use shorter trains starting Sept. 11 to bolster rider safety, the transit agency announced Thursday.

The changes were announced in an all-caps post to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter by BART.

BART plans to increase police presence at their stations while retiring older train cars, the agency said.

“We will add cars back where needed as ridership returns to make sure trains will never be too crowded,” BART said.

READ MORE: Man Dies of Drug Overdose at Downtown San Francisco BART Station

BART is not the only transit system dealing with the twin crises of homelessness and drug addiction, but it stands apart in its struggle to get ridership back to pre-pandemic levels. Concerns around safety on the trains are front of mind for potential BART passengers, according to a survey of riders.