When BART unveiled its shiny new security gates last year, the math was simple.
The budget-strapped transit system was losing as much as $25 million a year to fare evaders. For just $90 million, improved gates could tamp down on evaders — and, in theory, pay for themselves within four years.
Indeed, the gates are nearly impossible to hop or force your way through, and BART is pretty sure they’re working.
Chris Filippi, a BART spokesperson, noted that the West Oakland station — where the gates were first installed in December — has seen an 11% increase in entries and exits during the first six months of this year, compared with a 6% increase systemwide.
“We think these numbers indicate the new gates are compelling more riders to pay their fares,” Filippi said.
But for some determined evaders, the gates aren’t having the intended effect. On a recent weekday at the 24th Street Mission station, where the new gates were recently installed, The Standard counted half a dozen riders who managed to avoid paying fares in just under an hour. Here’s what we saw.
The Lurk and Dash
Classic, but predictable. The fare evaders arrived at the station and loitered by the plexiglass gates until a wave of riders came through.
When an unsuspecting person scanned a Clipper card, the evader swooped in behind before the doors shut — and flashed the unwilling accomplice a sheepish grin.
The evader desperately avoided eye contact with this reporter.
Filippi said BART will assess the gate timing at each of its stations after a trial period and potentially make doors close faster to crack down on piggybacking.
The Lover’s Lurch
A man and a woman entered the station, apparently a couple (or very close friends).
The man stood in front and held out a Clipper card. The woman spooned up behind him, the two practically melding into one person. The man tapped his card, and the pair speed-walked through. The gate attendant, evidently, did not notice.
The Carpe Diem
A spur-of-the-moment evasion. One rider entered the station with a Clipper card in hand, only to find that the gate he had walked up to was glitching and stayed gaping open after the person ahead of him had passed through.
He paused for a second, considering. Then he pocketed his card and dashed through.
Filippi said the gates “should close” when they sense a person passed the last sensor. He did not directly answer questions about the observed glitch.
The Nuclear Option
While not observed on this occasion, The Standard has seen riders blow through the emergency exits next to the gates to avoid paying fares.
Filippi said those exits are locked when station agents are present but open freely when nobody’s there, as a safety precaution.
‘You need to pay’
For all of BART’s fancy tech, the best anti-fare-evasion measure might be social pressure. Around noon Tuesday at the 24th Street station, a man deployed what we’ve dubbed the Lurk and Dash.
But right after he got through the gate, he was stopped by an elderly passenger.
“Go back,” she said. “You need to pay.”
The man protested.
“Go back,” the woman insisted.
He rolled his eyes, went back, and tapped in.