San Francisco’s BART Awarded $545 Loan for Upgraded Rail Cars

The agency plans to modernize its fleet with more efficient rail cars equipped with new safety features.

1 minute read

November 13, 2024, 10:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


White BART public transit train at Coliseum station in Oakland, California.

Sundry Photography / Adobe Stock

The San Francisco Bay Area’s Rapid Transit District (BART) was awarded a $545 million loan to by the U.S. Department of Transportation to upgrade its rail cars as part of the agency’s effort to modernize its fleet.

According to an article from Golden Gate Media, “The new rail cars boast advanced safety and accessibility features, including LED screens, digital cameras for enhanced security, and a third door to streamline entry and exit. The upgrade is expected to save BART up to $394 million, thanks to a faster production schedule and revised delivery rates completed in September, according to DOT officials.”

The article notes that the new, U.S.-produced cars will feature lightweight aluminum construction, white roofs that deflect heat, and regenerative braking that puts energy back into BART’s energy grid.

Sunday, November 10, 2024 in Golden Gate Media

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Flat modern glass office tower with "County of Santa Clara" sign.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing

The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

3 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

4 hours ago - Governing

Pale yellow Sears kit house with red tile roof in Sylva, North Carolina.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing

Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

5 hours ago - The Daily Yonder