BART achieves record 95% Customer On-Time Performance as rider satisfaction hits new high

BART riders reached their destinations on time 95% of the time in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2026, a new high for Customer On-Time Performance, outperforming the previous quarter's peak. Overall, train delays were down 13% this quarter.

Customer Satisfaction also achieved a new record, reaching 91.4% in the fourth quarter, the highest level BART has recorded since it began using the metric.

The gains extend to safety: In the fourth quarter, BART hit every one of its six safety targets, the first time that's happened since late 2018, and the number of crimes against riders per million trips fell 67% since the end of 2024.

These gains come as ridership grew 13.9% year over year to 16 million trips during the quarter, demonstrating BART's ongoing efforts are increasing rider confidence and strengthening the system financially. Average weekday ridership hit 205,000 in the fourth quarter, up 6% from the previous quarter, while weekend ridership grew 15% year over year. On Tuesday, September 15, BART recorded its highest ridership day since the pandemic - 242,090 trips.

"Years of deliberate work have changed the baseline for what riders can expect from the BART system," said BART General Manager Bob Powers. "This is not a single strong quarter but a continuation of a multi-year effort to make the system demonstrably safer and more reliable. A safe and clean BART is no longer an aspiration - it's what the data demonstrates, quarter after quarter."

BART's FY26 Q4 Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) covers April 1 through June 30, 2026. View the latest report here. QPRs are posted quarterly and track a number of performance indicators, such as operational metrics, passenger environment indicators, customer feedback, and crime.

Customers give BART high marks

Overall customer satisfaction increased to 91.4% in the fourth quarter, up from 88.9% the previous quarter. The number of customer complaints moved in the opposite direction, down 29% compared to the third quarter.

Customer ratings for BART in the following categories all exceeded targets:

• Onboard Train: 4.2 out of 5
• Rider Information and Support: 4.2 out of 5
• Inside Station: 4.1 out of 5
• Outside Station: 4.0 out of 5

Safety and security continue to improve

The gains in ridership, reliability, and customer confidence coincide with a steady retreat in crime. Crimes against riders per million trips have fallen 67% since the end of 2024. Safety-related delays were down 47% over the same period, with fewer incidents meaning fewer trains were held up waiting for police response.

Fare evasion is following the same trajectory. The share of riders who reported seeing it dropped to 9% this quarter, down from 10% the quarter before, and a fraction of the 25% high recorded in FY24. The drop comes as BART celebrated in September one year since the installation of its new fare gates.

Meanwhile, all six of BART's safety KPIs met their goals this quarter, a 100% safety index BART hasn't hit since late 2018.

Upgrading the system

Amidst these major wins, BART continues to invest in trackside upgrades, track replacement, and modern train control technology to make the system even more resilient.

During FY26, BART completed 98 miles of track grinding and surfacing, added three new substations and four portable substations, increasing power capacity from Colma to Downtown Oakland by 30%, upgraded eight stations with new LED lighting, and completed three station glow-ups.

Future improvements, like the currently underway Communications-Based Train Control project, will contribute further reductions to the customer impact of disruptions, even when incidents occur.