Transit Briefs: NYMTA/SIR, BART, DART, MBTA, Bay Area Transit Systems, LA Metro
NYMTA/SIR
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Sept. 12 announced that the SIR fleet is now entirely made up of the standard R211 subway cars, “a critical part of the MTA’s ongoing modernization efforts systemwide.”
The cars include pre-installed security cameras in each car and feature 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on the existing car fleet, which are designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations, according to the agency. In addition to wider doors, these cars provide additional accessible seating, digital displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that improve the customer experience.
The R211S cars will replace 52 R44s on the SIR, which joined the railway in1973. In line with best industry practices, R44 cars will be available for a few years as the new fleet is introduced. The new railcar has an average mean distance between failure (MDBF) rate of approximately 125,000-250,000 miles, compared to the R44’s 50,000 miles. The MDBF is a measure of how far the railcar can travel before a mechanical issue occurs and requires unscheduled maintenance.
Since the new cars were introduced, the SIR says it has seen improved customer satisfaction in waiting times, frequency of delays, cleanliness on board trains, announcements on board trains, service reliability and overall satisfaction on board.
“New rolling stock is a huge part of the MTA’s fully funded Capital Plan, and now Staten Island is the first borough to get a full fleet of R211S train cars” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The new models not only look great, but they’re key to running more reliable service for the borough’s thousands of daily riders.”
BART
BART ridership saw steady growth this summer with August ridership up 10% compared to a year ago, “a reflection of the ongoing success of BART’s efforts to enhance safety, cleanliness, and customer experience, including the new fare payment system Tap and Ride,” according to the agency.
Tuesday, Aug. 26, was BART’s third-highest ridership day since 2020 at the time, with 210,818 exits. This record was soon bested in the first two weeks of September, which experienced BART’s first and second highest ridership days since 2020 (219,918 exits on Sept. 10 and 213,313 exits on Sept. 9).
Weekend ridership, the agency says, continues to trend upward with Saturdays in August seeing an 11% increase over a year ago and Sundays an 8.1% increase. These increases, BART adds, were bolstered by major events, including a three-day Dead & Company residency at Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands, and the Bay FC vs. Washington Spirit match that sold out Oracle Arena.
A big win for customers was the launch of Tap and Ride on Aug. 20, which gives BART riders the ability to pay adult fares at BART fare gates using contactless-enabled debit or credit cards and mobile payment methods. Tap and Ride trips accounted for 6.5% of total BART trips after the payment system launched in late August. Weekend Tap and Ride usage was higher than weekdays as tourists and infrequent riders took advantage of this new feature. Twenty-four percent of entries at SFO Station were paid for using Tap and Ride after it launched.
Also in August, San Francisco city workers began returning to their downtown office and local schools returned to session. With the start of the fall semester at UC Berkeley in mid-August, Clipper BayPass ridership more than doubled from the previous August as the all-in-one transit pass rolled out to the entire Cal student body, according to BART. In March, students approved a referendum that increases annual student fees to provide 50,000 undergraduates and graduate students with unlimited travel on Bay Area transit agencies for two years.
DART
DART President & CEO Nadine Lee on Sept. 12 announced that the official grand opening of the Silver Line will be Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. To commemorate the opening, riders, families, and community partners are invited to join in a day of festivities that showcase the future of mobility in North Texas.
The 26-mile Silver Line links Plano, Richardson, Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, and Grapevine with DFW International Airport, “transforming the way residents travel for work, school, and entertainment,” the agency noted. With state-of-the-art Stadler trains, new stations, and seamless transfers, the Silver Line “delivers convenience and opportunity to one of the fastest growing regions in the nation.”
To mark the milestone, DART is offering free rides across the entire system all day on Saturday, Oct. 25. In addition, the Silver Line will be free to ride from Oct. 25 through Nov. 8, giving everyone the chance to experience the service firsthand.
“The Silver Line opening is a realization of a promise kept to our riders and our region,” said Lee. “This state-of-the-art train will improve connections, create new access to jobs, and drive economic growth across North Texas, with a fitting theme to ‘Discover New Horizons.’ Most importantly, this line shows our riders that we heard them, and we delivered.”
The Silver Line opening date announcement was made at the conclusion of the third annual State of the Agency briefing from Lee on Sept. 12. The briefing included an update on agency priorities and progress from Lee and DART Board of Directors Chair Gary Slagel.
“The Silver Line is a major step forward in building a stronger, more connected region. It is an investment in both today’s riders and future generations. We are proud to open its doors and welcome the community aboard,” added Slagel.
The event also included a panel conversation on how transit ties to “Live, Work, and Play” in the North Texas region. Lee was joined by Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts and Inspire Dallas CEO Carlos F. Aguilar, in conversation with D Magazine Partners President Gillea Allison.
The Silver Line Grand Opening Celebration on Oct. 25 will feature festivities at select stations, including live music, cultural performances, family programming, and recognition of the sponsors and partners who made the project possible. DART extends its deepest appreciation to its sponsors: Platinum Sponsor Stadler; Gold Sponsors WSP and Ardurra; Bronze Sponsors Cypress Waters – Billingsley and NTX Partners; and General Sponsors AECOM and Archer Western. “Their support reflects a shared commitment to connecting communities and advancing North Texas into the future,” the agency noted.
More information is available here.
MBTA
The MBTA recently announced that the CapeFLYER train has reached a record number of tickets sold for the Summer 2025 season. More than 10,800 passengers purchased tickets between Boston and Hyannis on summer weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year, compared to about 9,700 last year.
The CapeFLYER is a partnership between Keolis, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), and the MBTA to improve access to Cape Cod for residents and visitors.
CapeFLYER service has operated since 2013. The train travels between Boston’s South Station, Braintree, Brockton, Lakeville, Wareham, Buzzards Bay, Bourne, and Hyannis. The train includes a bicycle car with racks and tools as well as a café car featuring snacks and beverages.
The trip from South Station to Hyannis takes about two hours and forty minutes.
“The continued rise in CapeFLYER ticket sales shows how vital this service is to residents, visitors, and the communities it serves,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “By providing an affordable and reliable alternative to driving, the Cape Flyer expands access to the Cape, supports local economies, reduces traffic congestion, and delivers a more sustainable way to travel,”
“Massachusetts has so much to offer to residents and visitors. Under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, we are privileged to have the ability to provide connected mass transportation services to Cape Cod with our partners at MassDOT, Keolis, and CCRTA. The CapeFLYER finished this year with record ridership and demonstrates how access to mass transportation improves quality of life. To the thousands of passengers that chose the CapeFLYER as their preferred choice of travel, a big thank you for letting us serve you!” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “This is a great reminder that public transit supports all kinds of travels. Not just during the summer, but all seasons, all year long. Take advantage of our $10 Weekend Pass and keep an eye out for robust service to Salem’s Haunted Happenings and so much more.”
Bay Area Transit Systems
The California Legislature passed legislation on Sept. 13 authorizing a ballot measure to create a 14-year, sub-regional sales tax in five Bay Area counties to generate revenue to support Bay Area public transportation systems, Caltrain recently reported. If signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bill, Senate Bill (SB) 63, introduced by State Senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín, will allow voters to decide on the revenue measure on the November 2026 ballot.
If voters qualify a measure for the ballot under SB 63 and a majority approve it, the measure will provide critical operating funding for Caltrain, Muni, BART and AC Transit. It will also support rider improvements, smaller bus and ferry services, and dedicate funds to return-to-source projects identified by individual counties. The regional measure, Caltrain says, “is intended to establish a stable funding source that addresses the fiscal shortfalls many Bay Area transit agencies continue to face after the pandemic.”
The passage of the legislation comes as Bay Area transit agencies face looming fiscal cliffs that threaten service. Caltrain projects an average annual deficit of about $75 million beginning in fiscal year 2027. Without new funding, the agency says it would face difficult decisions, including drastic service reductions, station closures and cuts to service frequency. “These challenges stem largely from shifting travel patterns that have changed how people commute, leaving Caltrain with structural budget shortfalls,” the agency noted.
While Caltrain says it has made “significant strides” to regain ridership, reduce costs and increase non-fare revenue, there remains a structural need for ongoing funding sources. Caltrain would receive an average of about $75 million annually from the measure—a 7% allocation of the total funds generated—resulting in Caltrain’s operating deficit being fully funded and Caltrain maintaining its half-hourly service.
SB 63 would:
- “Authorize a sales tax in five counties in the Bay Area including the three counties that Caltrain operates in: San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.
- “Dedicate percentages of revenue in each of Caltrain’s counties to cover the railroad’s operations deficit, allowing for the preservation of Caltrain’s service level.
- “Establish accountability measures and efficiency reviews to ensure that transit agencies are acting responsibly and appropriately with the funds they are receiving.
- “Allow voters to decide the future of transit in the Bay Area, if the new district’s legislative body places a measure on the ballot, or if the voters circulate petitions to qualify a measure for the ballot.”
“SB 63 is critical for Caltrain and other Bay Area transit systems. We are grateful to the bill authors Senators Weiner and Arreguin as well as the Caltrain delegation for strengthening and passing this critical legislation,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “Thanks to electrification, we’re seeing our ridership grow faster than ever before because of the faster, more frequent, and more reliable service. Without SB63, we risk having to make service cuts that would put those gains at risk and push more cars back onto already congested roads. SB63 offers a light at the end of the tunnel to keep riders moving, reduce traffic, and build the sustainable transit system our region needs.”
“In May, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board of Directors (Caltrain) voted to support SB 63 because of its vital ability to provide funding to support our transit operations,” said Caltrain Board Chair Steve Heminger. “Next year, voters will have the choice to establish sustainable funding mechanisms that will ensure Caltrain, and other Bay Area transit systems are able to keep running reliably and safely while supporting our local and surrounding communities.”
LA Metro
Local and state officials and leaders of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority will join LA Metro on Sept. 19 to celebrate the grand opening of the agency’s A Line Extension from Azusa to Pomona, bringing new local rail service to the San Gabriel Valley cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona for the first time since 1951 when the Pacific Electric Railway ceased operations.
The ribbon-cutting celebration will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by Rock the Rails, an event that invites the community to visit each new station while enjoying DJs, live local bands and food trucks from the San Gabriel Valley area. Revenue service will begin at noon.
The $1.5 billion light rail project adds another 9.1 miles to the 48.5-mile Metro A Line, already the world’s longest light rail line, expanding access to regional destinations, including 19 nearby colleges and universities, the Pomona Fairplex, regional parks, historic downtowns, museums, hospitals, medical centers, shopping, dining and entertainment venues.
The project is the ninth project to be completed in LA Metro’s Twenty-Eight by ‘28 initiative, “an ambitious, comprehensive plan to enhance the region’s transit infrastructure in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and leave an infrastructure legacy for Angelenos.”
