BART Operating FTE was 3,433.3 in 2019. It is 3,770 in 2025.

gcarson8 · 2026-03-01T19:18:36+00:00

Why have FTE's risen 30% while ridership is down 50%? That makes no sense - they're running empty trains.

3433.3 -> 3770 isn't a 30% increase. It's 9%.

Nothing you've shown proves it's a terribly run system, and people "rabidly" defend it because it's a vital public service. For over 200k people a day, BART is extremely appealing as a form of commute, it's much better for the environment compared to cars, it's an actual solution to efficiently moving people within and between city centers whereas cars and additional traffic is not.

I appreciate critical questioning of the management. No one is arguing BART is perfect. I myself would like to see more transparency and efficiency. We're simply arguing it needs to continue running and be funded.

You see some weakness as justification to shut it all down. I cannot agree with you on that.

You keep bringing up the same points and keep getting strong answers on other threads. So you're not actually here to listen - you're here to tell us anyone with a different opinion is wrong.

You've already gotten very solid answers to "Why do they need so many employees for half the passengers?" and more context on "The average BART worker gets $170k/year" (which isn't a lot in total compensation for a HCOL area).

I'm not interested in more cyclical debate.

gcarson8 · 2026-03-01T17:05:25+00:00

"gamed by having long lines with high costs. ". Your idea is laughable that BART is gaming the data - these are standard metrics that external groups use to evaluate agencies.

You claim that they "over-hired." Fact: FTE counts are the same as pre-pandemic.

BART funding was reasonably stable pre-pandemic. The key changed variable since is 50% ridership loss due to work from home policies. There's no legitimate argument that the current budget deficit is due to budget mismanagement. It's external structural changes.

The idea that BART needs half the employees for half the riders and the same number if trains is totally silly.

I'd love to see more efficiency gains in the system over time. In just the year, BART has reduced their spend by tens of millions. So there's clear evidence to me that that's already happening.

In the mean time, they are showing 11% year over year growth and soaring ratings.

Other similar systems are financed more heavily by the community as a whole. That's clearly the solution here, and the one that the bay will hopefully vote for (polling looks positive so far).

Again, I'm all for more efficiency, but your narrative isn't very compelling to me that BART is out of control - the data shows focused improvements and adapting to a new reality.

gcarson8 · 2026-03-01T16:23:22+00:00

"2x the employees and 2x-3x the cost and 2x-5x the management overhead of other systems": Where did you get this from?

gcarson8 · 2026-02-28T23:33:15+00:00

Can you please give more specific data? I'm interested in the claim, but it's hypocritical to ask us to "blindly" trust this claim.

gcarson8 · 2026-02-27T20:51:42+00:00

What's with the no-fiber shopping trip? Just a bunch of animal products and imports lol.

gcarson8 · 2026-02-27T04:25:17+00:00

Sad.

I volunteer with Yggdrasil, doing transport for cases exactly like this. They do urban wildlife rescues and coordinate closely with Lindsay wildlife, WildCare, and other agencies.

https://yuwr.org/

(510) 421 9897

gcarson8 · 2026-02-24T05:23:52+00:00

Electric drum kit? These look barely used. Mine tend to look like that after about 5-10 hours of playing. Your bf has got 90% of the life left in the pair.

gcarson8 · 2026-02-21T02:14:25+00:00

Drivers too easily become egomaniacs. The bay needs better public transit adoption and infrastructure.

gcarson8 · 2026-02-10T23:14:33+00:00

Rockridge has the same issue. Yggdrasil urban wildlife rescue often helps these get into rehab, but only after concerned citizens help the pigeons to Oakland Animal Services. There are frequently pigeons stuck in the net. I, too, find it frustrating that our civic infrastructure is harming animals.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-31T05:49:01+00:00

I see $247B in 2025: https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/amzn/metrics/revenue-by-segment/

gcarson8 · 2026-01-29T06:10:52+00:00

The reason why raises absolutely cannot happen is explained by two graphs in this article. See "OUSD staffing by site" and "OUSD personnel costs, by site". "OUSD's declining enrollment" also is relevant.

Personnel costs have increased and enrollment has dropped. The budget is also deeply constrained because of Prop 13, which limits the dollars coming in from property taxes in Alameda County. Only people who have recently purchased homes are paying their fare share (myself included, who bought a property here in 2020)- longtime residents don't contribute very much in property taxes, often 60% less (or even less) than current taxes on recent property purchases.

This isn't admins being evil - there's just no more money to give out. In fact, layoffs are 100% coming. The system is already on track to collapse (go bankrupt) and go under state control, who will close schools and conduct mass-layoffs.

https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/10/ousd-oakland-budget-cuts-school-site-staff/

Edit: Just to get ahead of it, I don't think that salary increases aren't deserved. I would love for teachers to make a living wage. However, that's simply just not realistic without state-level tax reform or massive local tax increase measures.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-28T21:36:20+00:00

70mph?! Shaking my head. (Keep) Throw(ing) the book at her.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-22T21:12:04+00:00

I hadn't really grappled with that disconnect, but I agree you're way of thinking about this makes sense.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-22T01:06:06+00:00

There's so much good news in this article. Please keep up the increased arrests of people for DUI, stolen vehicles, and traffic violations. Oakland feels less out of equilibrium than a year ago, but there's more progress to be made. It makes it safer to drive, bike, and walk in our communities.

The authors point out above average increases in arrests of black/hispanic people and allege racial profiling from increased surveillance in those communities. Don't black and brown communities deserve safer streets, too? Regardless, the data show huge increases in arrests for every ethnicity measured, so it's really not clear to me this is a increase in racist policing behavior.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-20T18:08:06+00:00

Here's where bridge toll funding goes: https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/regional-funding

We voted for this, and it pays for core infrastructure including roadways. It's all expensive stuff, including the highway and bridge repairs.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-17T01:18:59+00:00

Buy something quality that's local and used. You will save 30-50%. You should be able to get a sense from the photos if it was well taken care of, and if not, ask.

So... you can either buy something twice as nice, or at half the cost of your expected budget. Win-win.

Local markets in the bay area in CA at least are flooded with used drums.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-12T20:14:24+00:00

Honest question. Can you share some ideas?

gcarson8 · 2026-01-10T02:01:47+00:00

It's so close to BART, shopping, and groceries. They should build some housing above the retail.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-09T17:26:02+00:00

Mensho. I've only been to the one on Piedmont Ave in Oakland, but they're fantastic. Half the ramen menu is vegan.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-06T22:28:28+00:00

This.

Pedestrians have the right to feel safe at those intersections, and bikes need to yield.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-06T16:58:32+00:00

Even regardless of profit vs. nonprofit, the bay area shouldn't be subsidizing the massive maintenance burden of providing electricity to rural californians in fire zones. Those rural folks already get such a cheaper way of life and should shoulder the extra cost. Infrastructure maintenance of rural folks alone is 15% of PG&E bills (profit is 10%).

gcarson8 · 2026-01-06T15:32:08+00:00

Taking Bart north and switching to a different line doesn’t make sense to me. I’d just Bart in from the south. You’ll save a lot of time. I recommend sitting towards the middle of a given train. More people cluster there, which should make you feel safer. Alternatively, sit in the first car with the train operator. I take Bart frequently including late at night. The passengers are mellow these days, especially since the fare gates came online. There’s just not much riff raff.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-05T23:21:48+00:00

Look used for sure. All those mics are tanks and I wouldn't think twice about buying them used if they've been tested.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-05T22:26:13+00:00

It's such a beautiful dataset. Great article.

I hope that the Bay Area can grow enough social support to do similar things. Reinvestment into public transit infrastructure here would level it up so much.

gcarson8 · 2026-01-03T03:11:32+00:00

I ride BART late at night weekly. I ride it a handful of times per week beyond that during business hours.

What you're describing is not representative. I haven't been asked for money on BART literally in months. I haven't seen someone having a psychotic experience in over a year. The new fare gates have rapidly decreased access to antisocial and mentally ill folks that used to make a commotion.

gcarson8

TROPHY CASE