BART Completes Installation of New Ticket Vending Machines.

News Editors

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 26, 2003

BART this week completed the installation of its brand new ticket vending machines (TVMs), which are now in all of the system's 43 stations.

The new state-of-the-art ticket vending equipment is one of the major components of BART's $1.2 billion renovation program and includes 572 faregates, 162 adfare machines, and 299 TVMs.

According to BART officials the new TVMs have numerous new features, which will not only offer the transit system's customers ease of use, but the convenience of several transaction options as well. They include the ability to purchase multiple tickets with one transaction, purchase tickets of up to $60.00 in value, and use credit or debit cards, as well as cash. The new TVMs will issue more durable plastic tickets, replacing BART's original paper tickets. Additionally, all of the new ticket machines will accept the new $20.00 bills.

Meanwhile, BART is moving ahead with the development of the new Translink ticket which will also be available from the new TVMs in about two years. The Translink ticket, or smart card, will offer a single ticket that will be good on all of the major transit systems in the Bay Area. It will operate as a proximity card on BART by just passing it over a sensor which will be located on top of the faregates.

BART's renovation program, begun in 1995 and paid for in part by fare dollars, is virtually complete. It also included the modernization of its original fleet of 439 transit cars, rebuilding or replacing all of the system's escalators, and elevators, and the expansion of the system's transit car maintenance facilities which allows for more cars to be available for service each morning.