BART Temporarily Stops Acceptance of $20 Bills In Ticket Vending Machines Due to Detection of Fraud.

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1999--

BART is temporarily discontinuing acceptance of $20 bills in its older ticket vending machines located in the system's original 34 stations, effective immediately, it was announced today by BART General Manager Thomas E. Margro. This is being done as a result of fraudulent purchases of tickets.

"We are making modifications to the current bill validators, which only affect the $20 bills, as a precaution against any fraudulent use," Margro said. "We have reason to believe that this fraudulent practice has been detected at an early stage, before becoming widespread, and thus the need for immediate action."

Margro said that all of the machines that accept credit and debit cards, which also accept $20 bills, will not be affected, nor will the fare vending machines in all of the new extension stations.

He said that BART is ordering new bill validators which are expected to be installed in two-thirds of the affected fare machines by the end of the year. We are investing the steps necessary to complete the remaining one-third and hope to have them done in the same time frame.

BART Police have been investigating the situation and have already made one arrest.

"We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience this may cause them and we will be working hard to have the fare machines accepting the $20 bills again as soon as possible," Margro said. "In the interim customers may still use $1, $5, or $10 bills in the fare vending machines."

Other Options:

Until the older fare machines are modified early next year BART recommends that customers purchase multi-ride (high value tickets) at the over 500 vendor outlets around the Bay Area who carry them, including Lucky and Safeway stores. For a list of these vendors, BART riders may pick up a copy of the transit district's "Tickets-To-Go" brochure at any BART station. Tickets may also be purchased by mail or in person form the BART Customer Services Center in the Oakland Lake Merritt Station, Oakland, 800 Madison Street, CA 94607-2688, or from the BART Tickets On-line. The BART Website address is: www.bart.gov. Additionally, high value tickets may be purchased from the ticket kiosk at the Montgomery Street Station which is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, or at the Embarcadero Station Kiosk from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.