Overview
The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) adopted its Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget in June 2020. The budget reflects a total projected operating revenue of $2.3billion and a total operating expense of $2.1billion, resulting in a modest operating surplus of roughly $200million. The FY21 budget was designed to maintain safe, reliable service across the East Bay, San Francisco, and the Peninsula while continuing to fund critical capital projects, system upgrades, and equity initiatives.
This document provides a concise summary of the budgets major components, the strategic priorities that guided the allocations, and the financial context that shaped the decisions.
Revenue Sources
FY21 revenue is expected to come from five primary streams:
- Farebox Revenue $1.06billion (46% of total revenue). A modest fare increase of 2% was approved for 2021, and the agency continued to promote discounted passes for senior, student, and lowincome riders.
- Government Grants & Subsidies $458million (20%). This includes State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management Districts grants for cleanenergy projects.
- NonFare Revenue $341million (15%). This covers advertising, station retail rentals, parking fees, and the newly launched BART Direct Connect subscription service for thirdparty mobility partners.
- Dedicated Taxes & Assessments $210million (9%). The district receives a portion of the Bay Area Sales Tax and specific parcel taxes earmarked for transit improvements.
- Other Income $236million (10%). Includes investment income, asset disposals, and miscellaneous fees.
All figures are rounded to the nearest million.
Major Expense Categories
Operating expenses are grouped into four broad categories:
| Category | FY21 Amount (USDMillions) | Percentage of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Labor & Benefits | 1,050 | 50% |
| Maintenance & Operations | 560 | 27% |
| Power & Energy | 210 | 10% |
| Administrative & Overhead | 280 | 13% |
Key initiatives within these categories include:
- Expansion of the workforce safety program, adding 120 new safety officers.
- Implementation of predictive maintenance technology on the fleet, projected to reduce unscheduled downtime by 12%.
- Transitioning 70% of the systems electricity supply to renewable sources, in line with Californias 2030 cleanenergy goals.
- Increasing procurement of locally manufactured components to support Bay Area jobs.
Capital Program
The FY21 capital budget totals $1.45billion, funded primarily through the statewide Regional Transit Investment Program (RTIP), the Federal Transit Administrations Capital Investment Grants (CIG), and BARTs own bond proceeds. Major projects include:
- Extension of the Orange Line to Antioch $1.1billion (completed in 2023, but FY21 funds covered final engineering and procurement).
- Fleet Modernization $250million for the purchase of 150 new electric multipleunit (EMU) cars, replacing aging dieselpowered units.
- Station Accessibility Upgrades $90million to add elevators, tactile paving, and realtime wayfinding at 12 stations.
- Signal System Refresh $70million for the upgrade of the Central Valley Subsystem to improve headways and reduce delays.
All capital projects are tracked against a fiveyear implementation schedule, with a goal of completing 85% of the FY21 capital commitments by the end of FY23.
Key Challenges & Strategic Priorities
While the FY21 budget positions BART for steady service, several challenges required special attention:
- Ridership Recovery The COVID19 pandemic reduced weekday boardings to 75% of prepandemic levels. The budget allocated $30million for targeted marketing and enhanced cleaning protocols to restore rider confidence.
- Equity & Affordability A $15million equity fund was created to subsidize lowincome riders and expand Fare Free days on select routes during summer months.
- Climate Resilience $45million was earmarked for floodmitigation upgrades at the Oakland and Richmond yards, and for reinforcing power infrastructure against wildfires.
- Technology Modernization $20million supports the rollout of contactless payment systems and the integration of BART data into the regional OneBusAway platform.
These priorities align with BARTs longterm strategic plan, Vision 2035, which emphasizes safety, sustainability, and equitable access for all Bay Area residents.
