UPDATE: BART announced that limited East Bay service, including orange line service between Richmond and Berryessa, was expected to resume at about 9:30 a.m., but there is no service to or from San Francisco and on the Peninsula.
BART’s entire train system was down for several hours Friday morning due to a “computer equipment problem,” according to the agency.
Riders are being advised to seek alternative means of transportation.
BART trains normally start running at about 5 a.m., but that didn’t happen this morning.
Richmond resident Karina Pelataro told Richmondside while the pause in service didn’t impact her this morning, BART malfunctions have gotten in the way of her work and personal life many times.
“Often when I want to go to another city it’s like 20- to 40-minute delays,” Pelataro said before jumping on the first operating train of Friday morning at about 9:45 a.m.
While limited serviced resumed for most East Bay stations, riders bound for San Francisco or the Peninsula were out of luck.
Napa resident Mari Watermeyer stood with her suitcases on the Richmond BART platform at about 10:15 a.m., stressfully calling an Uber to SFO to catch a 12:45 p.m. flight to Brazil with her father Carlos.
“I am stressed about timing,” Watermeyer said. “I used to live in San Francisco. This (is the) first time that BART leaves me hanging.”
A guide to some transbay bus routes is available on BART’s website.
Trains were also halted in May for hours due to a “network connectivity issue.” The agency said at the time that it was working on modernizing various features of its train system in an effort to prevent such delays.
Last week, equipment problems caused smoke to fill the Transbay Tunnel, delaying trains during an afternoon commute.
Bay Area transit planner apps
- BART’s transit planner app — includes bus services
- AC Transit’s transit planner — for the bus system serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties, plus transbay buses to San Francisco
- 511.org — provides information about getting around the Bay Area.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
