New BART Cars Will be Delayed For Extended Safety Tests
I’m Ed Smith, a Pittsburg Car Accident Lawyer. In recent news, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) riders seeking relief from trains that are packed way beyond capacity are being heard by officials that plan to increase the quantity and quality of their train cars. Unfortunately, there will be a delay in the arrival of the new trains due to additional safety tests.
Improving the BART Experience For All Passengers
The agency is currently working to replace their 669 original train cars with 775 brand new ones. This upgrade has a costly value of $2.6 billion dollars. Officials are hoping to increase the capacity of their current system, as well as enhancing the passenger’s transportation experience by improving the quietness and reliability of all cars.
The new set of trains are a necessary requirement to accommodate the increase in riders that is expected in May, which is when the Antioch extension should be ready and open for service. In the following month, the Milpitas and Berryessa stations will also be opening.
Safety Inspection Failure Causes Delay for New Trains
BART initially conducted a safety inspection test on their first set of train cars in November 2017. The cars did not meet the requirements to pass the test. The updated mechanical system failed to recognize the length of the new trains, opening the doors of only three cars total. In a separate situation, the train doors failed to automatically open at a station, and even the operator was unable to manually open the doors.
As an attempt to solve these problems, BART made some changes to their current hardware and software of all vehicles. They added a manual switch that allows train operators to indicate the train’s length, and increased the degree of redundancy in their software to make doors properly open. BART officials wrote a letter to state regulators explaining the recent test failure, where they made it clear that the cars never failed in a way that would harm the safety of passengers.
Safety is the Number One Priority for BART
The testing process is admittedly taking longer than anticipated, but BART Director, Rebecca Saltzman, ensures that this tedious process is filled with nothing but good intentions. She acknowledged that “the [current] trains are crowded.” Even though the BART board is eager to introduce their new line of train cars, they will not compromise public safety to speed up the process. Overall, the agency is ready for a do-over to pass all safety inspection tests.
Posts by Pittsburg Car Accident Attorney, Ed Smith:
- Riding With BART in the New Year
- New Downtown Circulator Bus in Pittsburg, CA
- Public Hearing for New BART Stations in Antioch and Pittsburg
Pittsburg Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Pittsburg car accident lawyer. Car accidents may oftentimes result in severe injuries and financial hardships. If you or someone in your family has been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, you are welcome to call me by dialing (925) 428-5220 or my toll-free number (800) 404-5400 for friendly, free advice. In addition, I am also available for contact at AutoAccident.com.
I’ve been working as an injury lawyer in Northern California, including Pittsburg, for more than three decades. I have assisted clients in ensuring rightful compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death cases.
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