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    1. Technology
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    3. Parking Managment

    New Carpool program lets riders park in permit section and pay using the official BART app

    June 18, 2019
    The new program provides riders who carpool to a station the ability to pay for parking using the official BART app and park in the permit section of the lot where spots don’t fill up as early as the daily fee section.
    Related To: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

    BART is rolling out a new carpool program that will make it easier than ever to pay for a parking spot at BART.  The Carpool to BART program is now available at four stations: Dublin/Pleasanton, Orinda, Antioch and Warm Springs stations. 

    The new program provides riders who carpool to a station the ability to pay for parking using the official BART app and park in the permit section of the lot where spots don’t fill up as early as the daily fee section.

    The app accepts credit cards, debit cards, Venmo, or PayPal.

    “This new program modernizes the payment process, something our riders have been asking for, and incentivizes riders to carpool by giving them access to permit parking area, helping free up parking spaces for others,” said Board Vice President Rebecca Saltzman.  "Carpooling to BART takes cars off the road, helping keep our region moving while also reducing emissions.  About 5% of our riders carpool to BART and we want to encourage others to try it and then make it part of their daily routine. "

    Having an app-based payment process improves the rider experience. Currently riders must wait in line and pay with cash or set up an EZ rider account, load it with funds, connect it to their Clipper card, and get a hang tag for their car.  The new program also validates the carpool, cracking down on carpool cheats by requiring both riders in the carpool to enter the fare gates after making the app payment.  

    BART will use these four stations to test the new program before rolling it out to other stations later this year.

    Previous carpool programs including 511’s carpool permit and the Scoop to BART program will end as BART works to consolidate the various carpool programs and make it easier and more beneficial for all riders to carpool to any station that offers parking.  Previously designated carpool parking sections will be converted into additional permit spaces at lots as the new program is rolled out station by station.

    BART plans to expand the app parking payment to all riders in the future but is offering it to carpools first to help promote carpooling to stations.  

    MBTA
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