BART begins fare gates advertising pilot at nine stations
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is testing a new look on fare gates at nine stations (19th Street Oakland, Downtown Berkeley, Dublin/Pleasanton, Concord, Fremont, 16th Street Mission and Daly City) as part of an ongoing effort to explore new and creative revenue opportunities as the agency faces a structural deficit starting in fiscal year 2027.
The nine fare gates are currently wrapped with advertising on their clear plexiglass doors and metal consoles to understand how the wrap material will perform in real-world conditions. The wraps have already undergone testing at BART’s fare gate lab to assess the material’s impact on the surface of the gates.
BART notes the pilot follows the testing of train car wrapping earlier this year, when BART Marketing covered a train car in BARTy mascots. The agency says the pilots will provide a potential new revenue source as BART continues to implement significant cost-cutting measures that have reduced expenses.
According to the agency, additional wraps will be installed at SFO and OAK stations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, starting June 13. Wraps at the Downtown Berkeley station will be removed after a month while others will be left on for varied amounts of time.
"Fare gate wraps give us a new advertising canvas to work with, and we're excited to see how this pilot performs and potentially expand it throughout the system,” said BART Director of Marketing and Research David Martindale.
BART says the wraps are designed to allow clear sightlines through the fare gates so BART Police and staff can still see across the fare gate line. BART Marketing also worked closely with BART Police and other internal stakeholders during the planning process to make sure the placement and materials met their standards.
In 2025, the agency completed installation of new fare gates at all 50 stations, replacing the 50-plus-year-old system's original gates.
Early indications suggest that due to reduced fare evasion the new fare gates are responsible for BART revenue growing by about $10 million annually. Additionally, crime on BART plummeted 41% in 2025 compared to the previous year.