BART riders are increasingly unhappy with the system, and Tom Epstein is one of them.
I have a love-hate relationship with BART.
When I moved to the area in 2001 for a job in downtown San Francisco, I chose to live in the East Bay so I wouldn’t have to drive to work. I could rely on BART for a hassle-free, reliable, and environmentally friendly commute.
On the night before my first day on the job, however, I went to bed not knowing if BART would be on strike in the morning. Fortunately, an agreement was reached before I woke. It was a rude introduction to my new reliance on public transit.
BART workers did strike twice in 2013, and their ability to disrupt the entire Bay Area was crystal clear. It’s a power they should not have. The recent federal government shutdown demonstrates how ordinary people and the overall economy suffer when vital services are disrupted.