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BART Restores Service After 4-Hour Shutdown Caused by Networking Issue

The outage, linked to intermittent network device failures, disrupted tens of thousands of commutes and reignited calls for increased transit funding.

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A BART train arrives at the Pleasant Hill BART station in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.
Josiah Aldrich, a barber who works in the Mission, receives directions from station agent Winston O. during the system-wide BART shutdown at the Glen Park BART Station in San Francisco on Friday.
A train pulls in to unload a few passengers in the suburb of Millbrae, at a station where the region's two major rail systems meet in San Francisco, U.S., March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Stephen Nellis/File Photo

Overview

  • BART suspended all train services systemwide early Friday morning due to a computer networking problem, halting operations from 5 a.m. to shortly after 9 a.m. PT.
  • The outage was caused by intermittent failures in control-center network devices, which prevented visibility of train positions and track circuits necessary for safe operation.
  • While full service has resumed, riders were warned to expect significant delays as the system recovers from the disruption.
  • The shutdown left tens of thousands of commuters scrambling for alternatives, causing congestion on Bay Area roads and increased demand on buses, ferries, and ride-sharing services.
  • State lawmakers and transit advocates emphasized the need for sustained funding to modernize BART's aging infrastructure and avoid future disruptions, with a $300–400 million annual deficit looming.