Anybody know what this is for?
Is this part of the long-delayed San Jose extension?

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Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) announced today that it received a contract from the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to provide on-call construction management (CM) services in support of the agency's Capital Improvement Program and other projects.

The contract has a maximum value of $15 million.

I have noticed that in some cars the seats that are nearest to the ends of the doors have big black stains under them... Does anybody know what this is?

I rode in a train today where the stains were so bad that the floor was sticky and the whole car smelled bad.

For all of you BART PD haters... This is why we exist and still have our guns!

From BART.gov

07.29.2010
BART Police persistence pays off, results in arrest of armed and dangerous parolee
BART investigators seeking additional information from witnesses

A parolee suspected of robbing a person - and who was considered armed and dangerous - sits in jail thanks to the tireless efforts of several BART Police officers who just wouldn't give up.

The NTSB just came out with their report about the June 2009 Washington DC Metro crash. The Washington Post has details.

I wonder if any of the issues identified or changes required will affect BART, given how similar the systems are. Anyone know?

An unattended backpack on a BART train has caused 20 minute delays Monday afternoon in service for commuters headed to the East Bay, according to BART officials.
BART spokesman Jim Allison said passengers noticed a suspicious backpack at the Embarcadero station. As a precaution, passengers were taken off the train and BART police swept through the train, removing the backpack after determining it was not a threat.

The operation, however, has caused a 20-minute delay in service, Allison said.

I was peacefully listening to my MP3 player and when I got up to leave at the Embarcadero, I noticed that people weren't leaving the train very quickly. I took another look and saw a brawl going on right outside the doorway. A woman behind me started pushing me and said keep moving and get out, which I didn't take kindly since I was backed up against six or eight people in front of me. Anyway, everyone started to leave the train and as we left we witnessed two women in a fistfight! Two or more men finally pulled them apart. I was wondering what set these two people off.

The BART board has postponed indefinitely a vote on a temporary fare decrease as support for the plan wanes.

The board didn't take up the scheduled fare vote today when its meeting ran long with a discussion over a rail extension to the Oakland International Airport. Board member James Fang, who proposed the fare cut, said he couldn't stay for the fare vote because of a scheduling conflict.

Why the hell is BART still trying to do this?
The community DOES NOT WANT IT.
It would RAISE COSTS for riders.
They have been denied funding multiple times.
Why do they keep trying to force this bad idea through?

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/20/BA5A1EH6AH.DTL

The Feds forced BART to solicit public opinion on the fare reduction gimmick that would only last for 4 months that James Fang is pushing. (How convenient Fang is up for reelection to the BART board this November....) Almost 4 out of 5 passengers say they would rather see longer service hours and cleaner trains. Also BART staff disclosed that it would cost about $200,000 to change all the system's fare signs when the prices went down then back up again.

I'm retired now, but have always wondered why is BART based in Oakland, the most crime-ridden city in the Bay Area? It seems to be putting employees in a lot of unnecessary danger.

Someone was shot outside of the BofA at 300 Lakeside within the first week of when BART moved its offices there. Sunday, a prospective google employee was murdered at 19th and Webster, a block away. People are mugged all the time downtown. I started driving to work rather than have to walk the two blocks from BART to the office.

START PRINTING THOSE T-SHIRTS "MISERLY LOVES COMPANY'. THE ENTIRE CITY OF WALNUT CREEK WILL BUY THEM ALL IN 2 HRS.

8:52am

MacArthur Station.

Black man with filthy push cart & one of those little "tribal" African hats standing on inbound platform turns to face morning commuters heading to SF and then pulls out his dick for everyone to see and starts pissing in a trash can.

STAY CLASSY, OAKLAND!!!

Whatever you think of the Mehserle verdict (I've heard involuntary manslaughter, plus a gun enhancement, resulting in a sentence that could range from 2-14 years.), please be safe out there everyone!

BART Advances Extension to Livermore Despite Lack of Immediate Funding

Lucifer has been given Moderator priveleges to help the time overlap for having a moderator around, bringing our active mod team to three. I'm sure he'll have something good to say to you all in the comments. I think he'll be a great addition to the team! Congrats on your "promotion" Lucifer!