Commuters found themselves stranded at train stations across the Bay Area after a computer issue knocked out service Friday morning to the region’s train system.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has been completely out of service since before 4:30 a.m. Friday, according to an alert from BART.
“Due to a computer networking problem, BART service is suspended system wide until further notice,” BART officials shared in the alert. “Seek alternate means of transportation.”
It wasn’t clear when the issue might be resolved.
The systemwide BART meltdown caused chaos in commutes across the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy rail line, which connects five of the region’s most populous counties and ties together San Francisco with Oakland, is used by more than 150,000 commuters most weekday mornings, according to transit data.
Commuters scrambled to make alternate arrangements while traffic surged heavy across the Bay Bridge and rideshare services like Uber reported having higher fares due to increased demand.
BART officials encouraged riders to find transportation alternatives on its site, which appeared to recommend alternative bus lines.
A host of the region’s transit agencies tried to come to the aid of commuters. The San Francisco Bay Ferry system put its largest ferries into service and urged people needing transport from Oakland, Alameda, Richmond and Vallejo to take them. AC Transit, the bus system for the East Bay, were transporting buses filled with passengers over the Bay Bridge into the Salesforce Transit Center.
This is a developing post.
