BART riders can now book and pay for Uber rides without leaving the official BART app.
The new tool aims to help commuters get to and from stations more easily, especially for trips between two and seven miles. The goal is to make it simpler to plan a full trip from your front door to your final destination in one place.
Richmond station is one of only ten locations offering a special $5 discount on these Uber trips for a limited time. Local residents can use this deal up to six times over a seven-day period. BART chose Richmond for this promotion because many nearby neighborhoods lack easy bus access or are too far to reach on foot.
The El Cerrito del Norte and El Cerrito Plaza stations are also included in the app update even though they are not part of the initial $5 discount. People living in the El Cerrito hills or areas with less frequent bus service can use the app to coordinate a ride to the station. This makes it easier to skip the search for parking and head straight to the platform.
BART General Manager Bob Powers said this partnership is designed to help people leave their cars at home and reduce traffic. It also helps the agency prepare for the future as they plan to build more housing on current station parking lots. By offering more ways to get to the station BART hopes to make public transit a more flexible choice for everyone.
The app still shows walking and biking routes for those who prefer them. It also tracks schedules for AC Transit and the Capitol Corridor so West County commuters can manage their entire travel day in one spot.
