Preliminary results reveal that the “BART Perks,” a six-month test incentive program offered by BART and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), can successfully shift rail travel behavior at rush hours.
Almost 18,000 BART riders participated in the Perks program trial that ran from the end of August 2016 through February 2017. Participants were eligible to win cash rewards by signing up for the test program and were incentivized to shift their commute outside of the morning rush hour by receiving additional rewards for trips starting before 7:30 a.m. or after 8:30 a.m.
During the six-month trial period, an average of 250 participants shifted their ride either before or after the peak morning rush hour each weekday. That amounts to the equivalent of two full BART cars being freed up each weekday during BART’s busiest hour. About 2,600 Perks participants traveled during the peak hour each day before the program, meaning about 10% of these riders targeted by the program did in fact shift.
The program complemented BART’s long-term efforts to reduce crowding and congestion on trains and in stations.
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