A Day On BART: What riding the Richmond-Daly City line is really like

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- BART is our biggest, most widespread, and most taken mass transit system in the Bay Area. For hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents it's the cheapest, fastest and most reliable form of mass transportation.

CONTACT US: Have a question, comment or concern about BART? We want to know

But a new report shows that rider satisfaction is at one of its lowest levels.

ABC7 News wanted to get a better idea of what riding on BART is really like for commuters.

COMMUTE CHALLENGE: This might be the fastest way around the Bay

We sent several ABC7 staffers to ride every line in the system from sunrise to sundown, to document what they saw and to talk to other riders about their experiences, concerns and possible solutions for building a better mass transit system.

Amy Hollyfield (Antioch-Daly City)

Juan Carlos Guerrero (Daly City-Dublin/Pleasanton)

Ken Miguel (Daly City-Warm Springs)

Cornell Barnard (Richmond-Warm Springs)

Dan Noyes (Richmond-Warm Springs)

Here's a look at ABC7 News Reporter Wayne Freedman's journey on the Richmond-Daly City line Tuesday, which started at 8 a.m. and went to 6 p.m.

Shout out to Tracey Lewis for giving up the rest of her lunch to a homeless man who everyone else on the #BART train avoided. #abc7now #BetterbayArea Just being human. She works at St. Anthony's pic.twitter.com/mtb679wlqN
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 13, 2019

The assiduously avoided and mostly unacknowledged. #BART #abc7now #BetterBayArea. Embarcadero Station, where we began this day. pic.twitter.com/pooc3gZqp1
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

So, are the new trains Red Light Specials? I like the look. #BART #BetterBayArea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/idlJAxFJOC
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Am discovering it is easier to converse with people on #BART when the car is crowded. Nice, new one, here. #abc7now #BetterBayArea pic.twitter.com/q5YQr2LpSu
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Tracey Lewis gave food to a homeless man begging for help while riding #BART near Powell Street. #abc7now #BetterBayArea s pic.twitter.com/ofIqMtEnVQ
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Bart rider Claudia Nevills. An unusual challenge. #BART #BetterBayArea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/AY3kiFtIxr
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

What? You want to take MY picture on #BART ? There is no best side. #ABC7NOW #BetterBayArea pic.twitter.com/QnbbLg3vMv
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Repose. #BART #betterbayarea #abc7now 19th Street, Oakland pic.twitter.com/4HDFGfAsi2
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Not certain if this is a state of mind or an accusation.
What do you think?
Oakland, 19th Street station. #BART #betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/AJRpARyb5O
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

And hello to you! #BART 19th Street station, Oakland #abc7now #Betterbayarea pic.twitter.com/zG5r8Iijns
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Citation for the open container of beer. And away we go from #Bart at SFO. #abc7now #Betterbayarea pic.twitter.com/VCM7mSFwKF
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

More hostility. Officer diffuses. #BART #abc7now #Betterbayarea pic.twitter.com/6iSMepf0QY
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

As #BART police talk with the man they pulled off train for having an open container of beer, most passengers stare straight ahead. The detainment? Background noise. #Betterbayarea #ABC7now pic.twitter.com/L2EAGZgoNg
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

On #BART train at SFO, officer searches for and pulls passenger. Clearly not happy about it. #Betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/pp52Ll7D3t
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

At SFO where #BART police have pulled someone off a train and detained him. William Lee saw, as well. Talks about homeless riders. #betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/apKaiBk1Tt
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

"Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." Jean-Paul Sartre #BART #BetterbayArea #abc7now Millbrae Train pic.twitter.com/dxQkqjqOkQ
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Rockabye baby...on #BART to sleep is to trust. Or escape. I would never have guessed this would be possible. How does she know when to exit??? #Betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/PIAge1tOut
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Had a nice talk w/ Brandon Harris, who you saw earlier. Once he figured out I wasn't a wacko for trying to chat on #BART he told me about majoring in communications, and I told him to find a mORE specific major. FUNNY guy! C'mon #Betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/uyT6EDNmhB
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Hang on. #BART should award style points for swaying and remaining upright when a train lurches. Don't bump into anyone. They won't say anything, but if looks could kill.... #Betterbayaea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/qbEQvStpu9
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Maya Alford, 19, studying TV Writing at Academy of Art. Takes my pic as I take one of her. Says #BART "Is good but can be weird." Does not always feel safe on board at night. "Gotta do what you gotta do." #Betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/BXpHA69HoJ
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Maya is my seat mate as we head back to SF. She’s telling me how to look on #BART. #abc7now #Betterbayarea pic.twitter.com/5k6QQE2yu2
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

"If you don't look at me, I won't look at you." Where else can people be ao close and yet so isolated as on public transit? She turned out to be nice, but declined to say her name. #BART #Betterbayarea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/iP7IySGuRc
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

True confessions. . . rode this escalator twice. Got shoved twice. You see it twice. Embarcadero. #BART #BetterBayArea #abc7now Minimalist photography pic.twitter.com/HYoAKg6d1m
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Motion, motion, motion. #BART #BetterbayArea #abc7now Keep moving, keep moving. The Richmond Train, Embarcadero pic.twitter.com/WxI5ZbeLy6
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Oh. Sorry. Missed what looks like a really nice water bottle. At first, I thought this was a place where someone slept. #BART #BetterBayArea #abc7now pic.twitter.com/tXjrTPJas3
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Seen from an escalator in Embarcadero Station. Bike lock. 3 coffee cups. Water bottle. Umbrella. Bike helmet. Check. What...no crutch? #BetterBayArea #BART #abc7now pic.twitter.com/YEJhBB14Sg
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

"Get out of my way," said some woman as I took this in Embarcadero Station.
Was looking for motion. Me, too, snaring this. Guess she didn't see enough of it. Have been 'objectified'. #Betterbayarea #BART #abc7now pic.twitter.com/ngRnSkEDa6
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Brandon of West Oakland is studying communications. Had a question for him. #betterbayarea #BART #abc7now pic.twitter.com/3VXxA5U6X5
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

If this were video, we could put marching band music to some of the hurries commuters. Can hear the snare drums. Nobody seems to talk much. I am an object, here. Something to get around. #BetterBayArea #BART #ABC7NOW pic.twitter.com/MSTaSEBofz
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

Got my Clipper Card....Long day riding #BART #BetterBayArea
Ticket to???? #abc7now pic.twitter.com/awjexiBzvV
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) February 12, 2019

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