The Bay Area includes the world’s technology center, but the region’s largest rail transit system scoffs at adopting 21st century equipment.
BART directors have given lip service to the notion of driverless trains, but when it comes to spending billions of dollars on upgrades, they’re sticking with the status quo — no matter the long-term cost.
With more than a dozen companies developing self-driving cars or the technology — including Apple, Uber, Lfyt, Intel, Google spinoff Waymo, Tesla, Honda, General Motors and Ford right here in the Bay Area — one would think BART would be interested.
With driverless rail transit systems operating throughout Europe and in Vancouver, B.C., since the 1980s, and in airports across the country, including here in the Bay Area, and with Honolulu building a autonomous system that’s slated to open in 2020, perhaps BART might want to consider it.
It could be done. Even at BART. “The technology is such that, even with our existing fleet, … you could opt to go driverless,” Tamar Allen, chief maintenance and engineering officer, told the BART board this month.
This is not just about getting on board with the latest new, new thing. Driverless trains merit serious consideration for much-needed labor cost savings, as BART Directors Nick Josefowitz and Robert Raburn said in January.
At the time, the BART board was discussing its long-term operating deficits, for which the district’s high salary and benefits costs are the biggest problem.
“If we’re trying to make changes today … to make sure that in five years or 10 years we’re not going to be in even a worse position,” Josefowitz said, “I certainly think that (driverless trains) is something that should be put on the table.”
Noting that autonomous vehicles will likely become common place, he said the district needs to consider moving in the same direction. “I don’t think it’s a decision that we can dodge,” he said.
But that’s exactly what he and his colleagues have done. Nine months later, Josefowitz is running for supervisor in San Francisco, a campaign for which he’ll need labor backing. And, the one group that steadfastly opposes driverless trains is labor.
So Josefowitz’s and Raburn’s silence on the issue was noteworthy at a meeting earlier this month, as the board discussed its plans for a new $1.2 billion train control system, which will be funded in part by property tax increases voters in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties approved last year.
The computerized train-control system is part of a major and essential BART rehab, costing untold billions, to ensure it can meet rider demand in the future. The district has identified less than half the funding it will need for the train-control system, which will likely take another 10 years to complete.
Which prompted Director Debora Allen to ask the obvious question: Will the trains be driverless a decade from now? To which Tamar Allen, no relation, responded no: “At this time, the intent is not to be driverless.”
Indeed, aside from the mention in January, there had been no public discussion of autonomous trains.
“Here we are in the heart of innovation of the world,” noted Allen. “Why would we plan to spend $1.2 billion over the next 10 years when we know that driverless technology is available. Why would we not plan for that now in the design phase?”
Or, at least seriously consider the option. But most BART board members are unwilling to risk the wrath of labor unions and the campaign muscle they control. They’re unwilling to even discuss the issue.
As for BART staff members, they insist that train operators are needed for safety. Never mind that train systems elsewhere in the world are successfully and safely operating without them.
They insist that without a train operator someone who falls onto the tracks would certainly be run over. It’s the same sort of argument that opponents of autonomous cars make.
No one should pretend that converting to driverless trains would be easy. It might not even be the best solution to BART’s woes. But it merits serious discussion.
If BART wants to survive, it needs to get on board the technology train. Otherwise, the transit system will get left behind at the 20th century station.
