Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
Strategic Planning

Background
The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is a rail public transit system that connects the San Francisco Peninsula with communities in the East Bay and South Bay.  BART operates in five counties (San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara) with 131 miles of track and 50 stations.

The Challenge
Like transit systems nationally, BART has faced financial challenges due to declining ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the system's long-term financial sustainability remains a top concern for its leaders and the entire Bay Area community. In 2021, BART hired NK Strategies as a strategic advisor for political stakeholder engagement.

In 2022, BART’s Administration Division engaged NKS to develop and facilitate a strategic planning process that would set clear goals and objectives, allocate resources effectively, assess risks and uncertainties, measure performance, and engage stakeholders in the planning process. 

NKS worked closely with the management team to analyze the current situation, identify areas for improvement, and develop a plan to achieve the desired outcomes. They conducted landscape analysis, leadership and Capacity Building, Revenue Strategy, Employee Engagement, and Staffing and Systems.  And made recommendations. Facilitated ideation (planning) sessions with BART’s Administration staff and other key stakeholders Refine Mission, Vision and Values.

Next Steps
NKS continues to work with BART in developing a dynamic dashboard to guide regular review and refinement of the plan. They will develop a framework for regular staff-led plan review is led by staff to celebrate progress, identify barriers, and refine benchmarks as needed.