Proximity to BART is Often a Deal Maker for Employers

BART station accessibility is key for employee convenience.

SAN FRANCISCO—Living close to, or even better, within reasonable walking distance of a BART station has become perhaps the most crucial factor for Bay Area residents. Increasingly more Bay Area companies report that employees are citing ease of commute as one of the primary factors when deciding on a job.

While employers are making location decisions using access to mass transit as one of the criteria, employees are more often making close proximity to BART their number one priority when renting an apartment. This is due to the limited capacity in BART parking lots and garages along BART routes. Parking is maxed out at most stations, with garages and lots throughout the BART system routinely filled by 7:30 a.m. at the latest during the work week. This makes it increasingly difficult for commuters traveling to BART by car from close-in (but not walkable) locations as well as far-flung suburbs to use the system. Add this issue to the fact that BART parking rates continue to increase: parking costs can range from approximately $600 a year at outlying stations such as Richmond, to almost $2,000 per year at popular stations like West Oakland.  It is worth noting that until 2014, parking at all BART stations was free.