Growing up in the East Bay, I’ve ridden BART my entire life. I remember the day BART opened in Pittsburg and going out to ride the first train into San Francisco with my family. As an immigrant child living in public housing, BART gave me freedom. It’s how I first explored San Francisco and came to love the City.

 

I have always believed in the original promise of BART: clean, modern, efficient transportation. As an urban planner and a San Franciscan, I know how important BART is to our region. We’ve all relied on BART at some point, whether it’s to get to work, school, or the airport - BART is a critical part of life in the Bay Area.

 

But the transit system is complex, and the Bay Area is growing. BART has not always lived up to our expectations. We can do better. We can prioritize regular and frequent cleanings of the stations and add trash receptacles to the platforms. BART can work with the City of San Francisco to make our stations clean and safe. We can improve our core system to reduce overcrowding and increase reliability. We can be strong fiscal stewards of your tax dollars to ensure that growth of the system is responsible.

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I have dedicated my career to public service and the responsible development of cities and their systems. I bring professional expertise in economic development, technical skills in land use and transportation planning, and nearly a decade of public sector service. I know how bureaucracies work and how to get things done from within.
 

I am running for BART Board because I want to make sure current and future generations of San Franciscans can enjoy what BART used to be - a fun and fast way to get around.

 

Sincerely,

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Kanishka Cheng

BART Board Candidate