New Tush Test for BART Seats

BART wants riders again to lend a hand, or derriere, to help select the seats for the new cars that will replace the system's aging fleet.

The transit agency says it's approaching "the finish line" on seat selection and will host seat try-out events at various stations on nine days this month, beginning Monday. 

The seat options have been narrowed down since the original seat tests in 2011, and now the selection is a kind of Goldilocks choice of three cushion densities: soft, medium or firm.

Riders provided feedback originally at "seat labs" in 2011 on "modified seats from the old BART cars and seats on loan from transit agencies around the nation, such as systems in New York, Boston and Los Angeles," BART said. "There were hard plastic seats, cushioned seats, vinyl seats, cloth seats, arm rests, no arm rests, and a multitude of other factors to rate."

"The difference this time is that the process has moved along much closer to the finish line for a decision on the seats," according to BART. 

• October 7th at Union City Station (3 pm to 7 pm)
• October 8th at Pittsburg/Bay Point Station (3 pm to 7 pm)
• October 9th at Downtown Berkeley Station (10 am to 6 pm)

Six additional events will be held at the following stations at dates to be determined later:

• Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre
• Balboa Park
• West Dublin/Pleasanton
• El Cerrito del Norte
• Lake Merritt
• Powell Street 

The tests are part of BART's continuing planning for what it calls the "Fleet of the Future," up to 1,000 new cars to replace its aging fleet of 669 cars.