BART partners with track workforce training program, hires more police officers

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) earlier this week announced it has renewed a partnership with Cypress Mandela Training Center Inc. in Oakland, California, to offer a railroad-specific workforce development program.

The 16-week program teaches basic skills needed to do track and structure work. The program features classroom and hands-on work, BART officials said in a press release.

The program offers a path into working for BART’s track and structures departments. Workers hired after the program undergo specialized training. 

"They’ve come in as basic laborers. We train them to get their license to be equipment operators, anything from driving a crew truck to operating some of our bigger on-rail equipment,” said Tom Delaney, BART superintendent of way and facilities.

Meanwhile, BART also announced it has hired 40 police officers this calendar year, which is equal to the total number of officers hired in 2017 and 2018 combined. 

In addition, a new four-year labor contract brought BART officer salaries closer to the average for other law enforcement agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area. The contract includes a one-time 6 percent salary increase and a $15,000 hiring bonus, BART officials said.