UPDATE: A significant communication breakdown has emerged following a recent BART systemwide outage on September 5, 2023, leading to a two-hour delay in critical alerts, sparking outrage among Bay Area commuters.
Many residents reported a lack of timely updates during the early morning disturbance. The first alert was sent at 4:50 a.m., but the Nixle alert, which is crucial for notifying the public about emergencies, didn’t go out until 7:11 a.m. This has raised serious concerns about the efficacy of BART’s communication protocols during crises.
BART spokesperson Alicia Trost explained that communication began promptly after the outage was confirmed. By 5:03 a.m., BART started posting updates on social media and its website, followed by a text message to subscribers at 5:11 a.m. However, responses from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management were significantly delayed, leading to frustration among commuters.
“Did you reach out only by email?” asked investigative reporter Melanie Woodrow during her inquiry. Trost confirmed that this was the only method provided to her. MTC responded at 6:51 a.m., nearly an hour after the initial contact, stating they were preparing a Nixle alert but required confirmation of the outage’s duration.
The delay in communication is particularly concerning as the outage caused significant traffic disruptions in the Bay Area. Trost highlighted that the MTC’s slow response time contributed to the difficulty in disseminating information rapidly.
In an email exchange shared with Woodrow, the MTC explained that their Nixle alerts are reserved for high-impact transportation incidents without immediate resolution times. This led to a delay in their alert, which was only issued after BART confirmed there was no estimated time for service restoration.
Despite the delay, both BART and MTC are taking steps to improve future communications. Trost stated, “We updated all of our crisis plan documents for all spokespeople at BART so that they know what phone number to call at 511 if we were to ever need it.”
In response to the incident, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management issued its first AlertSF message at 6:12 a.m. and followed up with another alert by 6:45 a.m., indicating potential impacts on Muni services due to the outage.
As the Bay Area navigates these challenges, commuters are left questioning the reliability of communication systems during emergencies. BART encourages riders to sign up for alerts via its website or app to stay informed about future incidents.
What Happens Next: BART and MTC are now focusing on enhancing their communication strategies to prevent similar issues in the future. Commuters are urged to stay vigilant and monitor official channels for real-time updates.
This incident underscores the vital importance of timely communications during public transport disruptions, impacting thousands of daily commuters in the Bay Area. The community is left hoping for more efficient systems to ensure their safety and awareness in future emergencies.
