BART Unveils Mascot-Covered Train Car

BART has put a bright blue train car covered in dancing BARTy mascots into regular service as it tests whether full-car wraps can bring in sponsorship money. (bart.gov) The Bay Area Rapid Transit agency said riders could start spotting the car on Monday, April 20, and described it as something “never seen before in the Bay Area.” The wrap covers one of BART’s Fleet of the Future cars. (bart.gov) BART said the mascot design is a pilot for paid advertising wraps on newer train cars, not just a branding stunt. The agency previously sold wraps on its older legacy fleet and is now testing whether the same idea can work on the current fleet. (bart.gov) (sf.streetsblog.org) The experiment lands as BART says it is facing a deficit and is still relying on emergency federal and state aid to run service and balance its operating budget. BART’s financials page says those relief funds are projected to run out in 2026. (bart.gov) The agency’s recent financial reports show why it is hunting for smaller revenue streams alongside bigger funding fights. BART’s FY24 popular annual financial report says fares once covered nearly 70% of operating costs, but covered 22% in fiscal year 2024. (bart.gov) BART has also been cutting expenses while trying to rebuild ridership. Its adopted budget says the agency is working to gain riders, reduce expenses, and secure a long-term revenue source for service. (bart.gov) The mascot car also fits a broader push to make the system feel more visible and approachable. BART has spent the past two years using the BARTy character in events and outreach aimed at younger riders and families. (richmondconfidential.org) For now, the train is both ad test and rolling photo-op: a wrapped car meant to catch eyes in stations while BART looks for cash beyond fares. If advertisers bite, the mascots may end up serving as a sales pitch as much as a smile generator. (bart.gov) (hoodline.com)