Jobs in Oakland | Careers in Government

44Jobs found

Transit Vehicle Mechanic (Pool Posting)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Parks and Recreation
- Transportation or Transit
Communications Electronic Technician, SEIU (Pool Posting)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Information Technology and Communication Services
- Parks and Recreation
Track Equipment Operator (Internal)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Public Works
Track Equipment Operator (External)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Public Works
Automatic Fare Collection Electronic Technician (SEIU) (External)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Engineering
Senior Manager of Compliance Programs
- Oakland, California
- BART
$168,682.00 - $255,553.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Regulatory and Licensing
Track Welder, SEIU (Pool Posting)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Parks and Recreation
Group Manager, Capital Projects
- Oakland, California
- BART
$180,489.00 - $273,443.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
Senior Labor Relations Representative
- Oakland, California
- BART
$128,685.00 - $194,958.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Education and Training
- Human Resources and Personnel
Records and Supply Technician (External)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$74,132.86 - $96,905.74 Annually
- Full Time
- Purchasing and Warehouse
Entry-Level and Lateral Police Dispatcher
- Oakland, California
- BART
$84,258.72 - $102,555.44 Annually
- Full Time
- Public Safety
Expeditor/Clerk SEIU (External Only)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$70,762.64 - $92,500.30 Annually
- Full Time
- Clerical and Administrative Support
Principal Government & Community Relations Representative
- Oakland, California
- BART
$138,881.60 - $168,812.80 Annually
- Full Time
- Education and Training
- Planning and Development
- Political or Public Affairs
Senior Manager of Engineering Programs
- Oakland, California
- BART
$168,682.00 - $255,553.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Engineering
Attorney II/III
- Oakland, California
- BART
$180,489.00 - $273,443.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Legal Services
Employee Development Specialist, Maximo & Training Operations (Pool Posting)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$106,032.36 - $138,604.44 Annually
- Full Time
- Education and Training
- Parks and Recreation
Assistant General Manager - Acquisition, Stewardship, and Planning (AGM - ASP)
- Oakland, California
- East Bay Regional Park District
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
Senior Financial Services Specialist
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$44.53 - $59.68/hour; $92,622.40 - $124,134.40/year
- Full Time
- Accounting and Finance
Contract Compliance Supervisor
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$58.04 - $70.53/hour; $120,723.20 - $146,702.40/year
- Full Time
- Administrative Analysis and Research
- Clerical and Administrative Support
- Purchasing and Warehouse
- Regulatory and Licensing
Lateral Police Officer & Academy Graduate
- Oakland, California
- BART
$105,836.85 - $149,409.73 Annually
- Full Time
- Public Safety
Technical Publications Administrator, SEIU (External) Pool Posting
- Oakland, California
- BART
$97,883.04 - $127,951.68 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Parks and Recreation
Central Maintenance Supervisor
- Oakland, California
- BART
$125,840.00 - $152,942.40 Annually
- Full Time
- Administrative Analysis and Research
- Building Maintenance
- Clerical and Administrative Support
Transit Ambassador
- Oakland, California
- BART
$65,041.81 - $79,887.39 Annually
- Full Time
- Political or Public Affairs
- Transportation or Transit
Entry-Level Police Officer
- Oakland, California
- BART
$105,836.85 - $149,409.73 Annually
- Full Time
- Public Safety
Assistant General Manager - Facilities and Infrastructure
- Oakland, California
- East Bay Regional Park District
- Full Time
- Facilities Management
POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
- 530 Water Street, Oakland, California
- Port of Oakland
$10,890.00 - $13,067.00 Monthly
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Public Works
Supervisor of Crisis Intervention and Outreach Programs
- Oakland, California
- BART
$136,200.00 - $158,052.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administrative Analysis and Research
- Clerical and Administrative Support
- Human and Social Services
Director of Labor Relations
- Oakland, California
- BART
$193,124.00 - $292,584.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Human Resources and Personnel
Assistant Chief Executive Officer - Alameda County Employees Retirement Association (ACERA)
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County Employees Retirement Association
$209,289.60 - $294,486.40 yearly
- Full Time
- Accounting and Finance
- Administration and Management
Train Control Electronic Technician (External Only)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Engineering
Electrician (SEIU) (External)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
Board Administrative Officer/District Secretary
- Oakland, California
- Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit)
$190,000-$210,000
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
Assistant Director of Finance
- 1111 Broadway Suite 800, Oakland, California
- Alameda County Transportation Commission
$157,664.00
- Full Time
- Accounting and Finance
Vehicle Systems Engineer (Electrical)
- Oakland, California
- BART
$128,685.00 - $194,958.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Construction and Skilled Trades
- Engineering
- Utilities
Manager of Traction Power Engineering
- Oakland, California
- BART
$168,682.00 - $255,553.00 Annually
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Engineering
Principal Operations Planner
- Oakland, California
- BART
$138,881.60 - $168,812.80 Annually
- Full Time
- Planning and Development
General manager
- Oakland, California
- East Bay Regional Park District
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
Senior Program Analyst Communications
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County Transportation Commission
$129,402
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Community Relations or PR and Marketing
Principal Program Analyst Communications
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County Transportation Commission
$150,068
- Full Time
- Administration and Management
- Community Relations or PR and Marketing
Child Welfare Worker II
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$54.12 - $62.11/hour; $105,534.00 - $121,114.50/year
- Full Time
- Human and Social Services
Administrative Analyst (Provisional Appointment)
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$115,148.80-$176,529.60 Yearly
- Full Time
- Accounting and Finance
- Administration and Management
- Administrative Analysis and Research
- Public Information and Intergovernmental Affairs
- Other
Information Systems Analyst
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$55.85 - $74.84/hour; $116,168.00 - $155,667.20/year
- Full Time
- Administrative Analysis and Research
- Information Technology and Communication Services
Information Systems Specialist
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$44.97 - $57.39/hour; $93,537.60 - $119,371.20/year
- Full Time
- Information Technology and Communication Services
Child Welfare Worker II
- Oakland, California
- Alameda County
$54.12 - $62.11/hour; $105,534.00 - $121,114.50/year
- Full Time
- Human and Social Services

FEATURED JOBS

Featured Employers

Transit Vehicle Mechanic (Pool Posting)
- Oakland, California United States
- BART
- May 28, 2026
- $88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually - Full Time
BART

The BART story began in 1946. It began not by governmental fiat, but as a concept gradually evolving at informal gatherings of business and civic leaders on both sides of the San Francisco Bay. Facing a heavy post-war migration to the area and its consequent automobile boom, these people discussed ways of easing the mounting congestion that was clogging the bridges spanning the Bay. In 1947, a joint Army-Navy review Board concluded that another connecting link between San Francisco and Oakland would be needed in the years ahead to prevent intolerable congestion on the Bay Bridge. The link? An underwater tube devoted exclusively to high-speed electric trains. Since 1911, visionaries had periodically brought up this Jules Verne concept. But now, pressure for a traffic solution increased with the population. In 1951, the State Legislature created the 26-member San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission, comprised of representatives from each of the nine counties which touch the Bay. The Commission's charge was to study the Bay Area's long range transportation needs in the context of environmental problems and then recommend the best solution. The Commission advised, in its final report in 1957, that any transportation plan must be coordinated with the area's total plan for future development. Since no development plan existed, the Commission prepared one itself. The result of their thoroughness is a master plan which did much to bring about coordinated planning in the Bay Area, and which was adopted a decade later by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). The BART Concept is BornThe Commission's least-cost solution to traffic tie-ups was to recommend forming a five-county rapid transit district, whose mandate would be to build and operate a high-speed rapid rail network linking major commercial centers with suburban sub-centers. The Commission stated that, "If the Bay Area is to be preserved as a fine place to live and work, a regional rapid transit system is essential to prevent total dependence on automobiles and freeways." Thus was born the environmental concept underlying BART. Acting on the Commission's recommendations, in 1957, the Legislature formed the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, comprising the five counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo. At this time, the District was granted a taxing power of five cents per $100 of assessed valuation. It also had authority to levy property taxes to support a general obligation bond issue, if approved by District voters. The State Legislature lowered the requirement for voter approval from 66 percent to 60 percent. Between 1957 and 1962, engineering plans were developed for a system that would usher in a new era in rapid transit. Electric trains would run on grade-separated right-of-ways, reaching maximum speeds of 75-80 mph, averaging perhaps 45 mph, including station stops. Advanced transit cars, with sophisticated suspensions, braking and propulsion systems, and luxurious interiors, would be strong competition to "King Car " in the Bay Area. Stations would be pleasant, conveniently located, and striking architectural enhancements to their respective on-line communities. BART employees in the 1970s. Hundreds of meetings were held in the District communities to encourage local citizen participation in the development of routes and station locations. By midsummer, 1961, the final plan was submitted to the supervisors of the five District counties for approval. San Mateo County Supervisors were cool to the plan. Citing the high costs of a new system-plus adequate existing service from Southern Pacific commuter trains - they voted to withdraw their county from the District in December 1961. With the District-wide tax base thus weakened by the withdrawal of San Mateo County, Marin County was forced to withdraw in early 1962 because its marginal tax base could not adequately absorb its share of BART's projected cost. Another important factor in Marin's withdrawal was an engineering controversy over the feasibility of carrying trains across the Golden Gate Bridge. BART had started with a 16-member governing Board of Directors apportioned on county population size: four from Alameda and San Francisco Counties, three from Contra Costa and San Mateo, and two from Marin. When the District was reduced to three counties, the Board was reduced to 11 members: four from San Francisco and Alameda, and three from Contra Costa. Subsequently, in 1965, the District's enabling legislation was changed to apportion the BART Board with four Directors from each county, thus giving Contra Costa its fourth member on a 12-person Board. Two directors from each county, hence forth, were appointed by the County Board of Supervisors. The other two directors were appointed by committees of mayors of each county (with the exception of the City and County of San Francisco, whose sole mayor made these appointments). The five-county plan was quickly revised to a three-county plan emphasizing rapid transit between San Francisco and the East Bay cities and suburbs of Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The new plan, elaborately detailed and presented as the "BART Composite Report, " was approved by supervisors of the three counties in July 1962, and placed on the ballot for the following November general election. The plan required approval of 60 percent of the District's voters. It narrowly passed with a 61.2 percent vote District-wide, much to the surprise of many political experts who were confident it would fail. Indeed, one influential executive was reported to have said: "If I'd known the damn thing would have passed, I'd never have supported it. " The voters approved a $792 million bond issue to finance a 71.5 mile high-speed transit system, consisting of 33 stations serving 17 communities in the three counties. The proposal also included another needed transit project: rebuilding 3.5 miles of the San Francisco Municipal Railway. The new line would link muni streetcar lines directly with BART and Market Street stations, and four new Muni stations would be built. The additional cost of the transbay tube -- estimated at $133 million -- was to come from bonds issued by the California Toll Bridge Authority and secured by future Bay Area Bridge revenues. The additional cost of rolling stock, estimated at $71 million, was to be funded primarily from bonds issued against future operating revenues. Thus, the total cost of the system, as of 1962, was projected at $996 million. It would be the largest single public works project ever undertaken in the U.S. by the local citizenry. After the election, engineers immediately started work on the final system designs, only to be halted by a taxpayer's suit filed against the District a month later. The validity of the bond election, and the legality of the District itself, were challenged. While the court ruled in favor of the District on both counts, six months of litigation cost $12 million in construction delays. This would be the first of many delays from litigation and time-consuming negotiations involving 166 separate agreements reached with on-line cities, counties, and other special districts. The democratic processes of building a new transit system would prove to be major cost factors that, however necessary, were not foreseen.
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Job Details
- $88,855.10 - $116,150.53 Annually
- Full Time
- May 28, 2026
Job Description
Marketing Statement

Ride BART to a satisfying career that lets you both: 1) make a difference to Bay Area residents, and 2) enjoy excellent pay, benefits, and employment stability. BART is looking for people who like to be challenged, work in a fast-paced environment, and have a passion for connecting riders to work, school and other places they need to go. BART offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and the CalPERS retirement program.

Job Summary

Pay Rate
SEIU Maintenance Worker III
SEIU Hourly Rate $42.72 (Step 76) to $55.84 (Step 99)

Note: External candidates will start at $42.72 (Step 76)

Reports To
Variable

Current Assignment
This announcement will be used to establish a pool of eligible candidates for vacancies that may occur within the next twelve (12) months.
Please Note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis in multiple rounds and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Applications for this posting will be reviewed based on the following schedule:
Round 1: May 25 - June 8
Round 2: June 9 - June 26
The District intends to conduct up to two rounds of application reviews; however, the recruitment may close at any time if a sufficient number of qualified applications are received or if a candidate is identified during an earlier review round. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is seeking a skilled and motivated maintenance professional to join the Rolling Stock & Shops (RS&S) Department as a Transit Vehicle Mechanic (TVM). Under general supervision, the Transit Vehicle Mechanic performs a wide range of diagnostic, repair, inspection, and preventive maintenance duties to support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of BART’s transit vehicle fleet. This role plays a critical part in maintaining system safety, service reliability, and operational excellence while performing additional related duties as assigned.

The most qualified candidates for this position will have highly developed competencies in the following areas, which will be reinforced with related work experience and will be clearly articulated during the selection process:
Preventive Maintenance- Demonstrates the ability to perform preventive maintenance, inspections, troubleshooting, and diagnostics to identify issues and support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of transit vehicles.
Technical Systems Repair & Maintenance - Demonstrates technical expertise in the repair, modification, and maintenance of mechanical, electro-mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic transit vehicle systems and components.

Application & Selection Process
This is a SEIU Local 1021 Bargaining unit position. All full-time SEIU District employees must follow the "Bid Form" process and deposit their bids in the bid box. Failure to comply may invalidate the employee's bid. As actual vacancies occur, District employees on the internal eligibility list will be considered before external candidates.

All EXTERNAL and current non-SEIU applicants must apply online at www.bart.gov/jobs . Applications must be completed in full and include all requested information, including dates of employment, positions held, hours worked, and a detailed description of duties performed.

Applicants may attach a resume to their application or bid form to provide supplemental information; however, the resume does not substitute for completing the application or bid form in its entirety. Only information included on the application or bid form and resume at the time of submission will be used to determine whether applicants meet the minimum qualifications for the position. All application and bid form materials must be submitted by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications and bid forms received after the closing deadline will not be considered.

The selection process for this position may include one or more of the following: a skills or performance demonstration, written examination, and/or panel or individual interview. External applicants will not be considered until all employees who have applied have been considered first.

All applications and bid forms will be reviewed by the Talent Acquisition Division to determine whether applicants meet the established Minimum Qualifications (MQs). Applicants who meet the MQs may be referred to the hiring department for further evaluation as part of the selection process.

The selected candidate must demonstrate a work history reflecting reliability and dependability and may be required to provide copies of certificates, diplomas, or other documentation required by law, including proof of authorization to work in the United States, and pass a pre-employment medical examination which includes a drug screen, which is specific to the essential job functions and requirements. Pre-employment processing will also include a background check. This requirement does not apply to current full-time District employees unless the position requires additional evaluations or clearances.

Examples of Duties

Performs preventive maintenance, testing and adjustment of mechanical, electro-mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems and components of transit vehicles.

Troubleshoots and performs primary maintenance on such systems, removing and replacing components as required to enable the vehicles to be returned to revenue service.

Troubleshoots and performs secondary maintenance and repair on a variety of mechanical components such as doors, brakes, traction motors, and air conditioning so that they may be returned to use in revenue vehicles and related systems.

Performs major repair to vehicles involved in accidents.

Repairs interior components of vehicles such as seats, liners, doors and windows.

Performs modifications to revenue vehicles as directed by engineering and supervisory staff; suggests improvements and works with engineering and other maintenance staff regarding modifications.

Uses diagnostic test equipment and precision measuring devices in the course of the work; verifies performance of new or modified systems or equipment.

Works closely with transit vehicle electronic technicians in troubleshooting problems and performing primary repairs.

Reads and interprets diagrams, engineering drawings, manuals, schematics and work orders.

Measures, tests and inspects completed work to confirm adherence to specifications.

Uses shop equipment such as a wheel press and plating systems to recondition mechanical components; performs welding as required to complete assigned tasks.

Documents and records work performed and parts and materials used; follows specified safety procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Possession of a high school diploma, GED, or recognized equivalent.

Experience
Equivalent to completion of an apprenticeship in a mechanical trade and one (1) year of full-time verifiable journey level experience in the installation, maintenance, diagnosis or repair of mechanical systems and components similar to those found in the District's revenue vehicles; experience with electro-mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems is desirable.

Substitution
Three (3) additional years of full-time verifiable journey-level experience as described above may be substituted for the completion of an apprenticeship in a mechanical trade.

Other Requirements
Must be physically capable of working in confining work-spaces and lifting equipment weighing up to 70 pounds.
Must be willing to work weekends, holidays, off hours shifts and occasional emergency overtime.
Must be able to climb ladders to perform railcar maintenance work.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of :
Methods, equipment, and materials used in the primary and secondary maintenance and repair of a variety of mechanical systems, components, and equipment.
Methods, equipment, and materials used in the maintenance and repair of electro-mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems, components, and equipment.
Use and care of testing and power and hand tools of the trade.
Troubleshooting and diagnostic techniques.
Shop arithmetic as required for the trade.
Safety practices and procedures pertaining to the work.

Skill in :
Diagnosing and repairing operational problems in a variety of mechanical, electro-mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, components and equipment.
Performing preventive maintenance on and modifications to mechanical and related systems and components.
Reading and interpreting engineering drawings, diagrams, manuals and work orders.
Using and maintaining hand and power tools and testing equipment of the trade.
Understanding and following oral and written directions.
Maintaining accurate records of work performed and materials used.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Equal Employment Opportunity GroupBox1

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 and above), religion, national origin (including language use restrictions), disability (mental and physical, including HIV and AIDS), ancestry, marital status, military status, veteran status, medical condition (cancer/genetic characteristics and information), or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

The BART Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities or for religious reasons. Please advise the Human Resources Department of any special needs in advance of the examination by emailing at least 5 days before your examination date at employment@bart.gov .

Qualified veterans may be eligible to obtain additional veteran's credit in the selection process for this recruitment (effective Jan. 1, 2013). To obtain the credit, veterans must attach to the application a DD214 discharge document or proof of disability and complete/submit the Veteran's Preference Application no later than the closing date of the posting. For more information about this credit please go to the Veteran's Preference Policy and Application link at www.bart.gov/jobs .

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) prides itself in offering best in class benefits packages to employees of the District. Currently, the following benefits may be available to employees in this job classification.

Highlights

Medical Coverage (or $350/month if opted out)
Dental Coverage
Vision Insurance (Basic and Enhanced Plans Available)
Retirement Plan through the CA Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)

2% @ 55 (Classic Members)
2% @ 62 (PEPRA Members)
Reciprocity available for existing members of many other public retirement systems (see BART website and/or CalPERS website for details)

Money Purchase Pension Plan (in-lieu of participating in Social Security tax)

6.65% employer contribution up to annual maximum of $1,868.65

Deferred Compensation & Roth 457
Sick Leave Accruals (12 days per year)
Vacation Accruals (3-6 weeks based on time worked w/ the District)
Holidays: 10 observed holidays and 3 floating holidays
Life Insurance w/ ability to obtain additional coverage
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
Survivor Benefits through BART
Short-Term Disability Insurance
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts: Health and Dependent Care
Commuter Benefits
Free BART Passes for BART employees and eligible family members.

Closing Date/Time: 6/26/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
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Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.
BART

The BART story began in 1946. It began not by governmental fiat, but as a concept gradually evolving at informal gatherings of business and civic leaders on both sides of the San Francisco Bay. Facing a heavy post-war migration to the area and its consequent automobile boom, these people discussed ways of easing the mounting congestion that was clogging the bridges spanning the Bay. In 1947, a joint Army-Navy review Board concluded that another connecting link between San Francisco and Oakland would be needed in the years ahead to prevent intolerable congestion on the Bay Bridge. The link? An underwater tube devoted exclusively to high-speed electric trains.

Since 1911, visionaries had periodically brought up this Jules Verne concept. But now, pressure for a traffic solution increased with the population. In 1951, the State Legislature created the 26-member San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission, comprised of representatives from each of the nine counties which touch the Bay. The Commission's charge was to study the Bay Area's long range transportation needs in the context of environmental problems and then recommend the best solution.

The Commission advised, in its final report in 1957, that any transportation plan must be coordinated with the area's total plan for future development. Since no development plan existed, the Commission prepared one itself. The result of their thoroughness is a master plan which did much to bring about coordinated planning in the Bay Area, and which was adopted a decade later by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).

The BART Concept is Born
The Commission's least-cost solution to traffic tie-ups was to recommend forming a five-county rapid transit district, whose mandate would be to build and operate a high-speed rapid rail network linking major commercial centers with suburban sub-centers.

The Commission stated that, "If the Bay Area is to be preserved as a fine place to live and work, a regional rapid transit system is essential to prevent total dependence on automobiles and freeways."

Thus was born the environmental concept underlying BART. Acting on the Commission's recommendations, in 1957, the Legislature formed the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, comprising the five counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo. At this time, the District was granted a taxing power of five cents per $100 of assessed valuation. It also had authority to levy property taxes to support a general obligation bond issue, if approved by District voters. The State Legislature lowered the requirement for voter approval from 66 percent to 60 percent.

Between 1957 and 1962, engineering plans were developed for a system that would usher in a new era in rapid transit. Electric trains would run on grade-separated right-of-ways, reaching maximum speeds of 75-80 mph, averaging perhaps 45 mph, including station stops. Advanced transit cars, with sophisticated suspensions, braking and propulsion systems, and luxurious interiors, would be strong competition to "King Car " in the Bay Area. Stations would be pleasant, conveniently located, and striking architectural enhancements to their respective on-line communities.

BART employees in the 1970s.

Hundreds of meetings were held in the District communities to encourage local citizen participation in the development of routes and station locations. By midsummer, 1961, the final plan was submitted to the supervisors of the five District counties for approval. San Mateo County Supervisors were cool to the plan. Citing the high costs of a new system-plus adequate existing service from Southern Pacific commuter trains - they voted to withdraw their county from the District in December 1961.

With the District-wide tax base thus weakened by the withdrawal of San Mateo County, Marin County was forced to withdraw in early 1962 because its marginal tax base could not adequately absorb its share of BART's projected cost. Another important factor in Marin's withdrawal was an engineering controversy over the feasibility of carrying trains across the Golden Gate Bridge.

BART had started with a 16-member governing Board of Directors apportioned on county population size: four from Alameda and San Francisco Counties, three from Contra Costa and San Mateo, and two from Marin. When the District was reduced to three counties, the Board was reduced to 11 members: four from San Francisco and Alameda, and three from Contra Costa. Subsequently, in 1965, the District's enabling legislation was changed to apportion the BART Board with four Directors from each county, thus giving Contra Costa its fourth member on a 12-person Board. Two directors from each county, hence forth, were appointed by the County Board of Supervisors. The other two directors were appointed by committees of mayors of each county (with the exception of the City and County of San Francisco, whose sole mayor made these appointments).

The five-county plan was quickly revised to a three-county plan emphasizing rapid transit between San Francisco and the East Bay cities and suburbs of Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The new plan, elaborately detailed and presented as the "BART Composite Report, " was approved by supervisors of the three counties in July 1962, and placed on the ballot for the following November general election.

The plan required approval of 60 percent of the District's voters. It narrowly passed with a 61.2 percent vote District-wide, much to the surprise of many political experts who were confident it would fail. Indeed, one influential executive was reported to have said: "If I'd known the damn thing would have passed, I'd never have supported it. "

The voters approved a $792 million bond issue to finance a 71.5 mile high-speed transit system, consisting of 33 stations serving 17 communities in the three counties. The proposal also included another needed transit project: rebuilding 3.5 miles of the San Francisco Municipal Railway. The new line would link muni streetcar lines directly with BART and Market Street stations, and four new Muni stations would be built.

The additional cost of the transbay tube -- estimated at $133 million -- was to come from bonds issued by the California Toll Bridge Authority and secured by future Bay Area Bridge revenues. The additional cost of rolling stock, estimated at $71 million, was to be funded primarily from bonds issued against future operating revenues. Thus, the total cost of the system, as of 1962, was projected at $996 million. It would be the largest single public works project ever undertaken in the U.S. by the local citizenry.

After the election, engineers immediately started work on the final system designs, only to be halted by a taxpayer's suit filed against the District a month later. The validity of the bond election, and the legality of the District itself, were challenged. While the court ruled in favor of the District on both counts, six months of litigation cost $12 million in construction delays. This would be the first of many delays from litigation and time-consuming negotiations involving 166 separate agreements reached with on-line cities, counties, and other special districts. The democratic processes of building a new transit system would prove to be major cost factors that, however necessary, were not foreseen.
BART
- Oakland, California, United States
- https://www.BART.gov
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44 Jobs in Oakland

Transit Vehicle Mechanic (Pool Posting)

Communications Electronic Technician, SEIU (Pool Posting)

Track Equipment Operator (Internal)

Track Equipment Operator (External)

Automatic Fare Collection Electronic Technician (SEIU) (External)

Senior Manager of Compliance Programs

Track Welder, SEIU (Pool Posting)

Group Manager, Capital Projects

Senior Labor Relations Representative

Records and Supply Technician (External)

Entry-Level and Lateral Police Dispatcher

Expeditor/Clerk SEIU (External Only)

Principal Government & Community Relations Representative

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