RELEASE DATE: 08/13/2020
The air you breathe while riding BART is filtered more effectively than that in the typical office or indoor setting like a grocery store or pharmacy, with an entire train car’s air being replaced about every 70 seconds.
Because the coronavirus spreads through droplets in the air when a person coughs, sneezes or even just talks, air filtration is key to stopping transmission. Wearing a mask is a first line of protection; BART’s Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system provides another safety layer.
“The BART fleet’s ventilation systems provide passengers with about 4,000 cubic feet per minute of air per car, or about 50 air changes per hour, which is substantial when compared with other public spaces,” said Daniel Cheng, Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer. “All the air is filtered before entering the passenger area.”
Overall, the air in BART trains at a given moment is about 75% filtered and 25% fresh air drawn from outside the car (it’s 80/20% on legacy trains and 70/30% on Fleet of the Future trains).
For more information on how airflow on BART cars works as well as some of pilots BART is exploring to further enhance safety, visit www.bart.gov
