BART Board Votes Against Policy That Gave Themselves Free Rides For Life
OAKLAND (KCBS)— The BART Board of Directors voted 6 to 2 Thursday night so that the transit system's directors will no longer get free rides for life. The policy has been officially changed so that directors only get free rides during their time in office.
Retired BART employees will still benefit by getting a lifetime's worth of free rides on the condition that they were employed by the agency for at least five years.
"I frankly don't believe that any associates of the agency should be given lifetime benefits upon separation. I hope that this informs movement forward in labor negotiations, et cetera," said Zakhary Mallet, who sits on the BART board.
Fellow board member Tom Radulovich voted against the proposal.
"It's not a major cost item. It's maybe of symbolic importance, but it's not of any practical importance," he said.
BART had been the only major Bay Area transportation agency to offer its board members free rides for life.