The program, designed to crack down on the millions in lost revenue from riders who skip payment, deploys uniformed officers to check proof of payment on trains and platforms. In theory, they scan Clipper cards, issue administrative tickets, and escalate repeat offenders to BART PD. In theory.

But some commuters are telling a different story. One Bay Area commuter says they've spotted the same group multiple times on the Coliseum-to-Bayfair stretch, and the officers appear to spend their shifts "standing on the platform talking among themselves doing nothing" and "browsing Instagram." Not exactly the fare enforcement crackdown riders were promised.

To be fair, experiences seem to vary wildly. Another regular rider pushed back: "They've regularly come through my car and scanned everyone's Clipper card or method of payment. I have seen them ticket people multiple times — most recently at Coliseum." So either enforcement is inconsistent, or some officers are pulling their weight while others are collecting paychecks for vibes.

One local summed up the enforcement escalation ladder with the kind of weary precision only a Bay Area transit veteran could muster: officers check proof of purchase, issue administrative tickets, and if things get physical, BART PD steps in. "Get 3 tickets and don't show up to court, get an official trespass. Get 3 trespassing arrests and get a misdemeanor. At least in theory."

At least in theory should be BART's official motto at this point.

Here's the real issue: BART hemorrhages tens of millions annually to fare evasion. Riders who actually pay — and yes, those people still exist — are essentially subsidizing everyone who hops the gate. Hiring fare recovery officers was supposed to be the answer. But if enforcement is this spotty, you're just adding payroll costs on top of lost revenue. That's not a solution. That's a second problem.

If BART wants riders to trust that their fares are being spent wisely, accountability can't just apply to passengers. It has to apply to the people checking the passengers, too.