BART Showcases Student Writing on Trains

BART displays poems and stories by Bay Area students in trains and station dispensers

BART Adds Student Stories to Train Cars

BART riders can now read poems and short stories written by Bay Area students during their commutes. The transit agency launched BART Lines: 826 Valencia, a partnership with a local literary nonprofit that brings youth-created content to train advertising spaces and station dispensers, transit officials said. More than 100 students aged 9 to 18 participated in the program, creating works centered on transit, community, and Bay Area life.

Context

The collaboration marks BART's continued effort to transform transit spaces into community-centered environments through arts programming. The agency previously partnered with 826 Valencia for the BART Lines: Teen Poetry Contest in 2024. Transit officials said the program aims to celebrate local creativity while making commutes more engaging for riders. For many participating students, this marks their first formal publication outside 826 Valencia's programs.

Details

Four selected pieces are featured in advertising spaces on BART train cars, while others are available through five Short Story Dispensers located at stations. The dispensers provide free stories on eco-friendly, recyclable paper and will soon offer audio stories accessible via QR code. Short Story Dispensers are currently located at Balboa Park, Downtown Berkeley, Fruitvale, Pleasant Hill, and San Leandro stations. All works are also available online at bart.short-edition.com, officials said.

Timeline

The program is currently active at five BART stations, with audio story features coming soon through QR code access. Officials didn't provide a specific timeline for when the audio component will launch or how long the current student works will remain displayed in train cars. The agency said the initiative is part of its ongoing commitment to featuring local writers in transit spaces.

Impact

Riders can access the student-written stories at five stations throughout the BART system or read featured pieces during their train commutes. The program provides young writers with public exposure while offering commuters free literary content during their trips. Moovit provides real-time BART schedules and trip planning to help riders reach stations featuring the Short Story Dispensers.