On September 21, Caltrain, one of the Bay Area’s public transportation services, officially switched their gas-powered trains to electric.

During the first week after this change, commuters were affected by hour-long delays which impacted attendance at jobs, school and other activities. The delay was a result from a member of the public tampering with the overhead wires which the trainees receive energy from.

Since the initial setback, Caltrain has made improvements and is usually only a few minutes behind schedule.

“They’re cleaner and nicer … There’s free Wifi which is a win … But … then they’re always like at least five to ten minutes late, which is kind of annoying” said junior Jolie Girgis, who commutes using Caltrain in the afternoon.

The transition comes, months after the initial announcement of introducing an electric fleet in May. Caltrain hopes that by electrifying their services, it will reduce fuel cost, improve air quality and provide jobs.

NDB alum and chair of Berkeley’s Transportation and Infrastructure Commission, Ren Fitzgerald ‘23 works within the Bay Area for transportation advocacy. While Fitzgerald is not a Caltrain employee, they hold a prominent voice in the public transit system.

“It’s the first electrified rail project of this degree and size within the state,” said Fitzgerald. “So even our public transportation still tends to be very old and outdated, and this is a huge step for us.”
Fitzgerald also describes the recent one dollar fare program Caltrain introduced earlier this summer which allowed youth riders to take the trains to any zone for one dollar.

According to the “Caltrain Business Plan” it is estimated that there will be a 20% increase in passengers on the new trains after the switch.

While many students still debate whether or not to use Caltrain services, commuting through public transportation provides an economic and environmentally friendly option for many individuals in the Peninsula. It also saves money, time and the planet.