SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — BART passengers will now find elevator attendants around the clock at the Embarcadero and Montgomery Street stations in San Francisco

“This means that someone is in the elevator every minute of the day that this station is open. Somebody is in there providing a welcoming presence, making sure that there is no bad behavior in the elevator,” said BART spokesperson Jim Allison. 

So far, the change has been well received by passengers. 

“That’s a good thing that we have these attendants in there even for safety issues. That’s a good thing,” said Shamiki Rew, who is disabled and rides BART.

Another good thing at the Montgomery Street Station is BART’s first platform gate expansion. 

This will allow passengers with special needs, like Rew, to take the elevator directly down to the platform level without having to first navigate through rush hour commuters to buy a ticket.

“It improves my experience because like I said, it saves time and it’s more convenient, especially for people that have upper mobility problems. Sometimes they move a little slower than other people,” Rew said. 

BART’s elevator attendant program is also providing employment opportunities for members of San Francisco-based Urban Alchemy which is dedicated to helping folks improve their lives by assisting others

“I actually appreciate everything that Urban Alchemy has done for me, putting me in a position so I can flourish and grow as well, take care of myself and my family,” BART elevator attendant James Calhoun. 

BART Board Director Janice Li says the elevator attendant success at Civic Center and Powell Street was a key factor in expanding the program

 “[It’s] really reducing the number of complaints. We were just hearing constantly, when is this program going  to expand?” Li said.