UPDATE: BART's board of directors adopted a plan to raise fares over three times over four years shortly after voting down a proposal on Thursday that would have increased them four times over six years.
Under the plan adopted by the board, fares will go up in 2022, 2024 and 2026. The earlier proposal had called for an additional increase in 2028.
A proposal that would have raised BART fares every two years through 2028 was rejected on Thursday afternoon by the transit agency's board of directors.
The increased fares, which would have risen based on the level of inflation, were expected to generate $400 million for the beleaguered system.
The resolution failed to get the necessary support from six of BART's nine directors for it to pass.
Board member Mark Foley disapproved of setting the fare increases so far in advance.
"I do think this should be linked to the budget cycle, a biannual cycle, not nine years out from today," said Foley.
This may not be the end of the conversation about how much commuters will pay. Board President Bevan Dufty urged the members to reconsider and suggested that another vote could come later on Thursday.
"This is very serious," he said.
Earlier in the meeting, the members approved a discount program for low-income riders.