BART begins testing new "Fleet of the Future" rail cars

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has begun performing safety and reliability tests for its new Fleet of the Future rail cars.

The agency has completed 96 of 229 qualification tests, which verify the design and manufacturing process and provide a benchmark for acceptance tests, BART officials said in a news release Wednesday.

These tests have been administered on the cars' subsystems, such as underfloor materials or electrical components. On July 1, BART will begin qualification testing for the cars' entire systems, as well as individual components.

Next quarter, the agency also plans to complete the First Article Configuration Inspections, which ensure that major subsystems meet the contract, BART officials said.

Under BART's Fleet of the Future venture, the agency will bring on 775 new train cars by September 2021. The first pilot car will be delivered in November.