With rising gas prices prompting a record number of commuters to use public transportation, Bay Area Rapid Transit is brainstorming solutions to relieve overcrowding, including fare increases during peak hours.

BART is investigating how to alleviate overcrowding, weighing the possibilities of higher fares, increased parking fees and modified parking hours. A study will be completed before June.

Raising BART fares during peak hours-around 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.-may persuade some passengers to opt for the cheaper fares during less-crowded times.

"We're looking at all of our options to see how we can manage the crowds," said BART spokesperson Linton Johnson. "We're trying to get capacity out of what we have by spreading people around."

An average of 370,000 people use BART on any given weekday, up 5 percent from last year. Last week, a record number of 405,000 people used BART in one day.

The Berkeley BART station has been especially affected by overcrowding.

"People are standing in the aisles, even when they run the long trains," said Berkeley BART station agent Shirley Bolden. "Even when I get off from work at (8 p.m.), people are standing. I don't know if we're equipped to handle this number of people."

According to Robert Cervero, a UC Berkeley professor of city and regional planning, the fare increases would alleviate overcrowding because non-commuters will reschedule their BART use to a cheaper time.

"Generally what happens is most commuters don't change their travel behavior," Cervero said. "They just put up with the price increase. (For) the non-commuters, it does tend to move them on the shoulders of the peak."

BART is looking for ways to generate more revenue to fund expansions to their services. In 15 years, BART expects to exceed its current capacity of 500,000 passengers per day, Johnson said.

Cervero said he thought the plan was a financially sound decision.

"Based on past studies, you will lose some peak ridership but retain enough riders to generate enough needed revenues that would go to improving services," Cervero said. "From an economic standpoint, it's a good step forward."

However, some find that such a change would be unfortunate for commuter passengers, who ride at peak hours out of necessity.

"You ride BART because you have to," said Juan Campos, 40, a passenger at the Berkeley BART station. "Even if they raise the price, you have to do it."

According to Bolden, the Berkeley BART station hosts a disproportionate number of commuter passengers, who would be forced to pay peak hour fares.

"This isn't like a suburban station," she said. "This is a commuter station for students and business people."

One concern is that fare increases would disproportionately affect the poor, who often rely on public transit to commute to work.

"In truth, the poor don't have any options-they have to get to work," Cervero said. "The poor will absorb the price, and they will disproportionately bear the brunt, but my sense is any BART adjustment (in fares) won't match the increase in gasoline prices."

Tags: BART, CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING