At the beginning of 2025, I reaffirmed the commitments outlined in our FY24–28 Strategic Plan. That plan guides how we provide independent and objective oversight, conduct deep dive audits, and address fraud, waste, and abuse in ways that enhance BART’s administration and operations. It also informs our day to day decision making by helping us determine where to focus our limited resources and how to prioritize our workload. Most importantly, it holds us accountable to the public and to everyone who relies on the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to provide independent oversight of the District.

Our work is guided by four focus areas: added value, innovative communication, dynamic flexibility, and sustainable relationships. These focus areas shape how we carry out our mission and how we measure success. I am encouraged to see these priorities reflected in the work completed by our office and the progress made in 2025. Throughout the year, our work reflected each of these focus areas by delivering added value through oversight, expanding innovative communication, remaining flexible in response to emerging risks, and fostering sustainable relationships grounded in transparency and accountability.

Promoting Public Trust and Transparency

Throughout 2025, we continued to expand transparency by advancing tools that help the public better understand our work, including improved public reporting on the status of OIG recommendations. We also continued our practice of transparent reporting through Annual, Semiannual, and Snapshot Reports. Together, these efforts support accountability, reinforce public trust, and ensure meaningful access to information about our oversight activities.

Strengthening Accountability Across BART

Accountability is essential to good governance and effective stewardship of public resources. In 2025, we maintained rigorous investigative activity focused on protecting public resources, strengthening accountability, and reinforcing confidence in BART’s oversight processes. This work reflects our ongoing commitment to meaningful engagement with stakeholders and to upholding the integrity of BART operations.

We also launched and began work on a range of audits identified in our FY26–28 Audit Plan, focusing on high risk operational and financial areas across the District. This work is designed to strengthen internal controls, improve operational practices, and promote responsible use of public funds. 

In response to recent service disruptions, we also initiated an independent audit examining system reliability. This review reflects our role in providing an objective perspective that supports transparency, reinforces accountability, and contributes to lasting improvements. We view this work as an opportunity to complement management’s efforts and to demonstrate a shared commitment to restoring and maintaining public confidence.

Building Organizational Capacity and Flexibility

To fulfill our mission, we must also invest in our own capacity and flexibility. In 2025, we continued implementation of MissionMark, a case and audit management system that improves workflow tracking and strengthens our ability to manage complex workstreams. We also remained agile in responding to emerging risks and priorities, consistent with the goals outlined in our Strategic Plan.

Professional development, recruitment of skilled investigative auditors, and investment in modern tools continue to support our ability to deliver high quality, objective oversight and to remain responsive to the evolving needs of the District.

Looking Ahead

As we transition into 2026, we remain committed to independent, data driven oversight that supports transparency, accountability, and public confidence in BART. We will continue to focus on high risk areas, strengthen collaboration where appropriate, and ensure the public has meaningful information about how taxpayer and ridership revenues are used to support a safe, clean, reliable, and fiscally sound transit system. In doing so, we remain guided by our mission to improve BART services through independent, objective oversight and our core values of honesty, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Thank you for supporting independent oversight at BART.

Claudette Biemeret
Inspector General
Email: InspectorGeneral@bart.gov
Phone: 510-464-6141