BART ridership hit a new record high on Saturday and was expected to spike again yesterday when the numbers are reported, the transit agency announced.

A total of 319,484 people rode BART on Saturday, well above the previous record of 287,586, according to spokesman Jim Allison.

The old record was set on Sept. 1, 2007 when the Bay Bridge was closed and there were three major sporting events taking place, Allison said.

This weekend's high ridership may have been driven by the concurrence of events including Fleet Week, The America's Cup and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass along with high gasoline prices.

BART prepared for the busy day by adding trains and train cars at expected peak travel times, Allison said.

By way of comparison, the average Saturday in 2012 has had ridership of around 202,000, Allison noted.

Parking at BART stations is free on weekends.

— Bay City News Service

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