Bay Area transit riders will soon be able to pay by tapping a credit or debit card, either with a plastic card or smartphone wallet as part of a significant upgrade to the Clipper fare payment system used by nearly two dozen transit systems in the region.
The next generation of Clipper, which has had delays over the last year, will finally begin transitioning Clipper users to the new system on Wednesday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). At last month’s meeting of the Clipper Executive Board, MTC staff said it could take eight to 12 weeks to transition Clipper users to the new system.
Priority for transition to the new system will first be given to Clipper discount fare categories, such as youth, senior, and the Clipper START program, MTC staff said.
The MTC said riders can start the transition on Wednesday by logging on to the Clipper website, using the Clipper mobile app, or by calling the Clipper customer service center.
Transportation officials said transit riders will see new benefits compared to the old system, including “instant value,” which will allow riders to add value to their Clipper accounts and access those funds instantly to pay fares, rather than waiting.
Another benefit of the new system is discounted fares of up to $2.85 for riders who transfer between transit systems within a two-hour window. The transfer discount will be available once riders’ Clipper cards are upgraded. BART said that the transfer discount will be immediately available for riders who pay with a contactless bank card.
Many Bay Area transit systems, including Muni, Golden Gate Transit, and Caltrain, will allow the use of a credit or debit card for fare payment.
The new system will also allow youth and seniors to apply for discount programs online, instead of having to mail an application or visit a customer service center in person.
Since August, BART riders have been able to use the “tap and ride” feature that allows riders to either pay with a contactless credit or debit card, but come Wednesday, many other Bay Area transit systems, including Muni, Golden Gate Transit, and Caltrain, will allow the use of a credit or debit card for fare payment.
The MTC said riders using a contactless bank card to pay for fares will be charged adult fares. Students, seniors, and people with disabilities who receive discounts through Clipper should continue their existing Clipper cards.
Officials are telling riders who use plastic cards (Clipper, credit, debit cards) to remove the card they want to pay with from their wallet or bags to avoid a card clash that could confuse the fare reader.
A letter to the MTC from the Transbay Coalition, made up of several Bay Area transit organizations, wrote that they were concerned that riders eligible for discounts (seniors, students, people with disabilities, and other low-income programs) would not be able to use the credit or debit card option during the initial rollout of the new system.
The group wrote that it was a “major equity gap” and urged the MTC to provide more details on when the fare discount programs would be available for riders who want to use a credit or debit card.