On Wednesday morning, BART launched its Tap and Ride system that allows passengers to pay for fares using a credit/debit card or a mobile wallet. BART is the only Bay Area transit system that currently allows its passengers to use this payment method. It’s part of a major upgrade to the Clipper card system, which has been delayed for years now.
“This is going to be an immense time savings for our riders, who will be able to use their contactless cards to ride BART,” BART General Manager Bob Powers said at a press conference Tuesday morning.
BART will join transit systems in other cities, including New York, Chicago, and Portland, with contactless payment options.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which oversees the Bay Area Clipper payment system, and BART are trying to lessen the confusion for Bay Area passengers, as there is a learning curve for those who want to test the open payment system. For instance, passengers who choose to use a credit or debit card will not be able to receive fare discounts (seniors, youth, and transfer discounts) and should continue using Clipper instead.
Another issue is described as a “card clash” when a passenger taps with a wallet, for example, and has multiple contactless cards. BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said that passengers will need to take the card out of the wallet, whether using Clipper or a credit/debit card, to avoid the card clash.
On a mobile phone, Trost said passengers should set their preferred payment card, regardless of their device type.
Passengers who use a credit or debit card will not be able to receive fare discounts (seniors, youth, and transfer discounts) and should continue using Clipper instead.
On Tuesday, ahead of the official launch, BART and MTC officials with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie demonstrated entering the gate using a test credit card at the BART Embarcadero station.
Powers, who sits as the chair of the Clipper Executive Board, has been critical of MTC staff and Cubic for the years-long delay in transitioning Bay Area transit agencies to Clipper 2.0.
“I have been critical, but I’ve been critical because I’m trying to get the benefits out to the riders,” Powers told The Voice of San Francisco. “We’re still pushing to get all the benefits out to all the systems to tap and ride just as quickly as we can.”
During the July meeting, Jason Weinstein, the MTC’s director of electronic payments, did not provide an updated timeline for the complete transition to Clipper 2.0.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) director of transportation, Julie Kirschbaum, has also been critical of the delayed rollout of Clipper 2.0. The SFMTA is waiting for Clipper 2.0 so they can include fares and discounts that are currently not available on Clipper, including an all-day Muni pass. Muni passengers currently have to download a separate mobile app (MuniMobile) to purchase the pass. Once Clipper 2.0 is implemented, the SFMTA plans to phase out the MuniMobile app.
Transportation officials are expected to receive an update on Clipper 2.0 at the next Clipper Executive Board meeting on Aug. 25.
