Recent Streetsblog SF posts about Clipper Card

Clipper Card Upgrade Could Bring Seamless Regional Travel, Or Not

By Andrew Boone | May 13, 2014 | 55 Comments

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission will soon renew its contract for Clipper, the Bay Area’s “all-in-one transit card.” Transit advocates are urging MTC to use the opportunity to create a more seamless fare system, and remove barriers that could allow Clipper payments on both the region’s transit agencies and “first-and-last-mile” trip services. Transit riders can currently […]

BART Board Members Criticize Clipper Transition at Meeting

By Matthew Roth | Nov 18, 2010 | 15 Comments

The BART Board of Directors had a heated discussion today about most things Clipper, from the large number of EZ Rider customers who have yet to transition to the universal smart card, to the ease with which customers can scam Clipper cards on BART and other operators. Despite a more visible outreach and marketing campaign […]

BART Phasing Out EZ Rider Passes in Switch to Clipper

By Matthew Roth | Nov 10, 2010 | 10 Comments

As transit operators across the Bay Area transition to the Clipper card, one of the bigger challenges each faces is communicating the timeline to their most loyal customers, those who buy high value and monthly passes. The deadline to transition to Clipper for the 50,000 BART riders who have used EZ Rider cards for transit […]

Clipper Card’s Dirty Little Secret (Hint: It Can “Go Negative”)

By Matthew Roth | Nov 9, 2010 | 71 Comments

Of all the ways you can use your Clipper smart card for payment on transit agencies throughout the Bay Area, you probably didn’t realize you could use it like a credit card, spending up to $10 more than the value on the card. And you probably didn’t realize it’s set up with the perverse economic […]

Mandatory Switch from Muni Paper Passes to Clipper Card Begins Soon

By Matthew Roth | Oct 18, 2010 | 24 Comments

As Bay Area transit agencies transition from paper passes to the Clipper smart card, operators like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which runs Muni, are hoping their most loyal customers take the switch in stride. To this end, the SFMTA started selling its November Muni A Fast Passes and disability Regional Transit Connection […]

Despite Cost, Clipper Card Promises Convenience

By Matthew Roth | Sep 15, 2010 | 35 Comments

As the Bay Area’s larger transit agencies transition away from paper passes to the universal fare payment smart card, Clipper, transit operators and planners insist the card will lead to greater convenience and simplicity, which they hope will increase ridership and enhance the attractiveness of transit. At its simplest, in theory, a transit passenger would […]

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