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San Francisco Targets Muni Fare Evasion With More Inspectors and a Tap-to-Pay Shift

The push seeks to prove fiscal discipline to win support for November transit funding measures.

Overview

  • San Francisco’s transit agency, which announced the plan Tuesday, will hire 17 more fare inspectors to raise its team from 59 to 76.
  • SFMTA will remove the MuniMobile in-app ticket activation and move riders to visible tap-to-ride using Clipper, the Bay Area’s transit card and phone app.
  • The agency also advanced budget moves that raise parking meter rates by 25 cents an hour, increase some parking penalties by 10%, and lift single cable car fares from $9 to $12 next July.
  • Officials estimate about 25% of trips involve fare evasion, project $128 million in fare revenue this fiscal year after a $14 million year-over-year gain, and expect about $5 million a year from stronger enforcement.
  • Citations for riding without proof of payment cost $134, and inspectors will steer eligible riders to discount or free programs that can lead to ticket dismissal.