Nostalgic Muni riders still mourning the loss of the paper Fast Pass after Muni switched to the Clipper Card will be sad to know the paper transfer will join its counterpart in Muni history.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is looking to replace its fareboxes on Muni vehicles with ones that will print out transfers in real-time. The agency’s Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a plan to begin accepting proposals for the project, which includes a minimum of 1,250 new transit vehicle fareboxes.
The paper transfer is given to riders who pay for a single-ride fare with cash on Muni vehicles, usually good for 90 minutes. Some Muni drivers are a little more generous.
Drivers have to tear the transfer off from a booklet and must remember to keep adjusting the transfer to make sure riders get at least 90 minutes of usage.
All that will change with real-time printing of transfers. A SFMTA staff report said there would be no need to provide drivers with pre-printed transfer booklets. The report also said new printed transfers would help with security issues like stolen transfer booklets.
People stealing transfer booklets either from Muni drivers, buses or bus yards, was a problem not long ago. In 2010, the San Francisco Police Department arrested two for illegally selling Muni transfers. One suspect arrested was a Muni mechanic who supplied the transfers to his accomplice to sell on the streets.
SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose did not mention any recent incidents involving stolen Muni transfers to SFBay, but said the transit agency has taken steps to prevent transfers from being stolen:
“Revenue operations has reduced the number of transfers issued to Muni Divisions and installed secured boxes in each yard where Operators are required to deposit unused books at the end of their shift.”
Rose said there is also an increased police presence and cameras on all vehicles for those thinking twice about walking out with a booklet of transfers.
The staff report also said the new transfers would help with efficiency and waste from unused transfers.
The new farebox would consistently issue a 90-minute transfer. Riders have often complained about not getting the full 90 minutes, the report said.
There was no mention though of the elimination of the late-night transfer, which is given riders who pay cash after 8:30 p.m and valid until 5:00 a.m.
Other benefits of the new fareboxes include better technology to track fare revenue and improved equipment reliability.
The transit agency said the current fareboxes date back to 1991 made by Cubic. In 2008, the company refurbished the fareboxes to expand their lifespan, but the company no longer supplies parts or support.
A negotiated contract will make its way to the SFMTA board of late 2015 or early 2016.
A Day Pass (excludeing the cable car), follows the model of other Transit agencies. A day pass (excludeing the cable car) would eliminate the need for a transfer, which is a good thing.
Passports is a product, for those who want to ride the cable car.
A Passport $17 (or 7.5, average rides) A Day Pass $5.75 (or 2.5 rides average rides).
Many common commuters using MUNI, most average daily riders, infrequently ride the cable car.
Muni has Day and Weekly passes, they’re called passports. They’re available in paper form and on Clipper. The paper ones have been around since the late 90’s.
https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/transit/fares-passes/visitor-day-passes
SFMTA should roll out a day pass (which excludes the cable car). VTA, and AC Transit, have a day pass via Clipper. Sadley Samstran, has a day pass but you must pay cash.
Transfers need to go away and we need a day pass, that alone would increase revenue, for SFMTA. And it would be fair for all riders. Remember, if you ride transit daily, you really should buy a monthly pass.
The other real complaint in this article is cubic, or what we know is clipper, they are so limiting, they hold back transit agencies, and anytime you want to do something with clipper or cubic, it is very costly to the agency.
Transfers should be kept, but a day pass (and also a weekly pass) is a great idea. AC Transit’s day pass is great. If you’re paying at least the equivalent of a day pass rate via Clipper (on a single day), you automatically get a day pass.
Didn’t Samtrans have something similar, back in when it started in the late 70s? I remember a little printer next to the farebox which printed out a slip every time someone asked for a transfer.