What Does the Future Hold for Clipper?

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Bay Area transit agencies are asking for the public’s help as they continue to plan for improvements to Clipper, the transit fare-payment system for the San Francisco Bay Area. The agencies are asking the public to weigh in on what the next generation of Clipper should include through a new online survey, available through Clipper’s dedicated public engagement website at futureofclipper.com until June 1.                                                                            

Currently accepted on 22 public transit agencies, Clipper collects fares for about 800,000 transit trips each weekday and a little more than half of the transit trips taken in the region. While the 10-year-old Clipper system generally gets high marks from riders – 93 percent of users are satisfied to very satisfied – MTC and its partner agencies would like to improve the system and take advantage of new trends in fare payment as well as new technologies.

Previous research yielded feedback from transit riders about preferences for ways to pay (e.g., cards, phone apps, etc.), equipment, customer websites, accessibility features, security and privacy, integration with other services, transit benefits, transit subsidy programs, customer service, account management and fees. Based on this input and other research, MTC and the transit operators developed a vision for a customer-focused, cost-effective fare-collection system that supports a modern, seamless transit experience.                                                          

The new survey gives transit riders and others an opportunity to express preferences for the next generation of Clipper. Available at futureofclipper.com, the survey is open April 19 to June 1 and available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Interested individuals can also send email to futureofclipper@bayareametro.gov, leave voicemail at 415.778.6680 or write to MTC-Clipper Feedback, Bay Area Metro Center, 375 Beale St., San Francisco, CA 94105.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) manages Clipper on behalf of the participating transit operators.

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Clipper is accepted on AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, City Coach, County Connection, Dumbarton Express, Fairfield-Suisun Transit, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, Marin Transit, Muni, Petaluma Transit, SamTrans, San Francisco Bay Ferry, Santa Rosa CityBus, SolTrans, Sonoma County Transit, Tri Delta Transit, Union City Transit, VINE, VTA, WestCAT and Wheels.