The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has launched a Fare Share campaign to remind Muni riders to pay their fares on buses and Muni Metro.
Riders tell the agency that visible fare evasion is a serious concern. Although in 2024 riders gave Muni its highest satisfaction rating ever, seeing people board and not pay affects the level of their support.
SFMTA estimates that close to 20% of riders do not pay their fare. That's an increase from 2019 when 12% evaded their fares. Given Muni's near-term budget deficit, bringing down the level of fare evasion is one of the SFMTA's top priorities.
The San Francisco Examiner reported this week that the agency faces a up to a $322 million shortfall in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, which could reduce the frequency of service early next year.
BART, Caltrain and other Bay Area public transit agencies face similar financial challenges and steps are being taken to attract riders.
BART has installed fare gates to stop people from evading payment. Caltrain has new state-of-the-art electric trains that offer a better experience for Caltrain riders. In the North Bay, SMART is looking to expand service.
AC Transit is expanding its automated camera enforcement to bus stops to improve service. MTC coordinates with the agencies to provide the best service possible to Bay Area transit riders.
SFMTA's Fare Share campaign will remind the ridership and the public about paying fares by:
- Highlighting the many ways to pay
- Reminding riders that some popular ways of paying do not require tagging
- Demonstrating that paying for every ride on Muni is important
Based on post-pandemic trends and feedback from the community regarding payment evasion, SFMTA hired 35 new fare inspectors. As SFMTA continues to hire, fare inspectors will be more visible throughout the system.
In September, the number of inspections doubled since the same period in 2023, a major milestone for fare compliance efforts. SFMTA's goal is to keep increasing the number of inspections into 2025. Seeing fare inspectors while riding Muni will become a more familiar experience.
Fare inspectors are trained to educate riders about the ways they can pay their fares. If a rider has no way to pay the fare, inspectors provide information about Muni's free and reduced fare programs like the Clipper START program, Lifeline and Access Pass programs. Inspectors are trained in de-escalation techniques. They use this training to address difficult situations. They also work closely with other teams to make Muni safe systemwide.
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