SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco-area transit agencies will study the possibilities of integrating their fares to reduce commuting costs.
The San Francisco Examiner reports that the Clipper Executive Board, representing transit executives from the region, has approved the study, which will take 12 to 14 months. The $599,839 cost will be covered by residual funds from a regional ballot measure. The study will aim to develop goals for a regional fare system to increase ridership and an implementation plan for such fares.
Transit users wrote the board asking for solutions to the cost of commuting. One letter writer who uses Oakland-based AC Transit buses, BART, and San Francisco Muni buses to commute pointed out the total cost of $10 is more than the toll for driving on the Bay Bridge. Another said he could travel to Los Angeles for less than it costs to go from Stanford to Berkeley.
For what it’s worth, y’all are overlooking long distance coach operators other than Greyhound. I can book an Oakland/LA trip on Megabus for next Tuesday right now for $9.99.
As Mike Friedman points out, 30+ agencies, all with their own infrastructure and individual control. Imagine the whining, wailing, and gnashing of teeth if there was ever a merger into a regional authority? Imagine how many good old boys would be without a position of control, and losing the opportunity to line the pockets of their cronies with sweetheart deals. Oh the humanity of it all.
The problem here is far too many agencies with a Byzantine fare structure and none of them talk to each other. It’s absurd. There are over 30 Bay Area transit agencies.
Mr McFarlane it is legal to smoke the green leaf in California. Maybe that’s why the fuzzy math.
As I’ve said many times, I’m just a worn out truck offering my opinion. I’m no expert. Usual disclaimers apply.
Gerald is correct, I think the person talking about the SF-LA trip is exaggerating a bit. An integrated fair platform would make a lot of sense and in the long run would probably save the various transit providers money.
indeed. It looks like $6 for caltrain Millbrae and $5.90 for BART to Berkeley. So, say $12. Grayhound, San Jose to LA is $25.
The person saying he could get to Los Angeles for less than it costs to go from Stanford to Berkeley must be smoking something…it’s a one transfer trip: Caltrain to either Millbrae or San Bruno, then BART to Berkeley…and I’m pretty sure that doesn’t cost $49(which is the cheapest fare you would get on Southwest Airlines). Having said that, having a integrated fares would be beneficial, but then again, that’s sort of the point of the Clipper card, you only need the Clipper card to purchase your tickets for travel on any of the Bay Area’s transit sytems, which really only works for commuters, but I don’t think visitors would be using that many of the systems anyways..