SamTrans Proposed Fare Changes

The SamTrans Board of Directors authorized a public hearing to take place at its July 10, 2019 Board meeting to discuss potential changes to the agency’s Codified Tariff.

The Codified Tariff is a legal document that outlines the specific fares for the bus system. The proposed changes fit into three categories: Saving Riders Money, Modernizing the System, and Enabling Innovation.

The first proposed change includes keeping the base fare at $2.25, reducing the cost of a standard day pass to $4.50, making transfers between SamTrans buses free and removing the departure fare type for riders from San Francisco.

The modernizing changes seek to end outdated, overly expensive and underutilized aspects of the service. SamTrans is looking to replace metal tokens with paper ones, saving approximately $300,000 a year. The agency also wants to eliminate change cards, group sales and the 50-ticket ride book.

The final category is necessary to support the new services the agency is launching. These include modifying the definition of express service to apply to routes that operate a significant portion of their length along freeways. In addition, it will define mictrotransit and taxi voucher service, as well as add a new fare type for express service.

In addition to the public hearing, San Mateo County residents wishing to weigh in on the potential changes can attend one of the following public meetings:

May 29, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
SamTrans, 1250 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos

June 4, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, Betty Weber Room

June 5, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
535 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay, Ted Adcock Community Center

June 18, 11 a.m. to noon
Virtual Town Hall

The public can find more information about the proposed changes at www.samtrans.com/farechanges and submit comments through the online comment form found on that Web page. After the public comment period, the Board will have a final vote on the changes to the Tariff at its August meeting.