Muni, San Francisco’s public transit provider, is converting to a new fare system. The Muni website tells us:
The monthly paper passes are transitioning to the Clipper (formerly TransLink®) card and after 30 years new fare gates have replaced the old turnstiles in all Muni Metro stations. New Muni Ticket Vending Machines have also been installed in Muni Metro stations. Customers will need to get a Clipper card to load their monthly Muni pass. Starting with the November pass. This includes bus and train riders with disabilities who have been suing the Regional Transit Card (fast pass) with the purchase of a monthly discount sticker
What follows are some instructions for RTC card holders who are making the switch.
October: This is the last month for the disabled sticker.
November: You must load your discounted monthly pass to your RTC Discount Photo ID Card.
How to Check your RTC Card:
Go to a MUNI Ticket Vending Machine (in Metro Subway Stations).
Press View Balance (option D).
Hold your ID card flat to the round Clipper insignia located under the monitor.
If a screen pops up showing your card balance, even if it shows 0 balance, your card is ok.
If a screen does not pop up showing balance, your card needs to be replaced.
If card is not working:
Call 701-5435 to report your card.
DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR DEFECTIVE RTC ID CARD!
A replacement card will be delivered to the MUNI RTC Discount ID Office at 1 South Van Ness in San Francisco.
Call 701-5025 to confirm your card has been delivered prior to visiting the office.
BRING THE DEFECTIVE CARD WITH YOU WHEN PICKING UP YOUR REPLACEMENT.
Office hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
If card is found to be defective, replacement fee will be waived. If not defective (such as damaged, cracked, hole punches, etc.), $5 fee will be charged.
If Card is Okay:
Load your October discount pass to your ID card.
Do this anytime after September 17.
How to load the pass:
By phone or online (877-878-8883 or clippercard.com).
At a MUNI Ticket Vending Machine (available in Metro Subway Stations).
At a Clipper retailer (call 877-878-8883 or go online to find the one nearest you).
The LightHouse’s trusty orientation and mobility instructors went to the nearby Muni metro station yesterday to scope out the new fare gates and the Clipper machines. They reported back that the machines do indeed voice all of the information on the screen, including card balance and other details. A rider can hold their card flat (ish) against the round Clipper touchpad, which is raised and also labeled in Braille. It shouldn’t matter which end of the card is applied to the insignia, the machine will still read it. Our O&M teachers recommend that you bring headphones to hear the audio output on the machine, as the voice is fairly low and busy stations tend to be noisy.
For questions about Muni services, contact:
Accessible Services Contacts
One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor
San Francisco, California 94103-1267
Phone: 415.701.4485
Fax: 415.701.4728
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call the San Francisco 311 Customer Service Center.
For questions about orientation and mobility at the LightHouse, call us in the Resource Center! 1-800-400-8933. Our O&M specialists can also give you soem travel tips and on-site travel instruction for the temporary Trasnbay terminal. And the LightHouse can provide you with an Braille map of the station.
