SF Muni plans 25-cent surcharge for riders paying cash

Passengers board an F Line Muni streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, March 5, 2014. Muni F Line of historic streetcars is popular with both tourists who tour the city and locals who use them for commute. But there is a suggestion that fares might go up to a premium rate of $6 like the Cable Cars, instead of the standard Muni $2 fare that is paid today. less Passengers board an F Line Muni streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, March 5, 2014. Muni F Line of historic streetcars is popular with both tourists who tour the city and locals ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 25 Caption Close SF Muni plans 25-cent surcharge for riders paying cash 1 / 25 Back to Gallery

Muni riders who pay with cash instead of Clipper cards will have to drop an extra quarter in the fare box.

The cash surcharge — also described as a discount for Clipper card users — is part of the Municipal Transportation Agency budget adopted by its Board of Directors Tuesday night. The goal, said Ed Reiskin, the agency’s transportation director, is to persuade more riders to use Clipper or a Muni fare app, speeding boarding times and cutting costs.

The MTA budget now moves to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, which can either accept it in its entirety or send it back to the agency board. If the supervisors approve the MTA budget, the 25-cent cash increase would take effect Jan. 1.

Riders waiting for the 14-Mission on Wednesday were not pleased to hear of the surcharge plan.

Thu Kyi, 18, a student at San Francisco City College, said he understood the reason for the move but didn’t consider it fair. When he rode for free under the Free Muni for Youth program, he used a Clipper card, but now he pays cash.

“It should be the same,” he said, regardless of how riders pay their fares.

He said the additional quarter probably wouldn’t persuade him to get a Clipper card.

“It’s just another card you have to carry around,” he said. “Plus, I don’t ride Muni every day, so I’ll just pay.”

Even some Clipper card users, like Antoinette Nwaokoro, a 53-year-old medical assistant, thought the cash-fare penalty was unfair.

“They shouldn’t have to pay extra,” she said. “Everyone should pay the same.”

But adding a 25-cent surcharge to cash fares — boosting them to $2.50 — will raise an estimated $3.8 million in 2017 and $3.9 million in 2018, according to MTA documents.

While the agency wants to push passengers to pay with the Clipper card or a Muni mobile phone app, some representatives of community groups argued that the surcharge unfairly punishes people who can’t afford to keep a cash balance on Clipper — or who are intimidated by the card.

“We have people who don’t have Clipper cards for a number of reasons,” said Jessica Lehman, executive director of Senior and Disability Action. “They don’t trust it; they’re afraid of losing it. People in those situations shouldn’t have to pay for it.”

David Pilpel, a Muni rider and transit activist, said some lower-income people who don’t qualify for free fares don’t have enough spare cash to use Clipper cards.

‘It’s unfair’

“It’s a bad idea and it’s unfair — period,” he said.

Directors said they sympathized but added that they were committed to making it easier and cheaper for people in lower-income neighborhoods to get — and use — Clipper cards. Those who simply don’t like using a card, said Director Malcolm Heinicke, should pay for the convenience of paying cash.

“If you don’t want to use Clipper, you pay a little bit more,” he said. “Because you’re costing the system.”

The budget — $1.15 billion for the 2017 fiscal year and $1.17 billion for 2018 — contained few big surprises and was approved after little debate. The board had already approved the biggest expense when it agreed last month to lower fees to recover towed vehicles, as requested by the Board of Supervisors, a move that will cost the agency $3.5 million.

In addition to the cash surcharge, Muni riders who use monthly “A” Fast Passes, which cover Muni and BART rides within the city, will pay an additional $5 a month, raising the cost to $88.

Muni discount fares for youths and seniors will rise from their current rates to as much as half of the adult fare of $2.25. But Muni will continue a program offering free fares for low-income seniors, youths and disabled people, and will increase the maximum age for youth discounts from 17 to 18.

Boost for Caltrain

The budget also includes a $900,000 boost for Caltrain, the Peninsula commuter railroad that relies on contributions from the MTA, SamTrans and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. It raises San Francisco’s contribution to $6.1 million a year.

Other expenditures include $8 million in 2017 and $16.5 million in 2018 for technology and equipment upgrades; $9.6 million in 2017 and $8.4 million in 2018 to give the J-Church, K-Ingleside and T-Third Muni Metro lines priority at traffic signals; and $1 million each year for education projects around Vision Zero, the city’s effort to eliminate traffic deaths.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan