San Francisco, Globe Sherpa unveil mobile fare payment app

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Globe Sherpa launched MuniMobile — a new smartphone application for Muni fares systemwide, revolutionizing the Muni riding experience.

With the new MuniMobile app, a rider's fare may be purchased on most smartphone devices. MuniMobile, the Bay Area's first systemwide mobile ticketing app, is available for single-ride bus, rail, and cable car tickets. Fares can be purchased in increments of 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day passports. MuniMobile is also available for SF Access Paratransit tickets.

The MuniMobile app is engineered with state of the art security features that ensure personal information is safely stored on a user's personal account. The mobile phone number associated with the MuniMobile app account acts as a unique identifier and can only be used with one account.

The MuniMobile app design offers a dynamic animated ticket for visual authentication. The animated ticket includes a moving customized San Francisco cityscape — that changes color while activated to avoid unauthorized duplications. Riders simply tap the screen to show the operator the authentic ticket. The dynamic animated ticket also supports quick response codes offering greater fare detail to transit fare inspectors.

"While many of our riders now pay for transit using a Clipper Card, more than half are still using cash," said Ed Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. "So in a continuing effort to advance Muni forward, the SFMTA sought a hand-held easy-to-use smartphone application that makes boarding more efficient and ultimately quickens commute times. Our confidence in MuniMobile is buoyed by the positive rider feedback during Beta testing — this literally puts riding in-the-hands of Muni riders."

Each MuniMobile account allows users to retrieve their data and available funds if their hand-held device is lost, stolen or destroyed.

The MuniMobile payment application will initially be available for iOS and Android operating systems and there is no change in fare structure. Transfers will still be available for cash fares. MuniMobile is being evaluated as part of the region's planning process for the next generation Clipper product to be released in 2019.