RELATED: SamTrans, Via launch on-demand transportation service
Stronger finances leads SamTrans to reduce fares, offer free transfers
The changes will reduce costs to riders, help to modernize and simplify the system, and allow for innovative new practices.

SamTrans will begin implementing these changes, with all of them expected to be in effect by 2020.
Proterra

With the agency’s finances strengthened by the passage of Measure W, the SamTrans Board of Directors voted in favor to change the agency’s Fare Structure, formerly known as the Codified Tariff. The changes will reduce costs to riders, help to modernize and simplify the system, and allow for innovative new practices.
The Adult base fare will remain at $2.25, while the cost of the Local Day Pass will be $1 less, going from $5.50 to $4.50. Eligible Discount and Youth One-way ride will remain at $1.10 and the Local Day Pass will cost $2, in response to public comments at the July 10 public hearing. There will be no charge for transferring between local SamTrans routes when using Clipper or the SamTrans Mobile app, and there will no longer be a departure fare type for riders out of San Francisco.
SamTrans will also no longer sell metal tokens and is replacing them with paper ones, saving the transit agency approximately $250,000 a year. Riders can still use metal tokens they have already purchased. The agency also will eliminate change cards, group sales, and the 50-ticket ride book, as they are underutilized and can slow down the service.
A One-way Express fare of $4.50 will be established for the newly redefined express service, such as Route FCX that will launch later this month. In addition, it will define microtransit and taxi voucher service in the fare structure.
SamTrans will begin implementing these changes, with all of them expected to be in effect by 2020.
More Management

Joshua Schank on Transportation Innovation, Risk, and the Future of Mobility
In this edition of METROspectives, Joshua Schank discusses lessons from launching LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, the challenges of advancing new mobility technologies, and much more.
Read More →
Reinventing Fleet Maintenance with Real-time Visibility and AI
Transit leaders need to know what needs fixing, where to look, who is responsible, when work is completed, and what it costs without having to chase information across disconnected systems.
Read More →
Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
Read More →
SamTrans Sets Priorities for Potential Connect Bay Area Revenue
The board-approved framework allocates future funding to maintaining service, rider improvements, equity initiatives, and infrastructure repairs.
Read More →
Federal Transit Officials Launch MARTA Safety Probe
FTA has given MARTA 15 days to provide records on crime prevention, fare evasion enforcement, and security funding as part of a broader safety investigation.
Read More →
ABA's Ferguson Testifies in Support of BUS Act, National Standards for Bus Operators
The BUSES Act would create a nationwide framework preventing state and local governments from enforcing bus idling restrictions of less than 15 minutes, a threshold consistent with existing Environmental Protection Agency guidance.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →
Florida’s JTA Puts Innovation in Motion Ahead of America250
The agency unveiled a commemorative America250 bus during a visit from U.S. DOT's Seval Oz and showcased its autonomous mobility programs.
Read More →
California Selects Team for Nation’s First True High-Speed Rail Track and Systems Contract
The board action follows completion of track installation at the 150-acre southern railhead in Kern County, which will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.
Read More →
IndyGo, Cleveland RTA Expand Digital Fare Payment Options with Masabi
The new systems combine mobile apps, smart cards, and automatic fare capping to simplify payments, expand flexibility, and help riders access the lowest available fares.
Read More →