Muni Fast Passes see fifth price bump in five years

The cost of monthly Muni Fast Passes are creeping up again.

This is the fifth time in five years that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has increased monthly Fast Passes using its automated fare indexing formula, which uses the Bay Area Consumer Price Index to calculate the increases.

Monthly Fast Passes for the adult “M” pass will rise from $70 to $73 and the adult “A” pass with access to BART stations in The City will rise from $83 to $86. Discounted passes for youth, seniors and people with disabilities will to see a $1 increase from $24 to $25. Lifeline passes will also rise from $35 to $36.

Riders will notice the increase in mid-August when they purchase their September Muni Fast Pass.

The transit agency’s Board of Directors approved the increase of Fast Passes in the SFMTA’s two-year budget in April.

In the budget, directors approved a $5 increase above the suggested fare indexing for the “A” Fast Pass, which will make the pass cost $91 by next year.

Also approved was a cash premium fare that would tack on an extra $0.25 to Muni riders who pay cash on singe trips. The current cash fare is $2.25. The surcharge would not take affect until Jan. 1, 2017.

Transit officials said they hope the new cash premium would encourage cash-paying riders to get a Clipper card.

Critics of the surcharge have said that there are not enough locations in The City to purchase a Clipper card ($3) or to reload the card.

The transit agency still offers its program for free Muni for low- and middle-income youth, seniors and persons with disabilities.