Muni cash fares crest $3 as of July 1

Muni cash fares and monthly Fast Passes will rise starting on July 1.

In an effort to switch passengers from paying with cash to using a Clipper card, the SFMTA will carry out a 25-cent increase for cash paying passengers.

Single-ride fares for passengers paying with cash will rise to $3.00 from the current $2.75, while single-ride fares for passengers either using a Clipper card or MuniMobile will remain at $2.50.

The monthly “M” Fast Pass will rise from $78 to $81 and the “A” pass, which includes entry to San Francisco BART stations, will now cost Muni passengers $98.

Discounts for single-ride cash fares for youth, seniors and people with disabilities will increase from $1.35 to $1.50 while single-ride discounts on Clipper and MuniMobile will remain at $1.25.

The monthly discounted Fast Pass and for youth, seniors and people with disabilities, and Lifeline pass, will rise from $39 to $40.

Directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency approved the fare changes in 2018 as part of the transit agency’s two-year budget.

The increases are based off the SFMTA’s Automatic Consumer Price Index Policy that calculates the fares using formula based on inflation and labor costs.

Directors do have the discretion to hold or change fare increases as they did in 2018 in the two-year budget. For example, directors decided the cost of an “A” pass would be 20 percent above the “M” pass.

The transit agency still offers its free Muni program for low- and middle income youth, seniors and people with disabilities. Passengers can learn more about the program on the SFMTA website.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.