Starting in 2024, BART and Bay Area transit riders will no longer need to scan their Clipper Cards to ride the trains but will instead, only need their credit cards.
Credit card payment will be available across the Bay Area’s 20-plus transit agencies that use the Clipper system, including BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and the San Francisco Bay Ferry, according to a Sept. 12 article by MSN.
The upgraded infrastructure is expected to work the same for contactless credit cards — by tapping a card reader to pay. The current blue Clipper Cards will continue to work with the new system, according to Mass Transit.
Jochen Albrecht, adjunct professor in the transportation management program at San José State, said shifting to credit cards will make life easier.
“I’m using my credit card here in New York just to move into the subway, and don’t have to work with another form of payment,” Albrecht said. “I don’t have to recharge something, and it's very straightforward.”
Albrecht also said one of the disadvantages of Clipper Cards is having to constantly check its balance.
“You always have to check how much money is on it,” Albrecht said. “I don’t like to put too much money on it, because if I lose it, then it's gone. That’s just a hassle that is now avoided.”
While Clipper Cards can still be used, BART is encouraging riders to put their Clipper Cards onto their phones if used, according to its site.
Global supply chain issues have depleted the inventory of plastic cards, so loading the card on mobile phones instead of obtaining physical cards is preferable, according to the same site.
Sarah Boun, San José resident and psychology junior at UC Davis, said it would be convenient for riders to use a credit card for BART.
“It would save on plastic and paper, and is simpler for new or one-time riders,” Boun said. “It is
modernization, as most places now run on tap to pay.”
Boun also said as technology has advanced, physical cash and cards have become somewhat obsolete.
“People prefer the convenience of having everything on their phone and saving resources,” Boun said.
According to a Mass Transit article, the Clipper system has created a 95% customer satisfaction rating, as it allows for efficient fare payments for transit agencies. Still, Clipper can be confusing for riders unaware of the app or $3 fee for the card.
Xander Soloman, San José resident and pediatric nursing junior at Cal State Long Beach, said he is concerned about the risks of providing a credit card to BART in order to use its services.
“Giving the machine direct access to your card versus the Clipper (card) seems like it could be a hazard,” Soloman said. “What if someone rigs it to steal your information?”
Testing is underway as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission evaluates several factors, such as making sure the open-payment functionality is working properly, funds are being taken from customers’ accounts and transit agencies are properly credited for trips taken on their systems, according to a Sept. 12 article by SF Gate.
Albrecht said he was curious to see how the new BART payment system will work for those who do not own credit cards.
“We often assume that everybody has a credit card, and that is not really the case,” Albrecht said. “So, I wonder what provisions we’ll have in place for folks who do not have anything else, like something that is handed out by some form of social service that acts like a credit card.”
Beyond the credit card payment option, other functionalities accompanying the upgraded Clipper Card system will allow families to manage their Clipper Cards in a single account.
Transit agencies will also be able to offer discounts and promotions, like $1 rides or discounted rides during special events, according to a Sept. 12 article by Mass Transit.
The new payment option is among a collection of new functions made available through the next generation of Clipper, which is slated to roll out next August.
