Those public transportation Clipper cards are being clipped. Or, rather, they’re being supplemented by an easier way to pay for rides—credit and debit cards.
Beginning this week, such North Bay-serving public transit systems as SMART, Petaluma Transit, the San Francisco Bay Ferry and Golden Gate Transit will switch to the Tap and Ride system, which is intended to make it easier for commuters and travelers to board and pay for transit. Clipper cards, which are purchased at station kiosks and require uploading money to pay for rides, will still exist as part of the Next Generation Clipper process, which will offer various benefits and discounts to riders still using the Clipper cards.
Transit administrators expect the more flexible payment system to result in an increase in ridership.
