Clipper Cards Do Double Duty for Travelers
OAKLAND, CA — Drivers can now use their Clipper cards to pay for parking at five garages operated by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), as part of a pilot program.
The Park with Clipper program allows drivers in San Francisco to use their Clipper cards to pay for parking at the following garages:
- Japan Center Garage - 1610 Geary Blvd. (at Webster St.)
- North Beach Garage - 735 Vallejo St. (between Stockton St. and Powell St.)
- Performing Arts Garage - 360 Grove St. (at Gough St.)
- Moscone Center Garage - 255 3rd St. (between Howard St. and Folsom St.)
- Mission Bartlett Garage - 3255 21st St. (at Bartlett St.)
“With Clipper, you don’t have to wait in line to pay for your parking. You can just get in your car, tag your Clipper card, and go on your way,” said Commissioner Scott Wiener of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which oversees the Clipper program. “This pilot leverages the investment the Bay Area has made in this already successful transit payment program.”
Before using Clipper to pay for parking, drivers must add “parking value” to their Clipper accounts. Parking value is different from cash value, which can be used on all participating transit systems. Parking value is only available online at clippercard.com or by calling Clipper Customer Service at (877) 878-8883. Drivers can set up their cards to automatically reload whenever their parking value balance falls below $40 by linking to a credit card, debit card or bank account.
When they are ready to leave the garage, drivers simply approach the exit gate and tag their Clipper cards to a Clipper card reader, adjacent to the regular ticket and payment machine, to open the gate.
"The Clipper card is creating convenient options for all users of our regional transportation network," said Ed Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. "Easy payment at garages with a Clipper card is just one more way we can help folks get to many favorite San Francisco destinations, while creating another important convenience for our customers."
Park with Clipper is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Urban Partnership Agreement/Congestion Reduction Demonstration (UPA/CRD) Program, which is funding programs in Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Seattle, in addition to San Francisco.
UPA/CRD programs consist of demonstration initiatives to reduce congestion through the implementation of pricing activities. UPA/CRD proposals were required to include four complementary strategies: tolling (or other pricing), transit, telecommuting (and additional travel demand management strategies) and technology. In addition to the Clipper parking payment pilot, the San Francisco UPA includes the SFpark variable pricing program, upgrades to the 511 phone and website system, expansion of San Francisco telecommuting and transportation demand management programs, and enhancements to other transit and travel forecasting and testing services.
Four of the five Park with Clipper garages also are part of the SFpark pilot. Rates at these garages vary according to the time of day.
“We wanted to make it more convenient for people to choose how they travel on any given day,” said Commissioner David Campos of MTC. “And we’re hoping Park with Clipper will encourage people to use public transportation since they already have a Clipper card.”
MTC conducted a soft launch of Park with Clipper beginning June 8. The project is open-ended, with no specific end date.
San Francisco UPA partners include the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and MTC.
MTC launched Clipper in 2010 as a transit-fare payment card. It currently is accepted for payment on AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, Muni, SamTrans, San Francisco Bay Ferry and VTA. Clipper will be accepted on additional transit services in the future.
For more information on Park with Clipper, visit clippercard.com/parking.
Contact:
John Goodwin, MTC: (415) 778-5262
Paul Rose, SFMTA: (415) 701-4582