EXCLUSIVE: Warning to Riders - VTA to Discontinue Paper Day Pass

This is a September 2015 "Take-One" flyer that feature this notice from VTA.

I heard major changes are coming to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). You think that Brandi Childress's announcement on VTA's YouTube page would continue to hear "paper pass" as one of the mode's of transit to "take VTA to the action." But if the "Word to the Wise" for going to Levi's Stadium includes paper day passes purchased from ticket vending machines or the farebox from VTA's buses, you may want to listen up and prepare to shell out more than $6 in cash. Only in my blog discovered an early warning announcement for VTA riders and anyone trying to buy VTA day passes after I obtained the "Take-One" flyer.

If you have picked up the latest flyer for VTA buses (September 2015), there is an announcement that the transit agency will no longer issue paper day passes starting on the first day of 2016 (See visual within this blog). This will also affect any tokens issued by VTA that users put onto buses or ticket vending machines. The plan for VTA is to reduce paper use and move the day passes exclusively to an all-Clipper format, which acts as the user's digital day pass for each tag on a bus or light rail. In comparison, AC Transit, SamTrans, and other Bay Area agencies that utilize day passes will continue to issue paper day passes and has not yet decided on whether they will follow VTA. Meanwhile, VTA will become the first Bay Area transit agency to have day passes move to Clipper a few years after the move of paper monthly passes on VTA and bringing back memories of a VTA announcement on YouTube back in 2012.

So with the paper day passes gone in 2016, this will mean that cash riders will pay for every ride including express routes while Clipper card users will only deduct $6 from the card ($12 for express routes), based on four or more rides on a VTA bus or light rail. Regular riders who transfer from AC Transit and SamTrans will have to get used to life without paper day passes aboard VTA buses as technology advances. Youth, senior, and disabled fares are unaffected as those will continue to enjoy the same discount and day pass features as usual. This also may present major changes to VTA in regards to their farebox and introduce the GFI Fast Fare like AC Transit does on their buses. 

It remains unclear as to whether VTA and Caltrain will continue to issue a joint pass for Levi's Stadium that is only issued within Caltrain's ticket vending machines. Another thing that remains unknown is the 8-Hour Excursion Pass that is issued within the ticket vending machines. One thing that may not change is that VTA is expected to continue offering mobile day passes, which has the same features as a typical paper day pass for fans trying to get to Levi's Stadium. 

The increase of cash fares (but not Clipper fares) is also a possibility because of the low farebox recovery ratio, which may increase to match those of AC Transit's fare structure and to save a few coins compared to cash fares (current fares on AC Transit is $2.10, $4.20 for transbay). The same fare structure has long been applied to Golden Gate Transit buses, with SamTrans to follow suit as they mapped out a financial plan to increase fares similar to those at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). 

Paper day passes may become a thing of the past for many transit agencies as technology advances in the Clipper card system, which is being slowly rolled out to reach places where technology will become more flexible. However, whether paper day passes or transfers will be phased out will be left up to individual transit agencies. But the message to riders from VTA is very clear, including those from AC Transit, BART, and SamTrans. 

VTA has yet to implement the details, but I am aware of the plans to make paper day passes a thing of the past. 

Original Work: Kyle Chak

E-mail: chak595301@gmail.com

Twitter: @KyleSChak