Clipper Card Loophole Lets BART Riders Pay Partial Fares
OAKLAND: New Clipper System Has Flaw Allowing Riders To Pay Only Partial Fare
Updated on: 2010-11-09 11:06:19
There is a flaw in the new Clipper card used by commuters on multiple Bay Area mass transit lines. Riders have discovered they can pay as little as two dollars and avoid paying higher fares on BART while still being able to exit the system.
The clipper card allows passengers to ride BART, MUNI and other transit lines without having to buy separate tickets.
Lauren Patrizio of Oakland said the cards are very convenient.
"I use it almost every day," explained Patrizio.
But the loophole that recently surfaced that allows people to avoid paying full fare on BART could cause the system problems.
A KTVU reporter bought clipper cards for the minimum price of two dollars and also bought a two dollar BART ticket for a ride to San Francisco that normally costs $3.10.
When the reporter tried to exit at the Powell Station, the BART ticket left the exit gates closed and gave a message that said to go to a machine and add money to pay the full fare.
But with the two dollar Clipper card, the reporter was able to exit and the card merely showed a negative $1.10 balance. While that balance would need to be paid if rider refilled the card, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and taxpayers would be stuck with the bill if the rider simply threw the card away.
MTC officials said they've known about this loophole from the start. Spokesman John Goodwin said one problem is there is no way to add value to the Clipper cards before exiting many stations.
"This is actually designed into the system as a customer convenience, so that we wouldn't have passengers that were trapped in the system," said Goodwin.
He said to add the machines inside each station would cost tens of millions of dollars. And so far, he said most people have been honest.
Through October, MTC has sold some $250,000 in Clipper cards. Goodwin said of that number only about 5% carry the negative balance.
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Víctor Lei
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