The “Don’t be a Dodger” signs are now on Muni buses.
In honor of the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, we are launching a "Don’t be a Dodger" campaign. This playful pun will remind riders, whether they are baseball fans or not, that paying fares for every Muni trip is important.
Fares help us provide the fast, frequent and reliable service communities across the city rely on. And riders are giving Muni their highest marks on service in 20 years. To earn their trust and keep Muni moving, we are continuing to focus on a key concern we hear from our customers: fare evasion.
Learn how this light-hearted campaign plays into our larger strategy – and why fare revenue is more important than ever.
You can also spot "Don’t be a Dodger" signs on Muni trains and at Muni Metro stations.
Acting on community concerns as we keep Muni moving
Riders often tell us that seeing people board and not pay is irritating. We know that the overwhelming majority of our riders pay their fares on every ride. By taking a playful approach to the serious topic of evasion, we hope to bring new attention to the issue.
For this campaign, our primary audience are the casual dodgers, the riders who can (and often do) pay their fares, but sometimes evade. This could be due to forgetfulness or simply not realizing that paying your fare is important. With “Don’t be a Doger,” we hope to show the casual dodger the need to change their ways.
And this creative campaign is just one part of our significant investment to ensure fare compliance. Since last year, we have continued to hire and train the expanded Fare Inspector team. There are more inspectors on our roster than in any time since 2014.
Over the last calendar year, the Proof-of-Payment team has observed significant progress on addressing fare evasion:
- By boosting our Fare Inspectors' public visibility, we are seeing an 86% improvement in the number of inspections performed per hour.
- On our highest ridership lines, the team performs between 2,500-3,000 inspections per working day or approximately 50,000 inspections per month.
- Fare inspectors have increased the number of citations they’ve issued by 55% since the last fiscal year.
- Fine revenue has increased 33% compared to the previous fiscal year.
Riders should expect to encounter fare inspectors from time to time. If they pay their fare and show proof of payment, they can avoid any hassle and the interaction is quick.
Evading fares has a negative impact on our ability to maintain Muni service. Although paying your fare is a requirement, it also shows your support for keeping the system running. Plus, this revenue helps us provide critical free and reduced fare programs.
Assisting all our neighbors – especially now
The SFMTA offers programs to help those with low and no-incomes who need to use transit. There are the Clipper START, Lifeline and Access programs to help.
The Clipper START and Lifeline programs assist those on limited incomes. We offer a 50% discount on all Clipper single ride fares and on the unlimited Monthly Pass to those who qualify.
The Access Pass is available for individuals experiencing homelessness. We have partnerships with other city departments to help address the needs of these groups. Through coordinated Access points, case workers connect these individuals to helpful resources.
“Don’t be a Dodger” is not directed to riders who do not pay due to income-related struggles. Our transit system exists to serve the public, and Muni’s reduced fare programs are available for everyone who needs to get somewhere.
Muni helping people get where they need to go in the Excelsior.
Maintaining Muni service requires all of us
The current financial picture for Muni can seem bleak. For many reasons beyond our agency’s control, we need to explore every option available to close an upcoming $307 million deficit. If we do not close this gap, Muni service and programs are at risk.
When riders dodge fares, they harm our ability to close this budget gap. As ridership continues to recover, we will continue to innovate our approaches to fare evasion.
Both the Giants and Muni are an essential part of our local identity and civic pride. We root for them, and they need our continued support. Without Muni, local events would be impossible to pull off.
That's why it’s critical that we all...play ball!
To stay up to date on our efforts to address fare evasion, visit our Fare Share webpage (SFMTA.com/FareShare). Share the information with your friends.
You also can hear directly from our transit fare inspectors in the Our Fare Share episode of our Taken with Transportation podcast. The episode takes you on board the bus with a team of inspectors as they enforce compliance and educate riders. Find it on our podcast webpage (SFMTA.com/Podcast).