Muni’s New ‘Fare Required’ Signs Are Meant to Boost Payment. Some Riders Are Confused
We’ve all been there — running down the sidewalk as the Muni bus pulls to a stop just across the street.
But recently, some San Francisco riders have complained that as they weigh whether to break a sweat trying to catch a ride, they aren’t able to tell what line they’re rushing toward.
“When you’re picking up a bus on Market [Street], and 20 people are waiting for 5 different buses … ‘Which bus is this’ is the hot topic of conversation,” one Reddit user wrote.
In August, buses’ front signs started to alternate displays of “Fare Required” with the usual line information and destination, which San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency spokesperson Erica Kato said is part of the agency’s “Fares For Our Future” campaign, aimed at increasing payment compliance as Muni weathers major funding shortfalls.
Some commuters, however, have said that the change has inadvertently led them to board the wrong bus in recent weeks — without the classic orange-LED line numbers plastered on their headsigns.
Others said that some of the signs have a different message, reading “Mask Required,” though that variation is likely an accidental holdover from COVID-era policies on some onboard computers.
To improve compliance, Muni said it’s hiring additional fare inspectors to issue fines to those who don’t pay and increasing awareness of discounts for seniors, youth and low-income riders. The agency will also continue to modernize its payment collection methods and require SFMTA employees to tap agency-issued Clipper cards instead of showing their staff badges as proof of payment.
“We consistently hear from the public that many people are frustrated when they see other people not paying for their rides,” SFMTA said in a statement last month. “Designed in part to address that feedback, Fares for Our Future includes a comprehensive package of 100-day and 6 month+ actions. We care about the future of Muni and know you do as well.”
Kato said the message is displayed on a changeable sign, and only flashes “Fare Required” for a few seconds before returning to the line and destination name.
The headsign message is expected to continue through late November, just after San Franciscans cast their votes on a proposed parcel tax to fund Muni, which the agency has said is necessary to keep buses running.
While some riders have been confused or frustrated by the change, others think the messages are a worthy reminder.
Regardless, most seem pretty aligned on one thing: “There’s no good reason not to have the route number static on the screen 100% of the time,” Redditor Erik_em wrote.