AC Transit Offers 20% Discount of Single-Ride Adult Fares through the Clipper START Program

On Monday, January 25, AC Transit is joining 20 other Bay Area transit agencies in the Clipper START pilot program. AC Transit will offer a 20% discount on adult (single-ride) cash fares to our riders who meet the household income requirements. Go to Clipper START Card to apply.

START Program Eligibility

To join the Clipper START pilot program, riders must:

• Qualify for adult fares (be between the ages of 19-64). Riders younger than 19 or older than 64 should apply for a Youth or Senior Clipper card, which offers discounted fares on both single-rides and passes.
• Be a Bay Area resident. The application process provides ways of confirming residency for unhoused riders.
• Have a household income that meets the income limits outlined in the application (no more than twice the federal poverty level). Riders can confirm income eligibility using a variety of existing means like an existing benefits program (EBT, Medicare, city, county, or regional benefits) or last year’s tax return).

How to get started with Clipper START:

• Apply for the program through ClipperStartCard.com. The website walks you through the process of securely applying for the program, uploading the required documents, and saves your application process if you need to complete your application later.
• You can fill out the application on any electronic device that has Internet access, including library computers. If you don’t have Internet access, please apply in-person at a Clipper Customer Services Center, including AC Transit’s Customer Services office at 1600 Franklin Street in Oakland.

Once you submit your application and the required documents, you’ll receive your personalized Clipper START card in the mail (or notification that you didn’t qualify for the program). If you have no permanent mailing address, you can have the card mailed to a family member or friend’s residence.

Note that the discounted Clipper START fare cannot be added to your existing Clipper card. You must receive a new Clipper card from the START program. You must add cash value onto your Clipper START card to receive the discount. The discount is automatically applied whenever the card is used on AC Transit, or any participating transit agency.  The discount is not applied to AC Transit multi-day passes (Day Pass, 7-Day, or 31-Day Pass).

Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions about the program for specific program information. You can also call Clipper START customer services at 855-614-9149.