If you are getting away with ‘free rides’ on Muni, you’re going to want to start paying up! Students are being cited for ‘doing a runner’ if you know what I mean!
Recently, the city has been heavily cracking down on fare evasion, and San Francisco State University is no exception. Every morning this week, I witnessed a large number of pupils lined up as they were fined one by one, and the citation is $100 fine, minimum!
According to CBS Local http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/02/02/federal-anti-terrorist-money-used-by-muni-to-tackle-fare-evasion-in-san-francisco/ , up until 2012, the city lost approximately $19 million in revenue due to people failing to pay for transportation. A nearby San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Fare Inspector (who asked to be anonymous) explained that for the past few years, the city was able to dwindle that down drastically. So because of the astronomical amount that San Francisco has lost out on over the years, you can see why they are not letting us students off of the hook!
As scholars were issued tickets at the 19th and Holloway stop across the street from campus early in the morning, the fare inspector shared his perspective on fining students, “I don’t like trashing kids.I understand that it’s tough with having loans and other financial responsibilities, but we can’t have people taking rides for free, while others are paying. The school should invest more money into more shuttles and make it easier for kids to get here….”
So, if you ever find yourself in such a predicament, the SFMTA Inspector offers a few suggestions:
Rescue Muni– An organization that focuses solely on Muni customer’s, they help those who are cited.
SFMTA– If you believe that you were wrongfully cited, you can go to the SFMT website to claim your case. https://www.sfmta.com/services/permits-citations
So, the moral of the story? PAY UP!