The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has made a solid step towards affordability in transit, transitioning the Clipper® START program from a pilot to a permanent fare-relief fixture for lower-income adults, as reported by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Originally conceived as an 18-month pilot to ease the transportation cost burden for adults living at no more than double the federal poverty line, the Clipper START has been approved to continue beyond its pilot phase, offering a flat 50% discount across various transit systems for eligible riders.
However, this transition isn't just flicking a switch; each participating transit agency has to give its nod through governing board approval and sort out compliance with requirements like federal Title VI evaluations. The program launched in June 2020 with just four transit agencies and has seen significant growth with 21 agencies now on board and a user base that has taken north of 6 million trips as of February 2025, according to the same MTC release.
A big leap came last January when the VTA joined the program and the discount was standardized to 50% for all participating agencies, which boosted Clipper START's usage. Before Clipper START, discounts were a mishmash of percentages and accessibility depending on the transit agency. Now, riders like Lauren T., who uses her discount extensively, articulated to MTC, "I use my Clipper START 50% discount for everything. I use it to get to work. I use it to see my friends. I use it to explore the Bay Area and visit places I haven't seen before." Another rider, Keith M., highlighted the difference the program made, stating, "I was paying about $150 a week to get to and from work. After I switched to Clipper START and got the 50% savings, it went down to $75 a week."
