1. Who is eligible for a student Clipper BayPass?
Eligibility for the Class Pass and BayPass arises from the 2023 Student Transit Pass referendum and linked is to the student transit fee. If you are assessed the student transit fee, you are eligible for the Class Pass / BayPass.
2. What happens if I graduate or take a break from school before the end of the year?
When you graduate, or if you are not registered for other reasons, the pass will stop working at the end of the last quarter in which you paid the fee (or on June 30, if the last quarter of payment was spring). You will have the benefit as long as you are registered.
3. How do I get my Clipper BayPass?
The Clipper BayPass is linked to individual digital or physical Clipper Cards. You will receive an email with instructions on how to enroll your Clipper card serial number. The email will include a personalized, unique link to the enrollment forms. Please do NOT forward. It may take up to 7 days after upload for the BayPass to activate across all the Bay Area transit systems. The eligibility list will be updated every month. Newly eligible students will receive an enrollment email as soon as they are visible in the eligibility file.
4. When will the BayPass start working?
The BayPass is ready to use between 48 hours - 7 days after a linked Clipper Card number is added to the BayPass portal. You must tap your Clipper Card at a fare reader to officially load the BayPass on your Clipper card. Once the BayPass is loaded to your Clipper Card, it will work at all locations.
*Tip from Clipper: If possible, we recommend tapping your card at a physical transit faregate (e.g., BART station or MUNI underground station) or at a standing Clipper card reader located on a station platform (e.g., ferry terminal, Caltrain station, MUNI light rail aboveground station, AC Transit Tempo platform, SMART train platform, etc.).
5. How do I know if my Clipper BayPass is ready to use?
The Clipper BayPass may not be visible in your account until after you tap your Clipper card to load the BayPass onto it. The BayPass may show up as a “pending” events pass in the Clipper app, but this is not guaranteed. After the pass is loaded to your card, it should appear in the “View Activity” download of your Clipper card account.
6. How much will the BayPass cost?
The BayPass will be the same cost to students as the Class Pass: $272 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Students will be assessed the annual fee over three quarters in Fall, Winter, and Spring.
7. Will UCSF provide me with a Clipper Card?
Students must provide their own Clipper cards. Students are also responsible for replacing lost or stolen Clipper cards. If you do not already have a Clipper card, there are multiple ways to obtain one. You do not need a physical card, to participate in the program. If you have a digital card, the card must have a balance of $3 or higher to avoid “Low Funds” warnings.
8. What if my Clipper BayPass is lost or stolen?
If you lose your Clipper BayPass card, please contact Clipper to deactivate your card. Next, please submit a ServiceNow ticket immediately to begin the process of replacing your BayPass benefits. After we have uploaded your Clipper card, your pass will be ready to activate within 7 days.
9. What if I already have cash value or other pass products on my Clipper card?
All trips will utilize the Clipper BayPass as the primary pass. Cash value and other pass products can coexist with the Clipper BayPass and will not be affected. The balance will remain on the card to use if the BayPass malfunctions, the program ends, or you leave UCSF. While the BayPass is active and working, the balance on the Clipper would only go down if used at a non-participating transit provider (or historic San Francisco Cable Cars, parking, BayWheels, and BikeLink). When the BayPass is first linked to your card, there is a rare possibility that a transit service’s card reader may not have received the latest batch of passes. Please be prepared with alternative payment if the Clipper BayPass card isn’t working.
10. Does the Clipper BayPass work on all transit operators?
Clipper BayPass provides unlimited trips on all bus, rail, and ferry services in the 9-county Bay Area that accept Clipper, except for the historic San Francisco Cable Cars. Parking, Baywheels and BikeLink are also not included. You must tap your Clipper card (either physical or digital) on the card readers to activate the pass every time you ride.
11. Do I need to tap my Clipper BayPass card on the card readers for transit?
Yes. When riding a transit service with the Clipper BayPass, you must tap your Clipper card on a card reader when entering a station or boarding a vehicle to receive the transit benefit. You must also tap off on services like Caltrain and Golden Gate buses that require users to tap off at the end of trips. Failure to do so is a failure to pay and may result in a fine.
When you tap your card, a single beep and green light means the Clipper BayPass worked and you are ok to travel (you should be charged $0.00 for the ride).
Three beeps and a red light means your card was not accepted. Try again or use a different method. If you see a red light, there may be an issue with the Clipper card itself. You can reach Clipper customer service Monday – Friday 7 am – 7 pm | Saturday 7am – 4pm at 877.878.8883.
Two beeps and a yellow light means that there is less than $3.00 in the Clipper account. If you are being charged $0.00 for the rides, the BayPass is still working.
12. What should I do if my BayPass card isn’t working at a faregate or Clipper reader?
If the BayPass is not working, the Clipper card will still work and allow payment of fares. Please be prepared with alternative payment if the BayPass isn’t working. If you have a cash amount on your Clipper Card and your BayPass isn’t working for any reason, you can use the cash value to ride while the problem is being troubleshooted. You may receive a citation if you board with a BayPass card that isn’t working. UCSF will not be responsible for any citations. Please take note of key details (i.e., date & time, location, error message) and submit a ServiceNow ticket to troubleshoot the issue.
If the Clipper card itself is not working, please check the tips on the Clipper website. If the card on your phone is not working, please call Clipper customer service: 877-878-8883.
13. Can I share BayPass with my family or friends?
No. The Clipper BayPass card is not transferable; only you may use it. If someone else uses your card, you may lose access to your transit benefits.
14. How do I add my Clipper card to my mobile device?
Please visit the following website for more information on how to add a Clipper card to your mobile device: https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/pay-with-phone
15. Do I need to register my Clipper card?
Students are strongly encouraged to register their cards with Clipper. Registering your card makes replacement easier if you lose it. https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/register.html Note, while Clipper cannot provide a replacement card with the BayPass pre-loaded, they can provide a new card.
16. Can I use Clipper BayPass for errands or social trips?
Yes! You can use your Clipper BayPass for any type of trip—it is not limited to university travel.
