An Add Value Machine for TransLink/Clipper cards, used to load electronic cash or transit passes.

The Clipper card (Chinese: 路路通; pinyin: Lùlùtōng^[1][2]) is a reloadable contactless smart card used for electronic transit fare payment in the San Francisco Bay Area. First introduced as TransLink in 2002 by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) as a pilot program, it was rebranded in its current form on 16 June 2010.^[3]

History[link]

In 1993, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and County Connection launched a pilot program named Translink (not to be confused with the later incarnation) that allowed the use of a single fare card between the two systems.^[4] The card, which used magnetic stripe technology, was envisioned to one day include all Bay Area transit agencies. However, due to technical problems, the program was abandoned two years later.^[4]

Translink had a projected capital cost of $4 million when undertaken in 1993.^[4] In its current form, first as TransLink and later as Clipper, implementation was expected to cost $30 million.^[5] Cost estimates have since increased; the projected 25-year capital and operations costs are now estimated at $338 million.^[5]

Scheduled implementation delays have added up to more than a decade. In 1998, MTC envisioned full availability of TransLink by 2001.^[6] However, it was fully operational for only five transit agencies by 2009.^[7] As of December 2011, Clipper is accepted by only seven transit agencies.^[8]

Clipper was developed by Australian-based ERG Group and Motorola under the ERG-Motorola alliance in April 1999. However, upon the launch of Clipper, Cubic Transportation Systems has taken over administration of distribution, customer service, and financial settlement of the program.^[9]

Full implementation of Clipper has been far slower than that of similar contactless smart cards, including the Oyster card and SmarTrip, chiefly due to bureaucratic difficulties.^[10]

On June 16, 2010, MTC changed the TransLink name to Clipper.^[11]

In October 2010, the MTC selected 路路通 (Pinyin: Lùlùtōng) meaning "master key" ^[1][2] as the official Chinese name for Clipper.

Usage[link]

Clipper is functional for seven transit agencies:^[8]

• AC Transit, including Dumbarton Express
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) (except AirBART)
• Caltrain
• Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (Golden Gate Transit and Golden Gate Ferry)
• SamTrans
• San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni)
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

Approximately 20 transit agencies have not yet joined Clipper, including ACE, County Connection, FAST, Santa Rosa CityBus, SolTrans, Sonoma County Transit, Tri-Delta Transit, VINE, WestCAT, and WHEELS.

Clipper cards can be remotely loaded with funds online and by telephone. Remote loading does not occur instantaneously; instead it takes up to three business days for funds to become available for use. Funds can be loaded instantaneously at Clipper service centers, Clipper add-value machines, BART ticket vending machines, and various retail outlets. Automatic loading of funds ("autoload") is also available.

See also[link]

San Francisco Bay Area portal

• List of smart cards

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• MTC TransLink Management Group Meeting Agendas and Materials