Muni bus ticket prices go up starting Monday

SAN FRANCISCO -- The cost to commute in San Francisco is about to go up this Labor Day.

Daily cash fares for riding San Francisco Municipal Railway will go from $2 to $2.25 effective Monday, SFMTA officials said.

Monthly passes will also go up -- inclusive Muni and BART monthly passes will increase to $80 from $76 and Muni-only passes will increase to $68 from $66. Even Lifeline passes for low-income Muni riders will increase by $1 to $34 per month.

To be eligible for Lifeline passes, single applicants must make less than $22,980, two-person households must make less than $31,020, and $8,040 is added to the minimum income for each family member.

However, fares for senior, disabled and youth Muni riders will be unchanged. Riders between 5 and 18 years old in low- to middle-income families can also apply for the Free Muni for Youth program, which will remain in effect until at least June 30, 2016.

The fare increases are the first since 2009 and fares will continue to rise in the future according to a formula set then based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index. Fares did not rise until now because the board waited until the formula called for a 25-cent increase, according to the SFMTA.