San Francisco parking meter rates to increase after elimination of credit card fee

SAN FRANCISCO -- Parking rates at San Francisco meters are set to go up for the first time since 2009 after the city was forced to eliminate a service charge for those using credit cards to pay.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board Tuesday voted to eliminate the 27-cent service fee for the use of credit cards at meters.

The city learned after the fee was approved in July of 2015 that it violated a deal with Bank of America, the company handling credit card processing for the city, SFMTA officials said Tuesday.

The fee was intended to cover the cost of the move to meters and pay stations that accept credit cards, which total more than $6 million annually.

To cover those costs, the board Tuesday voted instead to increase parking fees for everyone, including those paying by cash, by 25 cents.

Parking meter fees have remained level since 2009, except in those areas where demand-based fees have been instituted.

SFMTA director Ed Reiskin Tuesday said he expected to bring a proposal to the board later this year that would expand demand-based parking fees citywide.