For many Muni users, fare evasion is a familiar sight. Riders say they often see people slip through fare gates closely behind someone who has already paid.
"Pretty often I'll see somebody who pays and goes through, and then somebody goes right behind them," said David Bye, a San Francisco resident.
Mike De La Cruz, a frequent Muni rider, said he has taken it upon himself to stop people from piggybacking behind him without paying.
"I have to stop and just pretend I'm like, just checking my phone and I'm waiting like, 'You're not going to be piggybacking off of me. So, this is not going to happen. Not today. Buddy, I have time. Let's play the waiting game.' And usually, they get really upset. They just started climbing the wall. And as soon as I see them climbing the wall, the fence, that's when they come in and I go like, 'Hey, I have my Clipper card,'" De La Cruz said.
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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and the city's transit agency announced a series of changes on Tuesday designed to reduce fare evasion.
"First, we're strengthening enforcement. We are hiring more fare inspectors who will have a more visible presence across the system," said Lurie. "Second, we're making payments simple and clear. We are moving toward a tap-to-ride system."
SFMTA announced the addition of 17 fare inspectors to the 59 they have working the system.
Fare inspectors say the focus is not only enforcement, but also education. Inspector V. Lujan said many riders qualify for free or reduced-fare programs and may not be aware of them. However, she said deliberate fare evasion can result in a citation after a warning, with a fine of $134.
"We get the 'I don't know where to pay?' but normally if you are a fare evader we ask for ID to issue the citation," Lujan said.
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The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority is facing a critical budget deficit that is expected to surpass $300 million starting in July.
"We estimate that about half of Muni customers are paying in invisible ways or like our youth are riding for free. Up to a quarter of that, we estimate, could be fare evasion," said Julie Kirschbam, director of SFMTA.
To better track how many riders are paying, Kirschbam said the agency plans to require riders to tap when boarding. She said inconsistent tapping can create confusion and perceptions of unfairness.
"When you pay on your app or when you have a monthly pass and you don't tap, it can sometimes send a message to other customers that you're not paying, which doesn't feel fare," Kirschbam said.
The use of the mobile app will be phased out as the agency moves toward a tap-to-ride system, she added.
Kirschbam said the funds from the fines will be reinvested into the system.
"We'll use these resources to deliver frequent, reliable and clean service to customers throughout the city," she said.