I can understand that, but suppose they charged a nominal fee, say just to cover costs…that might eliminate that problem, and yet make it convenient for out-of-town customers to obtain it?
Senior transit fares and cards
- Thread starter Willbridge
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Do other cities offer easily obtainable discount cards to out-of-towners? Some may, but not all do as far as I can tell.
Sometimes the permanent cards are a pain, but they have a way for a cash customer to show ID and get the break....
NYC has a mail in option as well as mobile units all over the city in addition to a few fixed locations, but the above works for onesie twosie
NYC has a mail in option as well as mobile units all over the city in addition to a few fixed locations, but the above works for onesie twosie
Offhand, I don't know. And I'm not motivated to research it any further. But encouraging out of town people to visit and spend money could be beneficial to the local economy, right?
I suspect most don’t because the cards are probably subsidized with taxpayer money.Offhand, I don't know. And I'm not motivated to research it any further. But encouraging out of town people to visit and spend money could be beneficial to the local economy, right?
I think I got SF Bay Area, Chicago, Boston, & NYC all either by online application or by downloading a PDF and mailing it in. Washington DC & Philly were in person, but I just got the DC area VRE commuter rail card by online application, since I'll be staying near Reagan Airport and the Metro bridge across the Potomac is closed for reconstruction, resulting in a 45-minute trip to downtown the long way around.
Miami was in person a few years ago, but they recently switched to an online system.
Pittsburgh was kinda weird. They only issue cards in person, but the website says they honor any PA senior ID card. I was able to find a small agency in a county neighboring Pittsburgh which accepts mail applications, and I got a handwritten card back.
I didn't get to test it because my trip was canceled by the postponed SM resumption. But now that I have the Philly SEPTA card, they should accept that as well when I try again in the spring.I don't think I've run into a single agency that denied senior discount cards (where required) to out-of-staters. They're just not all set up to handle online or mail-in applications. Miami has free transit for locals only, but offers a 50% discount card for non-local seniors.
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Most, if not all, Cities and Ststes "Stick it to Tourists" by putting Taxes and Fees on stuff that Tourists need such as Hotel Rooms,Rent Cars,Toll Roads, Airports etc.
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That's a pretty good all-purpose statement.
I have 3, DC, Philly & NYC. I had Miami but let it lapse. DC & Philly I applied in person, MTA online and mail in incl providing a sized selfie (for that I had to go to the library and resize my phone selfie and print it out on ordinary paper). My last couple of trips I've avoided subways and used buses. They're much less crowded and the scenery is better. They take a little longer but often get me closer to my destination cutting down on walking which my feet now really appreciate. $1.35, 2 hour transfers to anything including trains and ferries! Good Deal. 
BCL
Engineer
The Clipper program in the San Francisco Bay Area primarily has senior/youth discount cards issued primarily through mail, online, or FAX applications. They'll require a scan/image/photocopy of proof of age. This says 5-18, but I obtained my child's card before turning 5 (when any fare requirement started for any covered agency), where it was set up to automatically apply any youth fare based on DOB.
https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/discounts.html
But there are some locations that can issue such cards in person. Some locations (like senior centers) are limited to specific types. I obtained my child's youth Clipper card when I was working near the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority headquarters. I had to search around the building but found it. I brought my child's California ID with DOB as proof of age. A designated employee had to be called in and then I had to wait a few minutes for him to come back with a card. One would need to enter a location and select "Staffed Location" from this dropdown menu.
Staffed locations
Buy an adult Clipper card, get a Youth or Senior Clipper card or load value on any card. Call ahead for days and hours. Card replacement services available at select locations.
San Francisco gets a lot of tourists, so a primarily location would probably be at the Ferry Building or near a Cable Car turnaround. The first one on this list is near the Market/Powell Cable Car turnaround and I think their biggest business is selling Cable Car tickets.
SFMTA Powell and Market Public Transit Kiosk
899 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415.701.2311
SFMTA Presidio Sales Kiosk
949 Presidio Street
San Francisco, CA 94101
Phone: 415.701.2311
Clipper Customer Service Center at Embarcadero BART/Muni Station
298 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Clipper Customer Service Center at Bay Crossings
1 San Francisco Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111
BCL
Engineer
All public transportation is subsided though. But providing discounts as an incentive to visit would seem to be something that many transit agencies would encourage.
BCL
Engineer
That's $13, but it's only available on the MUNI app. It's $24 to get a paper version or add to a Clipper card. They've got a lot of things that are a bit odd, including the same $5 adult non-Cable Car day pass whether one gets one at the farebox or on the MUNI app. Nearly everything else (other than Cable Cars) they run has a surcharge for paying at the farebox except for that. And I don't believe Cable Cars have fareboxes; it's either a handheld Clipper scanner or one has to buy a paper ticket.
https://www.sfmta.com/fares/1-day-visitor-passport
But back to the subject of senior fares, there is no senior day pass or passport (which includes Cable Cars). Senior discounts on Cable Cars only apply from 9 PM to 7 AM. For visitors, it would require a calculus as to whether or not it would be worth it to do single rides with a senior discount or just get the pass. Not sure about MuniMobile though - how they handle senior fares.
https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/fares
BCL
Engineer
I've used a bunch of these transit agencies that use Clipper. San Francisco Bay Ferry allowed people to buy paper tickets on board but I think there's a slight discount for adult fare using Clipper. For youth and senior fares I think there's no discount for Clipper. But when I've ridden San Francisco Bay Ferry there was typically an employee with a handheld scanner and not one installed at the dock like they have with Golden Gate Ferry.
BCL
Engineer
Not sure if this fits into any neat category, but I'm wondering about transferability. I'm looking into the rules of transferability with "adult" cards. Obviously senior and child cards are registered to a specific user and often have the DOB programmed into the card in order to automatically calculate discounted fares or to offer specific passes.
I looked up what it is with our local Clipper card system. I'm thinking that with passes, those aren't transferrable (obviously each agency has its specific rules), but standard fare cash value should be transferrable - i.e. I can let a friend borrow mine and either use the cash value or let them add their own cash value in order to avoid the $3 fee for a new card. But their rules clearly state that a child or senior card are only for the use of the registered user.
Since I'm traveling to the LA area I'm looking into the rules for TAP. I have two - one that I got for my child and one for myself. Since my child wasn't a student at an area school, we couldn't get a special child TAP card, where I believe it may be free transportation. I called up their service center, and they said I should have no problem using someone else's non-discounted TAP card - at least for cash fares or for loading passes if I'm going to be the only user of that pass. There's about $1.50 value left on my kid's card, which should be enough to ride Big Blue Bus from LAX to Santa Monica. My own card only has 50 cents left, but I intend on loading a 7-day LA Metro pass and adding some stored value to it later for express bus surcharges and use on other transit agencies. I am a bit confused about their policies though.
I looked up what it is with our local Clipper card system. I'm thinking that with passes, those aren't transferrable (obviously each agency has its specific rules), but standard fare cash value should be transferrable - i.e. I can let a friend borrow mine and either use the cash value or let them add their own cash value in order to avoid the $3 fee for a new card. But their rules clearly state that a child or senior card are only for the use of the registered user.
6.1.1 The Cardholder can register his/her Adult Clipper® Card with the Clipper® Customer Service Center by providing a valid name, address, phone number and email address (if available).
6.1.2 All Youth and Senior Clipper® cards, as well as RTC Discount Cards and cards loaded with the Clipper® START(SM) discount, are automatically registered, not transferable, and can be used only by the person identified in the Clipper® customer database.
Since I'm traveling to the LA area I'm looking into the rules for TAP. I have two - one that I got for my child and one for myself. Since my child wasn't a student at an area school, we couldn't get a special child TAP card, where I believe it may be free transportation. I called up their service center, and they said I should have no problem using someone else's non-discounted TAP card - at least for cash fares or for loading passes if I'm going to be the only user of that pass. There's about $1.50 value left on my kid's card, which should be enough to ride Big Blue Bus from LAX to Santa Monica. My own card only has 50 cents left, but I intend on loading a 7-day LA Metro pass and adding some stored value to it later for express bus surcharges and use on other transit agencies. I am a bit confused about their policies though.
1.2 Cardholder – The person who is the bearer of the Card is defined as the “Cardholder”. All Cards are non-transferable, can only be used by the person associated with the specific card, and must be retained by the Cardholder for the duration of the trip.
I am reaching that certain age this week and called the Pittsburgh Regional Transit (nee Port Authority) about the senior card. I was told this card is good throughout Pennsylvania and will not need to get one for SEPTA. This is very good news. Now I can research other transit systems where I might end up visiting in the next couple of years.Pittsburgh was kinda weird. They only issue cards in person, but the website says they honor any PA senior ID card. I was able to find a small agency in a county neighboring Pittsburgh which accepts mail applications, and I got a handwritten card back.
My senior NYC MTA Metrocard is expiring this month. When I looked online, it seems that New York is transitioning to a tap and go system called OMNY, but I'm not sure they have the version for seniors up and running yet. Apparently this system has both a car and the ability to link your account to a contactless credit card, so then you use the credit card as your transit card. But I think that you are restricted to only one type of fare media. Anyway, I think I'm going to go up to New York this week and just go to the MTA ticket office and let them figure it out for me. I got my original one through the mail, but between the cost of a passport photo, the notary fee, and the registered mail, I had to do a lot of riding before I really saved any money on the discounted fares. At least the cost of my trip to New York includes a day trip to New York.
I went to their office near the Ferry Terminal and had them link my cc to their senior fare so I’ll use that cc for OMNY. I did not test it as I walked back to NYP.
I have a Senior Charlie Card. Half price almost everything.
It is available, and I've used it with no problem, but you have to know the secret way to get it.
First go to website OMNY; you'll probably have to create an account. In the bottom right corner of the screen, click on the button "OMNY Digital Assistant." Look for this button on the window that opens:
I don't know why they made it so hard to find. I wouldn't have been able to find it if I hadn't received a letter from MTA with the instructions. I don't know whether you'll have to go thru some other steps due to your pass expiring.
I don't think the dedicated senior card is available yet, but you can link a contactless credit card, and I think also Google- or Apple-Pay. You also get the benefit of fare-capping over a 7-day period that starts upon your first use. For seniors, the capped amount is half of the regular cap.
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I do think that some agencies make it hard to get the reduced fares. When I was commuting on VRE, I wasn't yet a senior, but to get kids' fares, I had to take their birth certificates to a Commuter Store in Arlington (50 miles away, but I worked in the area) and register them for the program. To get senior fares since then, I had to go to a Commuter Store with proof of age; by then I was living in Alexandria, so it wasn't too far. I got my senior DC Smartrip card there too.
I got my first Septa senior card four years ago at 1234 Market St. while passing through Philly. It didn't matter that I lived in Virginia then. Red Rose Transit in Lancaster and Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg have let me ride free using the Septa card, though I don't think it's officially accepted in those places. And in the Philippines, my wife's native country, my Septa senior card is accepted at stores and restaurants that offer a senior discount: it's a photo senior ID, and salespeople write down the info and source of the card as if they see Septa cards every day.
My wife and I got senior cards for the NY MTA by mail while we were living in Virginia.
In Syracuse, we only had to show our Medicare cards to get half-price rides, and some drivers didn't ask to see the Medicare cards; maybe we look old enough.
We had the hardest time getting any kind of card in Honolulu. We were there for only two days, and I wish we could have gotten cards by mail as we did for New York. Holo cards are available at Skyline rapid transit stations (a station was under construction outside our hotel, but we couldn't get cards there yet), at liquor stores, and something like "little city halls." We just paid cash for our bus rides, which if I recall correctly cost $3 apiece.
For NJ Transit and Amtrak, we just buy senior tickets and would show ID if asked. In fact, for my 62nd birthday, a friend suggested that we go for an Amtrak ride to use my newly available senior discount. I asked the conductor whether he wanted to see ID, and he said, "No, you're good." That kind of stung. ;-)
I got my first Septa senior card four years ago at 1234 Market St. while passing through Philly. It didn't matter that I lived in Virginia then. Red Rose Transit in Lancaster and Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg have let me ride free using the Septa card, though I don't think it's officially accepted in those places. And in the Philippines, my wife's native country, my Septa senior card is accepted at stores and restaurants that offer a senior discount: it's a photo senior ID, and salespeople write down the info and source of the card as if they see Septa cards every day.
My wife and I got senior cards for the NY MTA by mail while we were living in Virginia.
In Syracuse, we only had to show our Medicare cards to get half-price rides, and some drivers didn't ask to see the Medicare cards; maybe we look old enough.
We had the hardest time getting any kind of card in Honolulu. We were there for only two days, and I wish we could have gotten cards by mail as we did for New York. Holo cards are available at Skyline rapid transit stations (a station was under construction outside our hotel, but we couldn't get cards there yet), at liquor stores, and something like "little city halls." We just paid cash for our bus rides, which if I recall correctly cost $3 apiece.
For NJ Transit and Amtrak, we just buy senior tickets and would show ID if asked. In fact, for my 62nd birthday, a friend suggested that we go for an Amtrak ride to use my newly available senior discount. I asked the conductor whether he wanted to see ID, and he said, "No, you're good." That kind of stung. ;-)
I took a CTA bus from the Stamford Amtrak station to White Plains NY and back about six weeks ago. I had to show my Medicare card to get the 1/2 price fare, but as I was fumbling to get it out of my wallet (and dropping my library card and a credit card on the floor!) the driver barely glanced at it and said I was fine. On the way back, the driver just waved me on. The people sitting in the front rows of the bus were very nice and helpful with retrieving my fallen items.
My only complaint was the lack of signage in the station about where to catch the buses. The bus terminal was right across the street on the north side of the tracks, but there were no signs on the platforms, stairs or in the tunnel under the tracks and I guessed wrong, and ended up missing the bus by seconds, but there was another one in about 15 minutes.
