SFMTA offers essential trip card to help older adults and people with disabilities navigate reduced service
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is offering the Essential Trip Card (ETC) in an effort to help older adults and people with disabilities pay for essential trips in taxis due to the reduced service implemented from COVID-19.
The ETC will provide two to three round trips per month at 20 percent of the cost of a regular cab fare. All taxis in San Francisco will accept the card to pay for essential trips like going to the grocery store or the doctor during the shelter-in-place period. Customers who pay $6 will receive $30 value or $12 for $60 value for taxi trips on a debit card. Cards can be re-filled once a month for each month of this special temporary program until the SFMTA announces its end.
Eligible customers can apply for the ETC program by calling 311 and mentioning the program. Staff will be available on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. to answer questions and get people signed up. For those who prefer to use a language other than English, language assistance is provided. While SFMTA says it encourages using the phone to minimize contact, as a last resort, qualifying customers may enroll in person at the SF Paratransit Broker’s Office (68 12th Street) if needed. The office remains open during regular weekday business hours (as of April 13, 2020).
Eligible residents will be automatically enrolled in the program and the debit card will be mailed right away. Once the card is received in the mall, customers can activate their card by following the instructions provided. Funds can be added to the ETC by providing payment information over the phone, going online or arranging to pay by cash or check.
Once customers have the card, they can hail taxis, including ramp taxis, on the street, by phone or by the Flywheel app to make a trip. To limit risk to both riders and drivers, a CDC-approved sanitizer to clean frequently touched surfaces between trips is being provided to taxis. SFMTA asks riders to do their part by washing their hands and/or using hand sanitizer thoroughly before and after taxi trips, wearing a mask or cloth face covering if possible, coughing or sneezing into a tissue or elbow and not touching their faces. SFMTA also says it encourages riders to clean their debit card, child seat or any items that the driver or anyone else may help to carry or load with a sanitizing cleaner before and after each trip.
SFMTA says it is thankful that taxis continue to deliver these critical services to the most vulnerable citizens during these challenging times.
