San Francisco Bay Ferry introduced new fare collection protocols Thursday in an effort to speed up the disembarkation process at terminals on all routes, the agency said.
Passengers are now required to show proof of fare while boarding vessels instead of when getting off the ferry, though Clipper users will continue to tag on and off when boarding and disembarking.
Those who use the San Francisco Bay Ferry mobile app should activate their tickets when lining up and then show them to the deckhand at the gate when boarding, the agency said.
Paper ticket holders can simply hand over their ticket to the deckhand when boarding.
Until Thursday, passengers could purchase tickets on board, and this will still occur, but with a minor change. Deckhands at the gate will ask for a last name and party size and hand the person a ticket slip. Once the ferry departs, these passengers will take their ticket slip to the onboard ticket counter and purchase their ticket(s).
“We strongly recommend using Clipper or the San Francisco Bay Ferry app so that you can fully enjoy the ride and not have to wait in a second line to get a ticket,” the agency says on its website.