#Clipper start free

It’s just a peace of mind thing,” he said.

“It makes me happy to know the city is taking care of people. He spent at least $100 a month on BART to get to his job and said knowing that people in need are getting help makes him feel more connected to Oakland. Mike Garcia, who lives in Oakland and works in San Francisco, said he barely makes enough to save any money after paying for rent and for essentials like groceries. Trent estimates she usually spends at least $100 a month on transit, sometimes to go to the doctor, though recently that’s been conducted through video. Her 16-year-old still feels severe headaches and her 7-year-old’s asthma got worse. Trent’s two children have suffered recently from COVID-19, despite being vaccinated. “The extra money just takes a little bit of burden off,” she said. Tauvra Trent, an East Oakland resident who currently can’t work because of disability issues and does not own a car, said the card will give her the freedom to take her kids to school on AC Transit buses. More than a dozen card holders told The Oaklandside the program has helped them get around and that even a few hundred dollars extra for transit can change a person’s outlook on their city and reduce stress. The card provider, Akimbo, says on its website that riders’ private location data is coded in a way that makes it unlikely to be hacked. Among the types of information the department is looking for is whether people change their travel behavior after receiving the subsidy, and looking at transit patterns to make better decisions about services. Over the next few months, OakDOT will gather survey responses from participants and use anonymous GPS data from their cards to plan for possible future expansions.

The money for the Universal Basic Mobility program came from a $243,000 Alameda County Transportation Commission grant. The $300 transit card is given out in two installments of $150 and can be used to pay for rides on AC Transit, BART, city bikes, and scooters. OakDOT chose 500 people based on their income levels and transportation needs.

#Clipper start free

Read more.Ĭalled Universal Basic Mobility, the city Department of Transportation, or OakDOT, rolled out the free transit card program in the last week of December. This article is part of our special series looking into traffic and pedestrian safety in the city.