What is the BayPass Pilot?
UC Berkeley is partnering with Bay Area public transit agencies, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on a two-year pilot project to study the benefits of a transit pass that provides access to all transit services in the 9-county Bay Area. Beginning in August 2022, 12,000 randomly selected UC Berkeley students will automatically have their Student EasyPass upgraded to a Clipper BayPass, at no charge to the student or the university.
What does the BayPass Pilot Cover?
The Clipper BayPass will allow access to all bus, rail, and ferry services in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area that accept Clipper (listed at right) for no charge beyond the existing cost of the EasyPass (paid through student fees). Please review the agencies below that will accept your pass.
(Please note: BayPasses do NOT Cover BART Parking, BayWheels BikeShare, or SFMTA/MUNI Cable Cars. Please budget Accordingly)
What's changing in 2023-24?
The Clipper BayPass pilot will continue to be available through the 2023-2024 academic year, if the student was already selected for the pass, has continued to enroll as a current student, and the student has paid the $105 per semester Student Class Pass Fee.
UC Berkeley nor Parking & Transportation will not be accepting requests or applications for the 2023-24 school year. The pilot will utilize the data from the existing pool, and those who have lost the privilege (either through graduation or excusal from UC Berkeley) will not have benefits reassigned to new applicants or a new pilot group.
If I have not received the BayPass, will I still be able to use the EasyPass?
Yes. If you are not selected to receive the new pass, you can continue to use your existing AC Transit Student EasyPass, which will allow you to travel on all AC Transit routes in the East Bay. Details about the Student EasyPass are here.
If affordability is an issue, we ask that you review and apply for the Clipper START program, which is a discounted fare program for those who need to take transit. Applicants (you must live in the Bay Area and meet federal income guidelines) will receive a second Clipper Card in the mail (which cannot be combined with EasyPasses).
What happens if I lose the BayPass?
The procedures for lost or stolen cards will be the same as before the launch of the pilot with the Student EasyPass.
We require that replacement cards are done with the UC Berkeley Parking and Transportation Department. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30-4:00pm at 1995 University Avenue. A new card will be issued to you (included with the Clipper BayPass if you were selected to participate), subject to existing card replacement fees.
If you are a BayPass holder and you need to replace the Clipper Card with the BayPass benefit, you will need to wait up to three weeks for the benefit to apply to your new card. Please budget your trips accordingly during that time; P&T nor UC Berkeley can expedite card issuances, nor do they have control over the process to update benefits to existing cards. Your existing AC Transit Student EasyPass benefits are operational and local/transbay trips can be made with the existing EasyPass.