The Taxi Ride
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You may not ask the cab driver to wait for you on any paratransit ride. For instance, if you are picking up a prescription at the pharmacy, you must have the driver drop you off, and you must call another taxi when you are finished conducting your business.
You may take a paratransit taxi ride anywhere in the city of San Francisco, including Treasure Island, and to the northernmost part of Daly City in San Mateo County. This does not include the San Francisco International Airport. For trips to destinations outside of the service area, you must use other regional paratransit services. These are described in the General Information section. If you are not sure if your destination is in the San Francisco Paratransit service area, please call San Francisco Paratransit at (415) 351-7052.
At the end of your trip: The driver will tell you the cost of the trip from the taxi meter. Tipping is allowed with the SF Paratransit Debit Card (subject to change). It is YOUR CHOICE whether or not to provide a tip. If you choose to provide a tip, the system will automatically calculate the tip at 10% of the ride, up to $2, and deduct it from your SF Paratransit Debit Card account balance along with the fare amount.
It is illegal to sell, transfer, or otherwise misuse your SF Paratransit Debit Card. These actions may lead to suspension of your riding privileges, and you may be subject to criminal prosecution. The San Francisco Police Department helps us monitor for fraud.
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Taking and Paying for a Taxi Ride
When you get in the Taxi:
Present your SF Paratransit Debit Card to the driver before the start of the trip
and tell him/her your destination. The driver will swipe your card to verify that you have
enough funds in your account to pay for the trip. If you do not have enough value, you may
choose to use the remaining amount on your SF Paratransit Debit Card and pay the additional cost of your trip
with either cash or a credit card (if accepted). If you don’t have any value in your account,
you must pay for your entire trip with another form of payment. The driver will swipe your card
at the start and end of your trip If you have more than $75 in your account, the balance check
swipe will indicate $75+. This is to protect your privacy. If you want to check the full balance
of your SF Paratransit Debit Card account, call toll free:
877-SFTAXI-1 (877-738-2941).
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Photo ID
Your paratransit taxi debit card has your photo embossed on it. Please present this card to your driver each time you board the taxi at the start of the trip. This will allow the driver to verify that enough funds are on the account to pay for the trip you are taking. Only the person whose photo is on the card and to whom the card is issued may use the paratransit debit card. Allowing someone other than the registered rider to use a debit card can jeopardize continued use of the taxi program by the registered rider.
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