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Committee Agrees to Update Traffic Code To Let MTA Use Administrative Penalties for Fare Evasion
Summary
The committee forwarded amendments to San Francisco’s traffic code to convert certain fare-evasion and passenger misconduct violations from criminal penalties to administrative penalties, aligning local code with recent state law changes and giving the MTA authority to set penalty amounts.
The committee reviewed proposed amendments to San Francisco Traffic Code sections intended to replace criminal penalties for some fare-evasion and passenger misconduct offenses with administrative penalties handled by the Municipal Transportation Agency.
David Noyola, staff to Supervisor Peskin, told the committee the change was a conforming action to state law permitting transit agencies to impose administrative penalties and streamline enforcement procedures. The amendments would authorize the MTA board of directors to set specific penalty and fee amounts similar to parking or traffic citations.
Supervisors asked clarifying questions about enforcement and whether a concurrent mayoral proposal for free transit would affect the item; staff replied the traffic-code changes would allow administrative penalties but did not implement price policy. No further public commentators raised objections on the record, and the committee sent the item forward with recommendation.
