Maps are an integral aspect of daily life in our society, conveying essential information about the world we live in. Having access to that information is necessary to participate in society and gives people the ability to do what they couldn’t do before.

If someone is newly blind or learning a neighborhood from scratch, having access to maps is a real asset. But for blind people, obtaining maps has been difficult and expensive.

The LightHouse is making significant change in this area by developing accessible transit maps to enhance the ability of blind and visually impaired individuals to effectively use public transit in the Bay Area.

We are developing, and will distribute, “strip maps,” which will present concise information about selected transit routes in Braille and large print. The strip maps will be developed for BART, Muni, SamTrans and Caltrain routes.

We need your help to select additional transit routes for which we may produce strip maps in the future. Currently, our highest priority will be to make strip maps for additional Muni and Samtrans routes, particularly routes serving the Market Street corridor or routes linking to BART or Caltrain, but your recommendations about routes throughout the Bay Area are welcome.

Click here to take the survey

For more information about this project please call Frank Welte at 415-694-7363 or send email to fwelte@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

BART is moving away from paper tickets to Clipper. Here’s what you need to know if you are an RTC cardholder who uses red tickets or a senior who uses green tickets:

• Red tickets (for individuals with disabilities) and green tickets (for seniors) will continue to be sold but only at nine locations.
• BART faregates will always accept red and green tickets.
• Clipper is the most convenient way to pay discount fares.
• The RTC Discount Card is also a Clipper card so if you have one you’re ready to make the move now!

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that paying by RTC/Clipper or Senior Clipper card is easier than dealing with red or green tickets. And, of course, you’ll get the 62.5% discount each time you take a trip!

Here’s how to use the RTC/Clipper and Senior Clipper card:
First, you need to load money on your RTC Discount Card or Senior Clipper card. Use cash or credit or debit card.

• You can do this at ticket vending machines in all BART stations.
• Or, you can call or go online to Clipper Customer Service.

Now, you’re ready to use your RTC Discount or Senior Clipper card to pay your fare.

• As you enter and exit, touch your card to the Clipper disk on the faregate. It’s the raised round blue disk on top. If you’re using the accessible gate, you’ll find the disk to your right on the side of the faregate.
• As you exit, check the faregate display. You’ll see the discount fare paid and your card balance.

What you’ll love best about using your RTC or Senior Clipper Card:

• You can put money on your card in BART stations. No more searching for a vendor that sells red or green BART tickets before you make a trip.
• You can add whatever amount works best for you instead of being limited to a set denomination red or green BART ticket. And, you can use cash or credit or debit card and order by phone or online, too.
• You’ll never have to deal with leftover tickets again.
• You can check the card balance at any ticket vending machine before you start the trip and add money if you don’t have enough.
• You’ll know the true fare for each trip you take since your card will be charged the 62.5% discount fare as you exit.

You can get in-station help from a BART station agent or you can call the BART Transit Information Center (510-465-2278) or Clipper Customer Service (877-878-8883), or go online to http://bart.gov/ or https://clippercard.com.

RTC Discount Cards are issued to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Call your local transit agency for an application.

You can apply for a Senior Clipper card at one of BART’s outreach events, at the Lake Merritt BART station or at any other local transit agency.

BART is moving away from paper tickets to Clipper. Here’s what you need to know if you are an RTC cardholder who uses red tickets or a senior who uses green tickets:

• Red tickets (for individuals with disabilities) and green tickets (for seniors) will continue to be sold but only at nine locations.
• BART faregates will always accept red and green tickets.
• Clipper is the most convenient way to pay discount fares.
• The RTC Discount Card is also a Clipper card so if you have one you’re ready to make the move now!

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that paying by RTC/Clipper or Senior Clipper card is easier than dealing with red or green tickets. And, of course, you’ll get the 62.5% discount each time you take a trip!

Here’s how to use the RTC/Clipper and Senior Clipper card:
First, you need to load money on your RTC Discount Card or Senior Clipper card. Use cash or credit or debit card.

• You can do this at ticket vending machines in all BART stations.
• Or, you can call or go online to Clipper Customer Service.

Now, you’re ready to use your RTC Discount or Senior Clipper card to pay your fare.

• As you enter and exit, touch your card to the Clipper disk on the faregate. It’s the raised round blue disk on top. If you’re using the accessible gate, you’ll find the disk to your right on the side of the faregate.
• As you exit, check the faregate display. You’ll see the discount fare paid and your card balance.

What you’ll love best about using your RTC or Senior Clipper Card:

• You can put money on your card in BART stations. No more searching for a vendor that sells red or green BART tickets before you make a trip.
• You can add whatever amount works best for you instead of being limited to a set denomination red or green BART ticket. And, you can use cash or credit or debit card and order by phone or online, too.
• You’ll never have to deal with leftover tickets again.
• You can check the card balance at any ticket vending machine before you start the trip and add money if you don’t have enough.
• You’ll know the true fare for each trip you take since your card will be charged the 62.5% discount fare as you exit.

You can get in-station help from a BART station agent or you can call the BART Transit Information Center (510-465-2278) or Clipper Customer Service (877-878-8883), or go online to http://bart.gov/ or https://clippercard.com.

RTC Discount Cards are issued to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Call your local transit agency for an application.

You can apply for a Senior Clipper card at one of BART’s outreach events, at the Lake Merritt BART station or at any other local transit agency.

Have you ever needed to ask for assistance at an airport? What did you think about the assistance you received? The LightHouse wants to know. Join us for a focus group where you can tell us about your domestic travel experiences.

When: Tuesday, November 1, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

Light refreshments will be served. To RSVP and for more information contact Beth Berenson at 415-431-1481 or info@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

The LightHouse is seeking volunteers to gather detailed transit route information on BART, CalTrain, selected San Francisco Muni rail and bus routes and selected SamTrans bus routes.

Overview and Purpose
Maps are an integral aspect of daily life in our society, conveying essential information about the world we live in. Having access to that information is necessary to participate in society and gives people the ability to do what they might not have been able to do before.

If someone is newly blind or learning a neighborhood from scratch, having access to maps is a real asset. But for blind people, obtaining maps has historically been difficult and expensive.

The LightHouse is making significant changes in this area by developing accessible transit maps to enhance the ability of blind and visually impaired individuals to effectively use public transit in the Bay Area.

We are developing and will distribute “strip maps” that will present concise information about selected transit routes in Braille and large print. The strip maps will be developed for BART, Muni, SamTrans and Caltrain routes.

The LightHouse is looking for volunteers who will ride selected Muni or SamTrans bus routes and/or BART and Caltrain routes and take notes, inventorying things such as:

• bus stop location (whether stop is on island or street and if mid-block, near-side corner, far-side corner)
• how stop is identified (sign pole, bench, shelter)
• turns in the route (e.g., left, right and cardinal direction of travel)
• inter-modal connections and transfer points (e.g., BART station)

Optimal candidates are Bay Area residents who are familiar with specific Muni or SamTrans bus lines, BART or Caltrain, but anybody who is interested should apply. We would like to obtain this transit line info by Friday, November 19. Volunteers will be trained prior to their transit excursions.

For more information about this opportunity, please call Frank Welte at 415-694-7363 or email fwelte@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

If you wish to volunteer for this project, please call Volunteer Coordinator Don Franklin at 415-694-7371 or email dmfranklin@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

In light of recent Monday rush-hour protests at BART stations in downtown San Francisco, CBS 5 (KPIX-TV) spoke with LightHouse Donor Relations Coordinator Lisamaria Martinez and got her perspective on how such activities affect commuting.

Watch the segment here.

The street-level elevator at the Civic Center BART station will be out of service for repair from Monday, September 26 to Monday, October 3. Passengers who rely on this elevator should plan to use a different station during that time. To check the operational status of elevators at nearby stations, please call 510-834-LIFT or 888-2-ELEVAT.