TO: San Francisco Ramp Taxi Drivers
FROM: Philip Cranna, Enforcement and Legal Affairs Manager
SFMTA Taxis and Accessible Services Division
DATE: August 30, 2024
SUBJECT: Updated Ramp Taxi Incentives
Starting October 1, 2024, the Ramp Taxi Incentive Program is being amended to include changes below. These new incentives will be reflected in the December 2024 distribution of incentives for trips provided starting October 1, 2024.SFMTA will continue to evaluate the incentive program and reserves the right to update the program at any time.
- $12 per Paratransit wheelchair trip incentive: for every wheelchair trip provided in a ramp taxi to a paratransit customer, driver receives a $12 incentive.
- $12 per general public wheelchair trip incentive: for every wheelchair trip provided in a ramp taxi to a general public customer, including trips performed in the outlying areas or at nighttime (8PM – 6AM), driver receives a $12 incentive.
- $20 per trip incentive for Paratransit wheelchair trips after 8:00pm and before 6:00am: for every wheelchair trip provided in a ramp taxi to a paratransit customer during the hours of 8:00pm to 6:00am, driver receives a $20 incentive per trip ($12 for IVR transactions).
- $20 per trip for Paratransit wheelchair trips which originate in outlying areas (see map below): for every wheelchair trip that originates in a ramp taxi to a paratransit customer in the outlying areas of San Francisco, as identified on the map on page 3, driver receives a $20 incentive per trip ($12 for IVR transactions).
SFMTA has revised the map of the Outlying Areas of San Francisco (see map below) following feedback from the taxi industry. This is an expansion of area defined as the Outlying Areas of San Francisco to include key medical facilities including Laguna Honda and UCSF Parnassus. Any Paratransit wheelchair taxi trip that originates in this defined area will earn a $20 per trip incentive as well as credit toward the Airport Short Pass requirements.
The following new rules will apply to general public wheelchair trips performed by ramp taxi drivers:
- No general public wheelchair incentives will be awarded if the driver or medallion holder fail to complete the monthly minimum trip requirement of ten (10) Paratransit wheelchair trips.
- Any driver found to have submitted false general public wheelchair trip, as verified though random post trip video audit, may result in the offending driver losing access to the airport incentive program for a minimum of 12-months and may be subject to other SFMTA administrative action including fine, suspension, permit revocation or use agreement termination..
- Failure to submit a video chip upon request by a SFMTA taxi investigator may result in the invalidation of all general public wheelchair entries submitted in the prior three days (72 hours).
Starting October 1, 2024, the SFMTA will eliminate the $100 per month fuel cost incentive.
Starting October 1, 2024, the requirements to access the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have been revised as follows:
- Airport Short Incentive: Ramp taxi drivers must complete at least 40 wheelchair trips per month, of which at least 15 must be completed in the outlying area of San Francisco or nighttime (8PM – 6AM). Additionally, at least 30 trips must be provided to SF Paratransit wheelchair users. Drivers must serve at least 10 unique paratransit riders in the month.
- Regular Access: Any ramp medallion that does not complete a minimum of fifteen (15) Paratransit wheelchair trips WILL NOT be allowed to access the airport. SFMTA will be monitoring all airport trips and will take administrative action, including fines, suspension or revocation, against the ramp medallion drivers and holders who enter the airport without authorization.
To be eligible for the ramp incentive program, all ramp drivers must be logged onto an SFMTA-approved e-hailing app (currently Flywheel only) for at least 80 hours per month. Eligibility for credentials will be based on trips provided two months prior (i.e. credentials distributed in October will be based on trips provided in August).
Only one per trip incentive type may be collected for each completed wheelchair trip. In order to receive credit for general public wheelchair trips, ramp taxi drivers must submit the online trip record within two hours of trip completion. The general public and Paratransit wheelchair trips are subject to regular video audits. Any general public wheelchair trips that cannot be verified through video will not be counted. Paratransit manual receipts (IVR) submissions for wheelchair trips will automatically default to the $12 incentive regardless of the location or time of pick-up.
Airport staff will receive notification prior to the beginning of each month, with the names of ramp drivers who have earned the Airport Short Incentive for that month. Any fraud or misrepresentations may result in the offending driver losing access to the airport incentive program for a minimum of 12-months and may be subject to other SFMTA administrative action including fine, suspension, permit revocation or use agreement termination.
If you have any questions about the new ramp taxi incentives or requirements for the SFO short pass, please call 415.646.4400 or email SFTaxi@sfmta.com.
Map of the Outlying Areas of San Francisco
Map above include all areas south of Cesar Chavez and Clipper St and west of Clayton St, 17th St, and Stanyan St. This revised boundary includes UCSF Parnassus and Laguna Honda