Go Pass on Clipper Program

When participating in the Go Pass on Clipper program, you will utilize a Clipper card as your proof-of-payment. You may be asked to show your employee identification badge as part of the fare inspection process so please be sure to carry it with you. 

The Go Pass is valid for the calendar year until Dec. 31 at midnight. Once your Go Pass Provider enters your Clipper card serial number into Clipper's online portal, you must tap your card to a card reader to load the Go Pass within 180 days (Note:  This counts as your tap on).  Be sure you tap on Caltrain's platform. Please see the FAQ's below on how to properly tap your Clipper card.

If your Go Pass Provider or location-specific worksite (s) is no longer conducting business, or for any other reason ceases to participate in the Go Pass program, your Go Pass will not be valid. This also applies if you separate from your Go Pass provider.

In either case, you can continue to use your Clipper card by adding cash value or other passes to your card; your Go Pass, however, will be deactivated.

  1. How do I use my Clipper card?

    Each time you board the train, you must tap your card by holding it flat against the Clipper logo on the Clipper card reader on the Caltrain station platform before boarding (Remember your first tap will load the Go Pass to your card). You must tap your card again when you get off the train. 

    When you tap on for the first time the Go Pass will load and the screen should state "Travel Ok.   Pass Used.  Ok to Dec. 31.  New Pass Added" (date may change depending on the pilot participant loading schedule). 

    Each time you tap on successfully, you should hear one “beep.”  When tapping off, you should hear two "beeps".  

    Be sure to tap on Caltrain's platforms because if the card is tapped on an other transit operator's card reader it won't show up as a valid tap on Caltrain's system. 

    Pay attention to the taps.  If you tap twice within 15 minutes, the second tap will void the first tap and you will not have a valid tap to ride.

    In the meantime, if the card isn’t working, you must purchase a ticket from the station ticket machine or on the Caltrain Mobile app because valid fare is required before boarding; otherwise you will be subject to citation for fare evasion. 

    Remember to always carry your employee identification badge along with your tapped Clipper card.

  2. What if I don’t have an Adult Clipper card?

    Please see your company Go Pass administrator because each participating company manages this process at its discretion.

  3. What if I’m under the age of 18 or a senior?

    The Go Pass may only be used on Adult Clipper cards, so you will need to use an Adult Clipper card. Be sure to obtain a separate Youth or Senior Clipper card if you plan to use it with cash value or passes from other transit agencies.

  4. How does the Go Pass load to the Clipper card?

    The Go Pass will load when tapping on the Caltrain platform for the first trip.

  5. What if I forget to tap the Clipper card before boarding the train?

    You will be subject to notice of violation, citation or fine because you must present valid fare on the train.  It is a requirement that you tap on and off.

  6. What if I forget to tap off at the destination station?

    You should always tap on at the beginning of your trip and tap off at the end of the trip at all times when riding Caltrain to avoid notice of violation, citation or fine for non-valid fare when the conductor or enforcement personnel perform fare check.

  7. Do I have to have cash value on the Clipper card?

    No cash value is required to load and use the Go Pass onto a physical Adult Clipper card (please note other transit agency products may require a minimum cash value be on the card). 

  8. Can you use the Go Pass on Mobile?
    Yes, but when obtaining the Adult Clipper card on mobile for the first time, you will be required to load $3 in cash value.  It requires you to load the cash value only when obtaining the card on mobile.  $3 cash value is not required to use the Go Pass.

  9. Can I load the Go Pass on my personal Adult Clipper card?

    Yes, but if the card becomes lost and you have other agency products on it, those products can’t be replaced. Cash value can be transferred to the new Clipper card for a nominal fee.

  10. What if the Clipper card reader isn’t working to tap on or off?

    Please use another functioning device or purchase a ticket before boarding to avoid notice of violation, citation or fine for non-valid fare.

  11. What if my Clipper card becomes lost or stolen?

    If your card has been lost or stolen, notify your Go Pass Provider administrator and immediately contact the Clipper Customer Service at 877.878.8883 to block your card.  Please have your card serial number in hand when you call.  Always identify yourself as a Go Pass User and provide the name of your Go Pass Provider.  Clipper will block your card to prevent misuse and protect any value on the card at the time of your call. DO NOT request a replacement.

    Obtain a new Clipper card through a Clipper retailer or from Clipper directly (unless your Go Pass Provider issues Clipper cards). Let your Go Pass Provider administrator know the new Clipper card number. If you had cash value on your Clipper card, you may call Clipper Customer Service to transfer the value to your new card for a $5 fee. Note: No other products can be transferred. 

    Please take care of your Clipper card because a Go Pass cannot be issued as a replacement on a lost or stolen card a third time.

  12. What if my Clipper card is damaged or defective?

    If your card just doesn’t work, notify your Provider's Go Pass administrator and call Clipper Customer Service to check your card’s status and, if necessary, block your card. DO NOT request a replacement. Clipper may ask you to mail your card to Clipper and include a Clipper Defective Card Form, or you can visit an in-person Customer Service Center to check your card.  When calling Customer Service, please have your card serial number in hand when you call. Always identify yourself as a Go Pass User and provide the name of your Go Pass Provider. Clipper Customer Service will instruct you on what to do next.

    Obtain a new Clipper Card through a Clipper retailer or from Clipper directly (unless your Go Pass Provider issues Clipper cards). Let your Go Pass Provider administrator know the new Clipper card number.

    If you had cash value on your Clipper card, you may call Clipper Customer Service to transfer the value to your new card for a $5 fee. Note: No other products can be transferred.

    Until you have your new card with a valid Go Pass loaded on it, you will need to purchase a ticket before boarding the train. There are no refunds on the Go Pass or for the ticket you purchased while waiting for your new card. Be sure to tell your Go Pass Provider’s administrator to load the pass on your replacement card.

The Go Pass is an annual Caltrain pass that is offered by the Go Pass Participant site (company, educational institution or residential complex) to its eligible Go Pass User (employee, student or resident). This is an exclusive benefit that allows you to travel through any zones at any time on Caltrain regularly scheduled trains for the entire calendar year while you are an eligible Go Pass User.

  1. I understand that as a Go Pass User, I am eligible to receive and use a Go Pass of my participating company, educational institution, residential complex or location-specific worksite (s) enrolled in the program.
     
  2. I understand that I must tap my Clipper Card on a Clipper Card reader on Caltrain’s platform to activate the Go Pass product within 180 days and tap the Clipper Card each time before I board a train and after getting off the train in order to demonstrate that I have a valid fare. If I fail to tap on or off, I will be subject to citation and I will be responsible for paying any fines related to such citation.
     
  3. I understand that in addition to tapping my Clipper Card, I must carry my Participant-issued ID badge pre-approved by Caltrain in order to demonstrate that I have valid fare.   Go Pass is only valid for use when I have tapped my card and show my ID badge.
     
  4. I understand that the Go Pass will expire on December 31 at midnight and that use of an expired Go Pass is subject to citation and I will be responsible for paying any fines related to such citation.
     
  5. I understand that I may not sell or transfer the Clipper Card with Go Pass product to any other person. I also understand that allowing the use of my Go Pass product by anyone other than me is not permissible and may result in my Go Pass product being revoked.
     
  6. I understand that if my Clipper Card with Go Pass product becomes lost or stolen, I must notify my Go Pass administrator immediately so that the Go Pass on Clipper can be blocked.  If my User status changes for any reason and I am no longer with the participating company, educational institution or residential complex, I understand that my Go Pass will be revoked and I will be responsible for purchasing the appropriate fare when riding Caltrain.
     
  7. I understand that if my company, educational institution, residential complex or location-specific worksite (s) is no longer conducting business, or for any other reason ceases to participate in the Go Pass program, my Go Pass will no longer be valid. If I continue to use an invalid Go Pass, it will not be accepted as fare on Caltrain and such use will be subject to citation and I will be responsible for paying any fines related to such citation.
     
  8. If my invalid use of a Go Pass results in citation(s) or fine(s), I agree that the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board will have absolutely no liability for any loss or injury caused or alleged to have been caused by such invalid use.
  1. We are in the process of signing up, what happens next?
    Go Pass employers, residential complexes, and educational institutions (“Organization”) may contact Clipper at 877-878-8883 to purchase Adult Clipper cards for its Go Pass Users or Organization may require its Go Pass Users to obtain their own Adult Clipper cards directly from any authorized retailer. All Go Pass Users must register their Adult Clipper card at clippercard.com if they haven’t done so.  Before you can add the Go Pass via Clipper’s online portal, the Go Pass User must have completed the Go Pass survey and provided their Clipper card serial number. A new question on the survey asks the Go Pass User if they would like to use their own Clipper card and allow for entry of their Clipper card serial number. The confirmation email sent to the Go Pass Organization administrator will include the Clipper card serial number if entered.

    The Go Pass Organization’s administrator will use the Clipper portal to activate and block the Go Pass. Clipper or Caltrain staff will provide training and a reference manual. 

    The Go Pass will be available to load or be blocked in five business days after the user’s Clipper card serial number is added or deleted from the portal. The Go Pass User must tap their card to a Clipper card reader to load the Go Pass to their Clipper card. On all future trips, the user must tap on when boarding to validate fare and tap off.

    Go Pass Users are responsible for misuse of the Clipper card and should be reminded of the use acknowledgement as indicated in the survey.
     

  2. How do I use Clipper’s online portal?
    Clipper will provide training and a reference manual. It will only provide one training so the Go Pass Organization is responsible for training additional administrators. The Portal requires one primary administrator and one secondary administrator. The primary administrator may update the secondary administrator as needed in the system so it’s best to have permanent staff be set up as the primary administrator. Also, if you have multiple users accessing the system, you should set up an email distribution list such as gopass@xyz.com. Clipper/Cubic will send the primary and secondary administrator login information to the administrators directly and from there they can set up their password and security questions. If you have multiple worksites, administrators for each site must be unique. The portal does not allow one person to be an administrator for more than one Institution.
     
  3. What if the Go Pass User doesn’t have a Clipper card?  
    The Go Pass Organization may order Adult Clipper cards from Clipper Customer Service at 877-878-8883. Cards take approximately ten business days to be delivered. The Go Pass Organization may also ask the user to obtain the card themselves and provide them with the Clipper card number once they receive the card.
     
  4. Can the Go Pass User load the Go Pass on their personal Clipper card?
    Yes. The Go Pass User may use their personal Clipper card but if the card becomes lost and the Go Pass User has passes for other transit agencies on it, those passes can’t be replaced. Cash value can be transferred to the new Clipper card for a nominal fee.
     
  5. What if users are under the age of 18 or a senior?
    The Go Pass may only be used on Adult Clipper cards, so the Go Pass User will have to use an Adult Clipper card. Go Pass Organizations should advise those under 18 years of age or Seniors to obtain a separate Youth or Senior Clipper card if they plan to use it with cash value or passes on other transit agencies.
     
  6. How do we use the Clipper online portal to manage the Go Pass on Clipper cards?
    You begin by uploading a CSV file with the Go Pass User Clipper card serial numbers to add the Go Pass to or to block the Go Pass. On the upload screen, you will see a selection for adding or deleting the Go Pass. Each action requires one CSV file. Clipper or Caltrain staff will provide training one month prior to the program start date. We recommend training a minimum of two staff.
     
  7. Once I upload the CSV file with the card serial numbers for the Clipper cards to which I am adding a Go Pass, how long before the Go Pass is available on those Clipper cards? 
    The Go Pass will be available for loading in five business days. The card must be tapped within 180 days to load the Go Pass
     
  8. What happens if the Go Pass User fails to tap their Clipper card to activate the Go Pass within 180 days of the pass being loaded through the Clipper portal?
    If the Go Pass User does not tap the card to pick up the pass within 180 days of being entered into the portal, the action will expire. The Go Pass Organization administrator will need to re-send the Clipper card serial number through the portal to have the Go Pass added again. These should be done one-by-one as the user requests it and not entered as a batch or group in order to avoid duplication or issues with cards that have already picked up their passes. Also, the validity period should not be the same. It should be the current date through the end of the contract period, most likely ending at the end of the year on December 31 at midnight.
     
  9. Once I upload the CSV file showing the Clipper card serial numbers to block, how long does it take before the Go Pass is blocked?
    It takes five business days before the Go Pass becomes invalid.
     
  10. What if we accidently put in the wrong validity period?
    If the Go Pass administrator entered incorrect start dates or expiration dates, they must block the cards in the portal and issue new Clipper cards to Go Pass users. The system cannot accept requests to add two of the same passes to one card.
     
  11. What if we have questions or difficulty using the Clipper online portal?
    Email Caltrain’s B2B group at b2b@caltrain.com and someone will respond and, if needed, work with Clipper to assist you.
     
  12. How does the Go Pass load?
    The Go Pass will load when tapping on the card reader on Caltrain's platform for the first trip.
     
  13. What if the Go Pass User forgets to tap the Clipper card before boarding?
    The Go Pass User will be subject to notice of violation, citation or fine because they must present valid fare on the train.  It is a requirement that they tap on and off.
     
  14. Does the Go Pass User have to have cash value on the Clipper card?
    No cash value is required to load and use the Go Pass onto the Clipper card (please note other transit agency passes may require a minimum cash value be on the card in order for their passes to be used).
     
  15. What if we would like to obtain data regarding the usage of our users?
    Email the request to Caltrain’s B2B group at b2b@caltrain.com and someone will work with you on sending you aggregate data staff bandwidth permitting. Please note that the Clipper program has very strict privacy regulations, which means that very little information on usage can be provided.
     
  16. What is the process for renewing for the following year?
    Organizations must re-enter Clipper card serial numbers into the portal with the validity dates of January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022. The Go Pass user may tap the Clipper Card to load the 2022 Go Pass before January 1, but it will not be valid until January 1, 2022.
     
  17. How do I access Clipper’s Institutional Portal online?
    Click https://www.clippercard.com/InstPortal
     
  18. What happens if I forgot my login information in the Portal?
    Go to https://www.clippercard.com  and click forget password.  Clipper will email a temporary password. The email takes you to the regular Clipper website so be sure to log in with the temporary password at the Institutional Portal site.