Riders on SLO Transit and Regional Transit Authority buses can now pay their fares the same way they would buy a snack at a corner store: by tapping their card or phone at a kiosk.
A new contactless “Tap 2 Ride” system has launched on many buses across San Luis Obispo county.
At a transportation meeting at SLO City Hall this week, Mobility Services Business Manager Alex Fuchs explained that now riders can pay “with preloaded bank cards, anything that's under the Visa, Microsoft or Discover umbrella.”
In the past, the payment methods available through SLO Transit were cash, a bus pass, or by downloading the Token Transit app.
Those methods are still available, but one benefit of using “Tap 2 Ride” is the fare-capping feature. The system automatically tracks rides and purchases passes so users never pay more than $40 a month.
However, the fare-capping feature is linked to individual payment methods, so it will only work if riders use the same debit or credit card every time they take the bus.
Seniors and Medicare cardholders can register their payment card online to make sure they get their discounted fare rate.
