Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Buy VTA passes online

VTA has announced today that bus/light rail monthly passes can be purchased online. The online store accepts VISA, Mastercard, and Discover Card. A $1.50 shipping and handling fee will be applied. VTA will send the passes to customers by US Mail within two days.

Adult local, express, youth, and senior monthly passes are available.

VTA is currently in the process of putting Translink readers on its buses, in hopes of implementing Translink later this year. Once VTA accepts Translink, riders can buy electronic passes online for their Translink card. The electronic passes require no handling fee and will be activated automatically on the rider's card within 72 hours. Translink passes are available for AC Transit and Caltrain. The only downside for Translink passes is that there's no free transfer privileges for agencies that don't currently accept Translink.

Also in the works by Translink contractors is a pass accumulator, which is a feature that allows riders to pay cash fare with Translink card until the rider hits the daily and/or monthly fare cap. Any additional rides afterwards would be free for the rest of the day or month. In other words, instead of buying a $6.00 day pass in the morning, you could just pay the $2.00 one way fare with Translink for each ride. After your 3rd ride, any rides for the rest of the day will be automatically free. With an accumulator, you will always get the best value without having to think about whether to buy a pass.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The pass accumulator is a really good idea. The customer would not get hosed if they bought a pass but then became ill in mid-month and let the pass go to waste. I like this.

crzwdjk said...

The fare capping thing is a great idea, and I'm pretty sure that's been a feature of London's Oyster card since the beginning. I wonder how it will work with the significantly more complex fare system of all the Bay Area providers, for example upgrading from a single ride fare to a VTA or Caltrain day pass, then going from a collection of VTA/Caltrain/Samtrans fares to a Caltrain pass for the appropriate zones.

Anonymous said...

how will light rail officers know
we made a payment
currently tickets are bought at the station

khieng said...

@greelantern...
They will most-likely be carrying hand reader devices where they can scan your translink card to see if tagged on.