New OC Transpo payment options coming later this year

OC Transpo buses will expand payment options to allow passengers to tap a credit card or use a mobile wallet sometime later this year once readers are fully installed across the system.

Commuters will start to notice, if they haven't already, red smart card fare devices at the front of buses. On its website, OC Transpo wrote that once they're fully installed across the system, tap to pay will come into play sometime in 2023.

For some daily commuters, the option to tap and ride the bus is a relief,especially if someone forgets a card or does not have the exact change for a fare.

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The current payment options include a Presto card, U-Pass, STO Multi card or, of course, cash, which comes with its own limitations. For example, if a rider pays the $3.75 fare with a $5 bill there is no change.

Tap to ride to make paying easier

Since late April, smart card readers were made available on Para Transpo minibuses and taxis, which now accept a Presto card, credit cardor mobile wallet on a smartphone.

The smart card devices are also being installed at all O-Train Line 1 stations, and some are already activated with specially marked white fare gates. They accept credit card and mobile phone taps with Google Pay and Apple Pay.

OC Transpo plans to add debit as a payment option at a later date.

"We want to make it as simple as possible for people to pay for the buses," said Coun. Glen Gower, who chairs the transit commission.

Transit advocate says fares still too high

Gower said the readers have been installed on nearly all buses and now it'sa matter of testingto ensure processing payments is secure. There will be an update on the rollout of this new system at the transit commission later in June, he said.

Laura Shantz, board member with Ottawa Transit Riders, said expanding tap to pay for OC Transpo buses is a positive, but the main fare problem remains.

"My concern is that we're still not addressing one thing riders have been telling us for a long time, which is that fares are just simply too high at the current rates," said Shantz.

The 2023 City of Ottawa budget approved free fare for children under the age of 12 starting July 1. Transit is currently free for children ageseven and younger.