The new Umo bus pass payment system BC Transit will introduce this spring will provide more flexibility to Prince George riders.
City council on Monday approved fare policy changes and adjustments in the electronic fare collection structure. Umo will replace monthly passes that start at the first of the month and expire on the last day of the month with rolling 30-day passes to improve customer convenience and increase fare product availability.
Riders will be able to set up an account and will receive a reloadable smart card which provides 30 days of bus service starting with the date of purchase. The cards will be available for purchase online and through external retail vendors.
Tied to a phone app, the new system will allow riders to build up a cash balance applied to the card and the account will be deducted as additional trips are taken. After the second trip of the day, Umo will cap the cash balance payment method so riders never pay more than the value of a day pass if they use the UMO payment method.
Validators on the buses will read cell phones or cards to allow people to board.
University and college students will be able to buy passes that are valid for the entire semester, starting in September. In Prince George, 50 per cent of BC Transit ridership is students who use the U-Pass system that give them unlimited bus service.
Refunds will be made available for any unused fare products worth at least $10 but riders won’t get their money back from any products that are partially used or expired. Pre-purchased fare products such as 10-ride packs will expire 365 days after the date of purchase. Lost cards can be replaced without losing the money loaded on the account.
Cash will remain a payment option and each bus will still have a cash collection box for riders.
