B.C. Transit is expanding its cashless transit fare payment system beyond the capital region.
The Umo payment system was activated on the Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley regional transit buses on Thursday, with B.C. Transit aiming to roll out the payment system across Vancouver Island and the rest of B.C. shortly after.
With the Umo system, riders either tap a card or scan a phone app displaying a QR code to pay their fares.
Greater Victoria riders began using the payment system owned and operated by Cubic Corporation, a California-based transportation and defence company, on Aug. 23.
As of October, B.C. Transit reported that more than 40,000 people has adopted the payment system in the capital region.
Older systems of payment, which required a paper ticket or a monthly pass, are expected to be phased out, though no date has been set.
B.C. Transit has said there are currently no plans to remove fareboxes, which will continue to be used for processing cash payments.
“The organization would like to let riders know they expect a period of transition as riders familiarize themselves with Umo payment methods and interact with the new onboard equipment for the first time,” the transit agency said in a statement. “Transit drivers will continue to prioritize customer service above fare collection as Umo is rolled out should riders encounter challenges.
The upfront cost for providing the Umo payment system in 30 transit systems is expected to be $23.2 million, according to B.C. Transit. The federal government is covering half those costs, with B.C. providing the next 40 per cent and local government partners making up the final 10 per cent.
Umo cards can be picked up for free from a number of locations. For locations in Nanaimo, visit bctransit.com/nanaimo/fares; for the Cowichan valley, visit bctransit.com/cowichan-valley/fares.
For additional support, riders can call the toll-free number 877-380-8181 to reach B.C. Transit’s Umo customer service call centre.
