RTA launches long-awaited fare-capping system
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
An airport-bound Red Line train. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios
RTA is rolling out a new fare system designed to make sure riders never pay more than they need to.
Why it matters: The new SmartCard and fare-capping system removes a common burden for riders who can't afford to buy weekly or monthly passes upfront.
- It's a transit equity policy local advocates have pursued for years.
Flashback: A 2019 RTA study found that low-income riders tended to overpay for transit trips because the majority purchased single fares instead of all-day passes or monthly passes, which provide better discounts for frequent travelers but have a higher upfront cost.
How it works: Starting this week, once riders' fares hit the cost of a daily, weekly or monthly pass, additional rides during that period are free.
- A rider who takes three separate trips in one day will pay $5 under the new system — the price of an all-day pass — instead of $7.50, the price of three single trips.
- The same principle applies to the $25 seven-day pass and the $95 monthly pass.
Reality check: Riders must enroll in advance for fare capping to work.
- That means using the EZfare or Transit app, or buying and registering a physical RTA SmartCard through the Tower City customer service center or RTA's online store.
- Riders can add cash to their SmartCard through the apps or in person at Tower City, local pharmacies and convenience stores.
What they're saying: "No more deciding whether you can afford a monthly pass upfront and no more overpaying if you don't ride enough to make a pass worth it," RTA spokesperson Joshua Miranda said in a statement.
💭 Sam's thought bubble: I picked up my SmartCard at a promotional RTA event Monday.
- I like using the Transit app to track RTA buses and trains in real time, and I'll continue to do that, but I may start using the card for fare payment so I won't have to worry about my phone's spotty internet connectivity or battery life.