Use card on buses, Trax and FrontRunner
The Utah Transit Authority new prepaid, reload able electronic FAREPAY card are now available for purchase at the BYUstore. Riders have a more convenient way to pay their fare with the prepaid, reloadable FAREPAY card. No more carrying exact change or waiting at the ticket machine. Simply load money to your FAREPAY card, tap it on a card reader and ride UTA. Cards can be purchased at the BYUstore Service Desk and also in the CougarTech department
“We’ve found that many riders love the flexibility and convenience that FAREPAY cards provide,” said UTA General Manager Michael Allegra. “We hope that (offering) this promotion will encourage even more UTA riders to try FAREPAY.”
Launched last October, FAREPAY is UTA’s new electronic, reloadable fare card. Riders can load the card with any amount of money between $5 and $500. Value is subtracted from the card each time a rider taps on and off a bus or train. The cards are designed to simplify riders’ commutes by eliminating the need to carry cash or wait in line at ticket vending machines.
FAREPAY also helps UTA gather valuable ridership data. When riders tap on and off buses and trains with their FAREPAY cards, UTA can see which services are most heavily used and where additional resources are needed.
“Data gathered through FAREPAY plays an important role in helping us determine how to improve our system,” Allegra said.
For a limited time, UTA will be offering a promotional fare when people ride with FAREPAY that will allow passengers to save up to 20 percent off the cash fare price for regular and express buses and TRAX and FrontRunner trains. The promotional fare will be $2 on local bus and TRAX service, $4.50 on express bus and a $0.50 station increment on FrontRunner.
The fare promotion is designed to encourage cash-paying riders to switch to FAREPAY and quickly become familiar with how it works. FAREPAY is designed to make riding public transit more convenient, riders don’t have to carry cash, have exact change or wait in line at ticket vending machines. FAREPAY will also enable UTA to gather better ridership data and adjust service accordingly.
UTA’s FAREPAY promotion will run through December 31, 2014. The discount is valid on all UTA services except ski service, paratransit and the Park City Connect. Senior and disabled riders who qualify for a reduced fare FAREPAY card will also receive up to a 20 percent fare discount. Reduced fare riders can contact the UTA customer service center for a FAREPAY card that honors the reduced fare discount. FAREPAY cards will return to the regular cash fare after the promotion.
Getting Started with FAREPAY
FAREPAY cards must be activated before they can be used. There is an initial one-time $3 activation fee and riders can load any amount from $5 to $500. Riders must have the minimum fare they will need on the card. Those purchased at the BYUstore are activated at the register. Customers can also reload all FAREPAY cards at the BYUstore.
People can register their card and create an account online at www.farepay.rideuta.com. Registering a FAREPAY card will allow riders to check their balance, schedule automatic reloads, ensure loss and theft protection, and more.
Riding with FAREPAY
When riding a bus or FrontRunner train, UTA riders must use their FAREPAY cards to tap on before boarding and tap off when transferring or exiting the system. When riding TRAX, riders only need to tap between the first and last stations, but they don’t need to tap when transferring between TRAX lines.
People using FAREPAY cards must remember to tap off to ensure they are charged the correct amount. If riders forget to tap off on any service, they will not receive a transfer credit and will be charged for a full-length FrontRunner trip.
FAREPAY can be used on FrontRunner and TRAX trains, fixed-route and flex buses, and on the Sugar House streetcar line. FAREPAY cards cannot be used on paratransit services, which aren’t equipped with electronic card readers.
Using FAREPAY
- Activate your card at the BYUstore. There is a one-time card issuance fee of $3.
- Load the desired amount ($5 - $500) on the card at the BYUstore.
- Create a web account at farepay.rideuta.com and add your card to the account for loss and theft protection as well as for convenient account management.
- Tap card on card reader when boarding, exiting or transferring between UTA bus, TRAX, FrontRunner and street car services. When transferring between TRAX lines (i.e. Blue Line to Red Line), only tap card at first and last stations. Card readers are located inside buses near doors and at UTA rail stations.
- Remember to tap off your card so that you get charged the correct amount. If you forget to tap off, you will not receive a transfer credit, and you will be charged for the maximum FrontRunner trip ($8.50 with FAREPAY promotional).
- Use card for fare payment only after activation and when card reader has given green light. If card reader gives red light, card is not valid for fare payment and another form of payment is required.
- Present card to UTA police when asked to present proof of fare.
