BC Transit to launch tap fare system with Victoria pilot in 2022
BC Transit has announced plans to eventually bring touchless, electronic fare collection to buses across the province.
The new system, called Umo – pronounced "you-mo" – will allow riders to pay for trips with a reloadable smart card, mobile app, debit card, credit card, or mobile wallet.
Cash will continue to be accepted after the new system is implemented over the coming years, BC Transit said Tuesday.
The Umo system will be rolled out in two phases, with the first phase adding tap payments through reloadable smart cards and the mobile app. The second phase will include electronic payments through credit cards, debit cards and mobile wallets.
BC Transit said the Victoria Regional Transit System will be the first region to implement the new technology. A pilot program for the Umo system will launch in the Greater Victoria area by fall 2022.
"Modernization initiatives like this are important as we look to rebuild ridership to pre-pandemic levels and grow our public transportation system in the years to come," said B.C. Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming in a statement Wednesday.
"With the use of cash in sharp decline everywhere, efficient and convenient electronic fare payment options are the way of the future," he said.
Once fully implemented, payments through the Umo system can be used across the BC Transit system.
The operator says the electronic payment system will also improve service, since bus drivers will no longer need to validate physical tickets and handle bus fare as often as they currently do.
BC Transit expects that cleanliness will also improve because the farebox will be a less frequently used touchpoint.
The roughly $23.2-million electric fare system is being funded through the federal government, which is contributing 50 per cent of project costs, the provincial government, which is providing 40 per cent, and local government partners, which are contributing 10 per cent of project costs.
The Umo system will be implemented by Cubic Transportation Systems, which operates the TransLink Compass Card network in Metro Vancouver.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city, marking the first franchise in Canada
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.