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
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca