Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) is eliminating paper tickets and passes.
The transfer comes as ETS continues its rollout of Arc, the regional digital fare cost system. Since 2022, the service has been rolling out Arc in stages to totally different fare teams to supply riders time to transition from the normal ETS fare merchandise to Arc.
Beginning on Nov. 9, ETS paper passes and tickets will not be accessible for buy.
“As Arc is now accessible to all ETS riders, we’re approaching the subsequent stage in modernizing how riders pay their transit fare within the Edmonton area, which is the discontinuation of gross sales of ETS paper tickets and passes,” mentioned Sarah Feldman, director of transit planning, ridership and income with ETS.
“We perceive Arc is a giant change for riders, particularly since ETS paper merchandise have been round for a very long time.”
With Arc, transit customers can load cash onto their playing cards utilizing a bank card, debit card or money. Riders can load cash onto their Arc playing cards on-line, by cellphone, at an Arc merchandising machine or at an in-person service centre or retail outlet.
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“Since Arc playing cards are pay-as-you-go, riders not have to pay upfront for a paper move or a pack of tickets, they pay for transit as they use it,” Feldman mentioned. “Each day and month-to-month fare caps guarantee riders won’t pay greater than they might with their paper day move or month-to-month move.”
Transit customers who don’t use ETS all that always have the choice of shopping for 90-minute or 24-hour Arc tickets, moderately than an Arc card. The tickets work the identical manner as a card and can be utilized to faucet on and faucet off transit.
Money fares will proceed to be accepted on buses, in keeping with Feldman.
“Nonetheless, if riders do determine to purchase an Arc card, they will load the cardboard with cash as they want it, so there isn’t any have to buy particular person Arc tickets or monitor down actual change every time they use transit,” Feldman mentioned.
Subsequent yr, ETS will launch a multi-day Arc move, which Feldman mentioned is aimed toward weekend or occasional riders.
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