SamTrans Day Pass Gaining Popularity

By

February 13, 2012

Frequent SamTrans bus riders can save money by taking advantage of the new Day Pass. The pass, which has been available since the first of the year, allows customers to ride all day using just one pass. Not only is the pass convenient, it also offers riders a discount over the cost of purchasing multiple single-ride tickets.

The pass, which costs three times the price of a one-way cash fare, is an attractive choice for riders who ride more than three buses during the day and is available for Youth, Eligible Discount and Local customers. SamTrans does not offer transfers.

Passengers purchase Day passes on board the bus at the farebox, which then issues the magnetic pass. On future rides the same day, customers simply “swipe” the pass at the farebox. The pass is valid until 2:00 a.m. the day after purchase.

Since the pass was first introduced, purchases and use of the pass have increased. In the first week of January SamTrans sold 131 Day passes; by the last week of the month the number of passes sold had increased to 443. The Day Pass is most frequently used on routes that travel on El Camino Real, which also see the highest ridership on the system.

The Day Pass is part of a modernization program that began last summer with the purchase and installation of new fareboxes on all SamTrans buses. SamTrans replaced its old-style mechanical fareboxes that had been in service for more than 20 years with state-of-the art models that accept cash, coins, tokens and magnetic-stripe paper tickets.

In addition to the Day Pass, the new fareboxes also have the capability to issue a Change Card to customers who do not have exact change.

Nearly 40,000 riders take SamTrans on an average weekday.

For schedule and fare information or for help planning your trip, call 1-800-660-4287 (TTY 650-508-6448) or visit www.samtrans.com.

Follow SamTrans on twitter @SamTrans_News and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/samtrans.

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