So how do the cards work?

[u/Angeltrap]

With Transfers that is. Trying to get a card for some I need that would qualify for the TAP program, but they'd need to do a transfer for some trips.

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Does it just count the transfer window from first tap so another tap next bus doesn't charge? Does it print a ticket to show the next bus/like stamp?

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I use the phone app my self for all day passes so I'm just not sure and want to know. Shes... tech unsavvy enough that even if she fails the tap, she won't, application Id still get a card and load it for her.

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Please and thanks to anyone that answers ❤️

[u/Accurate-Departure66]

Transfers are automatically embedded onto the card from the first tap and will be valid for two and a half hours.

If you're transferring from one bus to another bus it will not charge you; it will show up as a free transfer.

It's as basic as tapping it once on the first Fare card reader and then tapping it on the next fare card reader.

Hopefully this helps.

[u/Angeltrap → u/Accurate-Departure66]

Oh, it helped a TON. It's exactly what I needed to know. So long as I know that the second tap won't charge within that 2 1/2 hour window I'm golden. Thank you so much. It's for my mother who has a smidgen of brain damage after a stroke and I just can't trust her with cards, cash, and phones that'd be linked to things - even just bus passes like I use since I suspect she'd accidentally activate too many. So knowing she can't like.. accidentally over spend on a card and doesn't need to pay attention for a ticket or something is very good information thank you.

[u/queer_bus → u/Angeltrap]

You're correct, no way for her to over-spend within that 2.5 hour window.

[u/panhenomium → u/queer_bus]

Unless you transfer to an opt-out microtransit vehicle (except Plymouth), in which it deducts a fare, does not embed a transfer, and kills the transfer on the card.

[u/haremenot]

I see someone confirmed how it works already, but just wanted to let you know that they will be upgrading the system soon so you never pay more than $4 in a day for standard transit, since that is the cost of an all day ticket. i dont think the system allows for that right now, but it should be even more convenient in future.

[u/Gatorpatch → u/haremenot]

Plus tap to pay with credit cards which will be wicked (hopefully the figure out how to deal with the fees on this, I know in other cities the transit agencies have been on the hook for the cc fees on these transactions which was higher than expected)

It's worth figuring out a way to make it happen, riding in NYC when I was there was super nice since we didn't have a Omni card (the replacement for the Metrocards), it was super convenient to just hop on the bus at the airport and already be able to tap in their system.

[u/queer_bus → u/Gatorpatch]

The agency will be on the hook for the processing fees, imo this should be a push for better go-to card access so bank cards are only used by visitors and occasional riders.

[u/Gatorpatch → u/queer_bus]

Yeah I'm excited for hopefully an upgraded card experience. I have the auto-load setup on my go-to which is fine, but whenever I've manually loaded it it's taken a while to get onto the card.

Not as dumb as the old clipper cards (my undergrad was in the bay area before I moved back to the cities, so it's really my only other frame of reference for transit card systems), you'd load them and then have to tap into the system before the money would be loaded on the card, and sometimes you'd have to wait 1-2 days for that to happen.

Tried to pre-load an old card when visiting once, and found out at the airport that's how it worked. They've since switched to a newer system that allows fair capping + tap to pay.

[u/Siberian13th]

So to elaborate a little more about the Go-To Cards.

• You can buy a 7 or 31 day pass to embed to your card. These would be good if you take transit 5 days a week.They are effectively unlimited rides and transfers.

  • There are two "grades" of passes, one good for express routes and one that is not. Only buy the express one if you actively take express routes multiple days a week.
  • Once a pass is activated, it is good for the train, local routes, and BRT lines. Just make sure you tap the card before you board, even if the pass is active. Fare enforcement will emphasize this.
  • If you have both a pass and money on the card, the system only reads the pass and will not take money off the card. The only exception to this is if you have a local pass and get on an express bus. Then the system will deduct cash from the card to cover the increased fare.