Calgary Transit to test mobile ticketing system during summer pilot

Calgary Transit is introducing a brand new mobile ticketing system, but only 200 Calgarians will have the chance to try it out.

The pilot program will run for 90 days throughout the summer on four transit routes: Route 4 — Huntington; Route 38 — Brentwood/Temple; Route 149 — Point Trotter; and Route 150 — 114 Avenue SE.

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The city chose these routes because “they provide service across the city and to a variety of demographic groups of riders,” according to Calgary Transit’s website.

Calgarians who are hoping to participate in the pilot program can sign up on the My Fare web page, though must meet the following requirements:

• Be regular riders of route 4, 38, 149, or 150
• Ride the routes a minimum of three days per week, which could include peak hours or non-peak hours and weekends (on Route 4 or 38)
• Agree to participate for the full 90 days of the pilot
• Be willing to give feedback online at the end of each month and in person at the end of the 90 days
• Have a smartphone (iOS or Android)
• Be willing to download the app onto their smartphone and create an account, including payment information
• Have a credit card to pay online (this could include a standard credit card, VISA debit card, debit Mastercard, or pre-paid credit card)
• Be willing to pay for a pass using the app
• Use the app to purchase regular tickets, day passes, and/or a monthly pass during the 90-day pilot
• Provide contact information and permission for Calgary Transit to contact them throughout the 90 days of the pilot
• Be 18 years or older, or have a parent or guardian’s permission to participate
• Be willing to come to a Calgary Transit location at the end of each month in the pilot to pick up a hard-copy Transit participant card
• Agree to the pilot’s terms and conditions

Those who are chosen to participate will be able to ride on those four routes using just their mobile phone to pay for and validate their tickets.

Buses along these routes will feature new validators that will be able to scan bar codes created within the app, replacing the regular paper tickets that Calgary Transit riders have become accustomed to.

No worries for those of you who enjoy the old-school paper ticket, because the site notes that, even if the pilot is a success and the validators are installed on all transit vehicles — a rollout that is planned for mid-2020 — Calgary Transit will keep cash payments and paper tickets as an option.

“Calgary Transit is always looking for ways to improve the customer experience, including making paying for transit easier,” said Chris Jordan, manager of service design for Calgary Transit, in a release.

“Our goal is to provide a reliable, secure, and convenient option for our riders to buy and display their transit fare.”

The pilot program is expected to run from late June to late September.