Meet RTA’s new state-of-the-art farebox: Sometimes you dip, sometimes you swipe

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The new RTA farebox has a farecard swipe reader to speed your trip. Also, the “trim” unit has been relocated to the inside of the farebox.

The farecard “trim” slot is needed to put an expiration date and time on your farecard.

If your farecard already has a valid expiration date and time, you can use the farecard swipe slot. Monthly pass users can always swipe.

If you accidentally use the “trim” slot, your card will be processed normally. If you accidentally use the swipe slot, the farebox will say “INVALID CARD” and display the message: “INSERT INTO TRIM.”

Click here for a downloadable PDF of this information.

A state-of-the-art fare collection system is coming soon to a bus or train near you, as RTA begins a major upgrade of its fare collection system.

The new system is more efficient. It will speed up the boarding process and reduce the wait time in lines that some riders experience when boarding RTA buses and trains.

Because of the technology upgrades and a new swipe reader, the magnetic cards will have improved reliability. This should greatly reduce card failures.

What RTA is buying

This year, RTA will install new fareboxes on buses and trains. Next year, RTA will bring ticket vending machines to Red Line stations and Silver Line stations along Euclid Avenue, as well as vending kiosks at selected locations, including Tower City, where passengers will be able to purchase RTA passes. The Silver Line will be operational in late 2008.

Old system obsolete

Most of RTA’s current fare collection equipment is more than 20 years old and obsolete. Parts to repair the system are becoming harder to find and the cost of maintenance continues to grow. The new fare collection system will alleviate those maintenance costs.

“This new fare collection system will enable us to operate more efficiently, and it will save us some money,” says RTA General Manager & CEO Joe Calabrese. “This cutting-edge technology will allow us to continue to provide quality service to every customer every day.”

Proof-of-Payment

In 2008, RTA will implement a new proof-of-payment system. This system is used by many transit agencies, including those in Baltimore, Denver and St. Louis.

In Cleveland, this system will be used on the Red Line and Silver Line. Passengers will purchase their tickets before they board, thus speeding up the boarding process.

Transit Police will make random checks for those who may have not paid.

Smartcards

By 2010, RTA plans to phase in a “Smartcard” system. This will allow passengers to simply wave their farecard in front of the “Smartcard” reader on the farebox, and the fare will be deducted from the card.

“This new system is light years ahead of where we are right now,” says Calabrese.

New names

RTA is changing one of its most basic terms. “5-ride” farecards will soon be called “5-trip” farecards, because it is more accurate. The same is true for other such farecards.

Use exact change

As always, exact change must be used.

The new fareboxes provide audio and visual messages to help you know if your fare has been accepted.

The fareboxes accept all U.S. coins and currency, from pennies to $20 bills – including $1 coins. No $2 bills or foreign currency will be accepted.

Fareboxes also accept cards with magnetic stripes, whether they are pre-printed or issued by the farebox.

Using coins

The farebox accepts one coin at a time, just like most food vending machines, but the farebox accepts up to 10 items per second.

Damaged coins and foreign coins are returned to you through the Coin Return cup on the front panel of the farebox, directly below the Coin Insertion Cup.

Coins are never returned as change for an overpayment.

Coins and/or bills may be used in conjunction with other media, such as magnetic passes, to pay additional fares.

For example, if you used a Bus/Rapid farecard or pass to use Park-n-Ride service, you would pay an additional 25 cents per ride.

Using bills

After you insert a bill into the farebox, the bill is quickly examined to determine its validity and denomination.

The farebox can handle most bills subjected to normal usage, but it cannot process bills with:

• Folds that reduce the bill length by ½ inch or more
• Internal holes and tears
• Tears longer than ½ inch
• Tape or other items attached to them

Monthly Pass

On all uses, swipe.

7-Day Pass

On the first use, dip the 7-Day Pass into the “trim” slot to activate it and print the expiration date and time. After the first use, swipe.

All-Day Pass

If you purchased the All-Day Pass on-board, it has already been activated. Use the swipe reader each time you use it.

If you purchased the All-Day Pass off-board (for example, at a vending machine or the RTA Customer Service Center), dip the pass into the “trim” slot to activate it and to print the expiration date and time. After the first use, swipe.

5-trip, 2-trip, and 1-trip farecards

Dip the farecard into the “trim” slot on the first ride of each trip. If you transfer within the allowed time, use the swipe reader for your transfer ride(s).

Special Exceptions

The farebox installation will be phased in over several weeks. During this transition period, exceptions to these guidelines will occur. RTA operators and station attendants will be prepared to answer your questions.