Public transit users who hold subsidized annual bus passes will soon be able to tap-to-ride in most buses across the province.
Starting September, B.C. Bus Pass users — which include low-income seniors and people on disability — will be able to tap their passes to validate their ride on buses using the Umo payment system, including in Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Campbell River and in the Comox Valley.
Passengers will no longer need to show their passes to the bus driver for validation.
The tap-to-ride function has long been enabled on Translink, which operates transit services in Metro Vancouver.
B.C. Transit said in a statement Monday that the change will help create a more universal rider experience.
It will help the agency better understand where those bus passes are being used.
Umo, B.C. Transit’s electronic fare system, debuted in Victoria in 2023 before rolling across the province.
With the Umo system, riders either tap a card or scan a phone app displaying a QR code to pay fares.
A credit and debit card option was promised but has yet to roll out.
B.C. Transit said Monday it remains a key priority but had no further updates as to when it might happen.
The $23.2-million Umo system is owned and operated by Cubic Corporation, a California-based transportation and defence company.
It replaced the old system of paper tickets and monthly passes that was brought into place during the 1990s.
B.C. Transit stopped issuing paper tickets in October 2024, but the tickets are still accepted as fare.
