Starting this month, transit passengers in Squamish and on the Squamish and Pemberton commuter services will use a new electronic system that officials say will improve fare security, reduce fare disputes and collect accurate ridership data.
The systems are among several across B.C. that are switching to the new electronic system, B.C. Transit officials said in a statement issued on Wednesday (Jan. 5).
The new machines will record data from each fare card, such as product type, boarding time, and bus route - valuable data that can be used to help determine future changes or improvements for the system.
Before the electronic fare boxes were installed, customers simply showed their valid bus pass to the bus driver as proof of payment when boarding a bus. Now, passholders will be asked to swipe their encoded pass at the fare box when boarding a bus. The method of payment remains the same for customers paying by ticket or cash.
Riders in Whistler and the Victoria area had previously used the new fare boxes. The long-range project, budgeted at $6.48 million, will outfit approximately 700 B.C. Transit vehicles with similar technology. Several other communities will switch to electronic fare boxes later in 2011, officials said.
