The state Department of Transportation has launched a contactless payment program for buses that run on River Valley Transit and CT Transit’s Meriden division routes.
The program, announced Tuesday morning, allows riders to pay the fare by tapping their credit card, debit card or mobile wallet.
The pilot program, called Tap & Ride, is a step toward modernizing public transit in Connecticut, the DOT said.
It’s funded through a U.S. Department of Transportation grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The DOT received a $2 million grant for stage one of the program and is eligible for a stage-two grant to expand it.
“Contactless payments have become a part of everyday life,” said Benjamin Limmer, the DOT’s bureau chief of public transportation. “We want our transit customers to have a quick and convenient experience when it comes to paying fares, one that doesn’t require them to have exact change or even download a mobile app.”
River Valley Transit provides bus service in Middletown, Old Saybrook and Madison.
Tap & Ride is only available on River Valley Transit fixed routes, and CT Transit’s local routes 561, 563, 564, 565, 566 and 567 in Meriden.
Only contactless-enabled Visa or Mastercard branded cards are being accepted.
For more information, visit https://portal.ct.gov/dot.
