OAKLAND (CBS SF) – A new COVID-era app, enables touchless pay for riders on AC Transit.
The new Beta AC Transit Mobile App eliminates the need to touch fareboxes, money, lines through a ‘secure contactless payment’ feature.
The new app launched Monday and will be remain beta mode for 90 days to allow its engineering teem to fine-tune its “performance, predictive accuracy, and scalability,” said AC Transit in a press release.
Riders can use the app to buy “tickets,” and, with a tap on their phone, activate a Mobile Pass, show it to the bus driver and proceed onboard.
The transportation agency resumed fare collection Monday, after it stopped taking fares in late March due to the pandemic, and says has been losing $1 million in revenue every week.
“We employed considerable research, including COVID-19 studies on the importance of hand hygiene,” said AC Transit. “Some public health guidance recommends limited touching of surfaces. Other research reveals that rider health concerns extend to handling cash.”
For more information on AC Transit’s beta Mobile App visit actransit.org.
