Connect Transit to move to electronic fare system

Posted on May 11, 2016

Connect Transit will implement an electronic fare system starting June 3. (WJBC file photo)

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – Connect Transit has announced plans to install electronic fare boxes on all Connect Transit buses by June 3.

Transit officials say the collection boxes will be able to provide Connect Transit with more accurate ridership data such as passenger boarding and length of trip. Once Connect Transit moves to this electronic fare collection system, buses will no longer accept bus tokens as a payment option.

All buses in the Connect Transit fleet will still be able to accept cash, the new magnetic stripe cards and Connect Transit issued bus passes as forms of payment.

The Connect Transit office and vendor locations around Bloomington-Normal have stopped selling bus tokens. Anyone using tokens as bus fare may do so until June 3. Riders who have purchased May 2016 Monthly Fast Passes will be able to use these passes until June 3, when then new magnetic stripe passes become effective.

If a refund for unused tokens is needed, Connect Transit will issue credit in the form of passes equivalent to the dollar amount of all returned tokens. In order to receive a full refund, all tokens must be returned to the Connect Transit office located at 351 Wylie Drive, Normal between June 6 and Sept. 1.

For more information on Connect Transit bus services, call Connect Transit at 828-9833 or log on at www.connect-transit.com.

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