RTS Go Fare System: Mitigations for Low-Income Customers

En español (.pdf)

The Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) requires RTS to apply environmental justice criteria to the new RTS Go fare collection system. To achieve environmental justice, RTS seeks to reduce adverse effects for low-income customers* without credit cards or bank accounts through the following actions: (1) educating all customers; (2) giving all customers four cash options; (3) keeping the ticket vending machines in the same locations; (4) waiving fees; and (5) accepting all types of passes until December 31, 2020.

1. We are providing educational materials. We explain how to use cash to pay the fare in the RTS Go system, how to add cash value to an RTS Go card, and how to use the RTS Go card to get the cheapest fare. The RTS Go card works like an All-Day pass after three or more rides on the same day. The information is available on myRTS.com, on board the buses, in the electronic newsletter, and inside the RTS Transit Center.

2. We are giving customers four options to use cash. You can use cash to: 

• Pay for a single ride at the farebox. 
• Buy an All-Day Pass at the farebox. 
• Buy a single ride at a ticket vending machine. 
• Add value to an RTS Go card through a ticket vending machine.

3. We are keeping the ticket vending machines in the same locations. The machines remain at the RTS Transit Center and RTS Administration Building lobby.

4. We are waiving fees. A new RTS Go card includes a charge of $2 for the smartcard technology. We will waive the fee from July 15 to October 15, 2020. After October 15, we will waive the fee whenever you purchase a new RTS Go card and put a value of $20 or more on it.

5. We are accepting all valid passes until the end of the calendar year. You can continue to use your existing Tap & Go! or On-Board Issue Change cards in the new system until December 31, 2020.

* Low-income customers have a family income below the poverty guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services.