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Thursday September 03, 2020
Ride Metro and 25 transit agencies in L.A. County with just your iPhone and Apple Watch
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today launched the regional Transit Access Pass (TAP) card on iPhone and Apple Watch. This new and safer way to pay transit fare allows Metro and 25 TAP transit agencies in L.A. County to offer easy, contactless bus and rail fare payment to riders.
The way it works is simple. With TAP card on iPhone and Apple Watch, riders hold their device near the TAP dial upon boarding a bus or train and fare is validated immediately. There’s no need to use Face ID, Touch ID or wake the device.
“We have to eliminate barriers between our transportation system and our essential workers, front line heroes, hard-hit households, and Angelenos from every neighborhood, community, and zip code. This is always important, but even more critical in this current crisis,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti. “The new mobile TAP app makes Metro one of the first transit agencies in the country to put the power to pay your fares in the palm of your hands — tapping into our city’s innovative spirit to bring greater safety, equity, sustainability, and convenience to riders, drivers, transit operators, and anyone riding our trains and buses.”
Today’s launch makes public transit traveling easier and safer because you can now buy fare and pay for your ride using only your iPhone or Apple Watch– in just seconds. Riders can also quickly add Stored Value directly from Apple Wallet or in the TAP mobile app with Apple Pay and riders no longer have to use or touch a TAP vending machine or purchase a TAP card from a vendor.
“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this new feature offers a great option for essential workers, honors social distancing with no bus operator interaction needed by the rider and works on all TAP participating agencies, whether riders board at the front or at rear doors,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington.
“With TAP cards now available on iPhone and Apple Watch, those in Los Angeles using public transportation have a safe, secure and extremely convenient way to pay for their bus or train fare,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay. “By simply placing their Apple device near the TAP dial, Metro riders can quickly board and avoid touching vending machines — all while keeping their transaction information private.”
Adding a TAP card to your iPhone or Apple Watch is easy. Either add the card directly through Apple Wallet and load Stored Value, or download the TAP mobile app for easy account management, regional trip planning and access to all passes, including Metro Bike Share. The TAP app also supports Reduced Fare, Low Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) and cash paying customers. And, riders can transfer an existing physical TAP card to their iPhone or Apple Watch via the TAP app.
Metro’s TAP program has been working with Apple and Cubic Transportation Systems, the agency’s fare payment solutions partner, to bring an innovative “first” for fare payment in Los Angeles.
For more information, visit taptogo.net. TAP card on iPhone and Apple Watch and the new TAP app work on iPhone 8 and later and Apple Watch Series 3 and later. An Android TAP app is in the works for implementation later this year.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is currently providing lifeline service for essential trips and frontline workers. Metro continues building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan.
Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.
