If you pay cash to use the transit system, you could be in for a surprise when the Compass card launches.
The electronic, pre-paid pass will soft-launch late this spring or early summer, but Translink still hasn’t figured out how to accomodate riders who pay by coin on a bus and need to transfer to Skytrain.
Right now they’re given a paper ticket with a magnetic strip, something that’s not compatible with the new compass and faregate system.
REPORTER: is it possible then, if I’m a cash-payer I’m going to have to pay once to get on the bus, and a second time to get on Skytrain?
Translink board chair Nancy Olewiler says they’re “looking at ways to facilitate that transfer.”
“And we’re working through it right now to find a way to do it. But the goal is to ultimately get folks with their Compass card, that they’re going to treasure, and use for the whole system.”
Meantime, Translink’s Bob Paddon says they’ve yet to settle on a pricing structure for the new system.
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