The city is in the process of replacing all of its GOVA Transit fare boxes, and plans on having all 60 replaced by the end of January.
Although the new fare boxes will be in place within weeks, their full range of features won’t be available until closer to the end of the year.
For the time being, the new fare boxes will deliver status-quo payment processes for passengers.
By autumn of this year, however, their full slate of features are anticipated to be available.
This includes the introduction of a mobile app and smart card for riders to replace the current paper ride cards. The mobile app would allow users to recharge their cards with money online.
Passengers will also be offered “simplified, accessible payment options,” the city noted in a media release, which is aimed at “reducing wait times during boarding and enhancing the overall rider experience.”
The new features will complement users’ continued ability to pay using coins and cash.
In a report presented to city council members last year, benefits to the new fare boxes were listed as:
- Eliminating the need to print and distribute tickets, passes and transfers, thereby reducing fare collection costs
- Reduces incidents of fare evasion
- Reduced boarding times
- Tracking of smart card use through embedded serial numbers (improved data)
- Flexibility in fare pricing
- Ease of implementing fare changes
Last year, city council approved a single-source contract with Quebec-based Garival for the purchase of 60 fare boxes and associated technology for a total project cost of $2,164,500. Of this, approximately 73.3 per cent is covered by the federal and provincial governments, and the remaining $577,272 municipal portion is being funded by the provincial gas tax allocation.