It’s been over a week now since the new ConnectCard with the Butler Transit Authority has been working.
Jon Paul, Executive Director of the Butler Transit Authority, says this is a tap card. That means once the card has a money balance loaded onto it, a user taps the card on a reader at the fare box that is inside the bus. The machine will beep and the fare will be taken off the card.
Paul says each person needs to have their own card because the machines are not set up to take out two fares on one ride. So, multiple people cannot use the same card on the same ride.
The new smart card went into effect on March 1, 2016 in order to ride The Bus in the Butler area. The cards are also good elsewhere like the Mon Valley, Fayette County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
Paul said you can use the same card, without buying a new fare. The hope is that in the future, Butler would have service to Pittsburgh and that ConnectCard would also be used.
Users can obtain a card at The Bus’ terminal on East Cunningham Street. There will be no cost up until June 1, 2016. Those 65 years old and older are able to ride for free and can get a card for free to tap.
When loading the card for a ride fare, you can go to a machine on site to purchase the card with cash. At this point, there is not an option to pay with a credit card. There is an option to load up the card with the amount you would like or a pre-loaded amount.
For more details, visit www.butlertransitauthority.com.
Written By: Tracey Morgan
