UPDATE: Beginning November 25, $2 fee added to Day Passes sold without a Compass Card on MTS Buses; MTS continues campaign to issue Compass Cards to riders
San Diego, CA –Beginning Sunday, November 25, a $2 fee will be added to the cost of a $5 Day Pass sold to passengers without a Compass Card on MTS buses. To help passengers, MTS will extend its 11-week outreach campaign to provide Compass Cards to riders.
MTS has already converted all ticket machines at Trolley stations to sell Compass Cards. Passengers without Compass Cards buying Day Passes at ticket machines pay an additional $2 fee to receive a Compass Card. These cards can then be reloaded in the future by paying just $5 for the Day Pass. The cards can also be used for other adult fare products.
Buses do not have equipment to issue Compass Cards. Passengers can purchase an empty $2 Compass Card at any Albertsons store or at the MTS Transit Store, located at First and Broadway in downtown San Diego. These cards can be loaded with Day Passes on bus fare boxes for just $5.
If a passenger boards a bus without a Compass Card, a total of $7 will be charged for the Day Pass and the paper ticket. A rider can exchange a paper pass for a Day Pass on a Compass Card at The Transit Store. The paper Day Pass exchanged must be valid for that day.
The final phase to convert all paper passes to Compass Cards ends Saturday, November 24th. For the last 11 weeks, MTS has been providing free Compass Cards to passengers with purchase or exchange of a Day Pass throughout its service territory.
On Friday, November 23rd and Saturday, November 24th, MTS Ambassadors will be at the following stations from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.
- 12th & Imperial
- City College
- El Cajon
- Euclid Avenue
- Fashion Valley
- Iris Avenue
- Old Town (west side busy bays)
The conversion of Day Pass to Compass Card was necessary to prevent the fraudulent resale of paper tickets. Third parties were collecting Day Passes from customers and reselling them illegally.
“Compass Cards have many advantages for our customers,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of MTS. “The greater flexibility, combined with our ability to better prevent fraud and counterfeiting, enables us to keep fares low for all passengers.”
Conversion to Compass Cards began in 2009 with monthly pass holders. A plastic Compass Card lasts about five years and can provide riders the flexibility in reloading their passes automatically, on-line, over the phone, at all Albertsons locations and at Trolley ticket machines. Compass Cards can also be registered to protect value if lost or stolen. For more information on Day Pass on Compass Card visit www.sdmts.com/marketing/daypassoncompass.asp.
MTS carries 300,000 riders a day on more than 90 bus routes and three Trolley lines. For more information on how to use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.
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