Published: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Transit agencies expand passes
Meetings show how to use ORCA prepaid cards on bus, train, ferry.
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Photo courtesy of Community Transit
A all-in-one transit pass for buses, ferries and rail is ready for the broader public, after a four-month testing phase. Public meetings in the coming months are designed to explain how the ORCA Smart Card works.
Adventurous Puget Sound commuters have been leaving their cash and transfer tickets behind when they pay for bus, rail or ferry trips.
Instead, they're pulling out ORCA Smart Cards, a prepaid all-in-one pass that works across several transit agencies.
Now that transit officials have smoothed out problems for the first wave of users, they want to take the system mainstream. Public meetings to teach riders about the cards start today at Mariner park-and-ride in south Everett and continue into November.
“The last four months have been the limited rollout,” Community Transit spokesman Martin Munguia said. “We didn't want to tell everybody to rush out and get their ORCA card right away. That could crash the system.”
ORCA cards — the letters stand for One Regional Card for All — have been available since April. They work for all seven major public transportation agencies in Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap counties. That includes Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit and Washington State Ferries. They also work on Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail and Link light rail service.
The electronic payment system replaces an array of some 300 various passes, tickets and transfers. About 100,000 cards have been issued and now account for about 8 percent of the 500,000 average daily trips in the region, Munguia said.
ORCA cards are available at Everett Station and at the Lynnwood Transit Center. Some riders got them through employers, with more businesses expected to switch over every month.
Glitches so far have included a 24- to 48-hour lag time after adding time to cards on the Internet. Riders often buy the time at night and are surprised that the card doesn't work the next morning.
Another problem has been cards not working unless they are used at least once within the first month. Riders should use the card right away, Munguia said, before stashing them.
There's a big incentive for riders to switch by Jan. 1. Community Transit plans to stop issuing paper transfers after that date, though they would still get a free transfer with the ORCA card. Riders without the cards will have to pay another fare every time they get on a bus.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
All about ORCA
Transit officials offer several chances to learn how to use ORCA Smart Card passes: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, Mariner park-and-ride, 13132 Fourth Ave. W., Everett; 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 30, Snohomish Library, 311 Maple Ave., Snohomish; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 21, Ash Way park-and-ride, 16327 Ash Way, Lynnwood; noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 4, Stanwood Library, 9701 271st St. NW, Stanwood
Meetings for seniors: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 24, South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave., Edmonds; 8 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17, East County Senior Center, 276 Sky River Parkway, Monroe.
For more information, go to www.communitytransit.org, www.orcacard.com; call 888-988-6722 (ORCA), TTY Relay 711 or 888-889-6368. Community Transit staff also plans to teach riders about the cards during regular bus service.
Instead, they're pulling out ORCA Smart Cards, a prepaid all-in-one pass that works across several transit agencies.
Now that transit officials have smoothed out problems for the first wave of users, they want to take the system mainstream. Public meetings to teach riders about the cards start today at Mariner park-and-ride in south Everett and continue into November.
“The last four months have been the limited rollout,” Community Transit spokesman Martin Munguia said. “We didn't want to tell everybody to rush out and get their ORCA card right away. That could crash the system.”
ORCA cards — the letters stand for One Regional Card for All — have been available since April. They work for all seven major public transportation agencies in Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap counties. That includes Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit and Washington State Ferries. They also work on Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail and Link light rail service.
The electronic payment system replaces an array of some 300 various passes, tickets and transfers. About 100,000 cards have been issued and now account for about 8 percent of the 500,000 average daily trips in the region, Munguia said.
ORCA cards are available at Everett Station and at the Lynnwood Transit Center. Some riders got them through employers, with more businesses expected to switch over every month.
Glitches so far have included a 24- to 48-hour lag time after adding time to cards on the Internet. Riders often buy the time at night and are surprised that the card doesn't work the next morning.
Another problem has been cards not working unless they are used at least once within the first month. Riders should use the card right away, Munguia said, before stashing them.
There's a big incentive for riders to switch by Jan. 1. Community Transit plans to stop issuing paper transfers after that date, though they would still get a free transfer with the ORCA card. Riders without the cards will have to pay another fare every time they get on a bus.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
All about ORCA
Transit officials offer several chances to learn how to use ORCA Smart Card passes: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, Mariner park-and-ride, 13132 Fourth Ave. W., Everett; 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 30, Snohomish Library, 311 Maple Ave., Snohomish; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 21, Ash Way park-and-ride, 16327 Ash Way, Lynnwood; noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 4, Stanwood Library, 9701 271st St. NW, Stanwood
Meetings for seniors: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 24, South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave., Edmonds; 8 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17, East County Senior Center, 276 Sky River Parkway, Monroe.
For more information, go to www.communitytransit.org, www.orcacard.com; call 888-988-6722 (ORCA), TTY Relay 711 or 888-889-6368. Community Transit staff also plans to teach riders about the cards during regular bus service.
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