san francisco

TransLink® Approaches Regionwide Rollout
Nov. 3, 2006
The TransLink system is now ready for use by Bay Area transit riders on all AC Transit and Dumbarton Express buses and all Golden Gate Transit and Ferry routes. Within the next few weeks, AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry will begin recruiting several hundred of their passengers to use TransLink® cards and to troubleshoot the high-tech fare payment system. This “pre-launch” initiative will allow regular customers to help identify and resolve any issues. This will help ensure trouble-free operation when AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry begin full-scale promotion of the TransLink system in early 2007.

TransLink is the new, more convenient way to pay for transit in the Bay Area. With a single reloadable TransLink smart card, riders will:

no longer need to go to the store or stand in line to buy a transit pass or ticket book
take transit without worrying about having exact change or carrying paper passes or tickets
benefit from the security of card and balance replacement if their TransLink card is lost or stolen
skip the hassle of dealing with paper transfers
get on the bus, train or ferry faster
The new fare payment system is a joint effort of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit, Muni, SamTrans, Santa Clara VTA and all other Bay Area transit agencies.

How TransLink® Works
The credit card-sized TransLink card stores value in the form of electronic cash (e-cash) and transit passes. To pay a fare, a rider simply “tags” the card by touching it to one of the card readers installed on buses or at the entrance to transit stations or terminals and—in an instant—the card reader automatically deducts the correct fare and applies any appropriate discounts, including transfers. Transit riders will never again have to fumble for exact change or juggle multiple passes and tickets.

Convenience and security are key benefits
Designed to make it easier to pay for transit, TransLink provides several convenient options for getting a card and loading value onto it. Customers can order TransLink cards—and add value to them—online, by phone or by mail, or pick up a card at participating retail locations and transit agency ticket offices. Customers also can add value at self-serve Add Value Machines located in transit stations, or through an employee transit benefit program (such as Commuter Check®).

With TransLink’s convenient Autoload feature, customers can even set up their cards to reload automatically using a secure funds transfer from a bank account or credit card. The TransLink card is free for customers who set up Autoload, or just $5 without Autoload.

TransLink also provides financial protection. Today, if customers lose their cash fare or paper transit passes or tickets they cannot replace the money they’ve lost. But with TransLink, customers with registered cards are eligible for card replacement and balance restoration for a small fee in the event of card theft or loss.

Where can transit riders get a TransLink card?
TransLink cards are available online at www.translink.org, at many retail locations and transit agency ticket offices, or by calling the TransLink Customer Service Center at 1-877-878-8883.