Orange County bus services will be going paperless and introducing Wave, a new fare payment on Oct. 15.
The new fare system will consist of a Wave contactless smart card. The cost of the card is $2 when purchased from an OCTA store or online through the website. It will be $4 when purchased at a participating retail location, such as Walgreens or CVS, and the virtual card on the app is free. Cash will still be accepted for single rides, but with exact change only.
The previous payment options consisted of cash and coin onboard, magnetic stripe paper passes, and mobile tickets available through their app that were scanned on a validator. This new system allows the purchase of a card that is reloadable through credit/debit and cash payments made at an OCTA store, through a participating retailer, or the Wave app.
“The Wave card will help make riding OCTA buses and other transit services more convenient. It’s a modern upgrade that makes public transit easier, more accessible for everyone,” said Councilmember Carlos Leon when discussing the transit upgrade.
This change will impact residents all across Orange County who use the bus. Frequent rider Alberta Torres shared that she and most riders purchase $5 all-day passes because they offer unlimited rides for the entire day, as opposed to the $2 single-fare tickets, which are only valid for one single trip.
It may also impact the students who choose to carry physical passes. The Youth Ride Free pass is available to those aged 6 to 18, the Community College Pass serves all nine Orange County institutions, and the UPass serves those attending Chapman, Cal State Fullerton, or UC Irvine. While many students now use their phones to board with the app, there are still some who prefer to carry a physical pass.
Fullerton College Student Specialist Julian Ortega, who issues passes at the Fullerton College Student Center, shared that institutions are currently issuing 30-day passes. Once the new system is implemented, students will need a Wave card.
Ortega said that the college is working towards providing students with a free card. At the moment, the college pass costs vary depending on whether you purchase directly from the school or through the OCTA store.
While the new loadable card may simplify bus rides for some, other riders are still calling for more efficiency. A Reddit community dedicated to discussing public transit, titled LAMetro, has members expressing their frustration with the state’s failure to develop a contactless payment system that can be used across the state.
Residents who travel across different counties have to switch between different transit system payment methods; commuters from Los Angeles and Orange County have to switch between the TAP and Wave cards.
Not all may be content with this new system, but it may present advantages to the community. OCTA details convenience and efficiency as one of the greatest advantages of Wave, by reducing wait time of having to stand by, inserting money into the cash box and waiting for the bus driver to validate and stamp the purchased pass. It’s also durable, never expires and offers balance protection by allowing cardholders to recover their balance if the card is stolen or lost.
There will also be an inclusion of a fare cap, where once you reach a daily or monthly amount, the remaining rides are free. The fare caps are $4.50 after three rides daily and $69 for the month.
OCTA Wave goes into effect on Oct. 15.
