San Diego MTS, NCTD make contactless payment options available

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) have invested in a new payment feature that will allow passengers to tap and pay directly on a fare validator with a credit card or other mobile payment option.

Contactless payment options are available on San Diego MTS buses and Trolleys and NCTD COASTER, SPRINTER, FLEX and BREEZE services.

With contactless payment, riders can pay their fare with the direct tap of a debit or credit card or other contactless payment options, such as a smartphone or smartwatch, on fare validators system wide. This means riders can bypass ticket vending machines and bus fareboxes and pay directly on the fare validator.

“Contactless payment is great for riders on the go,” said Stephen Whitburn, San Diego MTS Board chair and San Diego City District 3 councilmember. “It’s fast and simple. Being able to just tap a credit card makes taking transit easier. Contactless payment is a great example of how we are making the transit system a more convenient option for residents to get around town.”

“This new feature expands payment options for riders to improve the convenience of taking transit,” said Jewel Edson, NCTD board chair and Solana Beach deputy mayor. “We hope folks heading to a Padres game, concert or out to dinner will choose transit and enjoy the simplicity of Contactless Payment.”

“Advocating for a contactless payment option has been a top priority for RideSD for the last two years,” said Connor Proctor, vice president of RideSD. “I’d like to thank the team at RideSD for their advocacy for this solution. Together with our transit operators, we are making the transit system more accessible for everyone. Contactless payment will be a great asset for transit riders for many years to come.”

San Diego MTS notes a recent Mastercard Contactless Consumer poll reveals that more than half (51 percent) of Americans are now using some form of contactless payment. As contactless payment options continue to grow in popularity, they offer an easy way to pay for transit fares on San Diego MTS buses and Trolleys and NCTD services, in no time – processing payments within 500 milliseconds so that riders can board quickly. 

Additionally, fares paid through contactless payment methods are eligible for free transfers during the two-hour period on most modes after the first boarding time. Each passenger will be required to pay their fare with a unique payment method, as each method can only be used for one rider at a time.