Contactless transit fare payment options coming soon to Sault Transit
Monday, June 5, 2023
The City of Sault Ste. Marie is pleased to announce a new contactless fare payment option coming soon to Sault Transit Services.
Cubic Transportation System will deliver the
Umo mobility platform, improving convenience and access to public transit by embracing contactless fare technology. The Umo mobility platform facilitates payments with smart cards and mobile devices, including multi-ride tickets and pass products that are securely validated using QR code technology.
“We are pleased to provide our community with a contactless fare payment option for Transit Services,” said Brent Lamming, Director of Community Services. “Contactless fare payments are an important aspect of improving the customer experience and making transit more appealing and convenient. By implementing this system, we will significantly enhance the customer experience for transit riders in Sault Ste. Marie.”
New onboard bus pass validators and fareboxes will be installed onto conventional and paratransit City buses in the coming weeks. Adoption of contactless payment methods will help improve customer convenience and satisfaction, reduce maintenance costs, and provide valuable data to better inform service planning and delivery.
“With this new partnership, we’re bringing the ease and convenience of contactless payments to the people of Sault Ste. Marie in the Province of Ontario,” said Matt Newsome, SVP & GM, Americas, Cubic. “Payment flexibility and accessibility are essential to public transit, and this opportunity truly helps us deliver that to the riders of Sault Ste. Marie.”
The bus pass validators will be activated at the end of June and at that time, passengers will be able to purchase bus pass fares on their mobile device, via passenger web portals, at the Transit Terminal and at 111 Huron Street. Then, upon boarding the bus, passengers will be able to tap their smart card or mobile phone. Cash payment will remain an option. Throughout the transition, current Sault Ste. Marie bus passes will be valid until the expiry date of the current pass, at which time passengers will purchase a new pass compatible with the Umo system.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Umo Transit Fare Collection System project is being funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) with contributions from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. Information will be shared with the community as the project progresses. For more information, visit
saultstemarie.ca/umo or contact Transit Services at 705-759-5438.