SacRT will implement starting next year a discount (50%) for veterans via the Cal-ITP benefits program and Tap2Ride. It is not clear when the new Tap2Ride (Cal-ITP) readers will be installed on buses and light rail platforms (there will be no readers on the old or new light rail cars), but SacRT is already encouraging signup.

Sign-ups for discount programs are through the Cal-ITP Benefits program. At this time, it appears that SacRT is offering ‘older adults’ (senior, 65 years and older) and veterans options. The SacRT’s New Tap2Ride Contactless Payment System and Veterans Discount Fare Pilot Program Launching Soon page touts the veterans discount, but not the senior discount. It isn’t known whether the senior will be implemented at the same time, or at some later time.

The benefits program in turn uses login.gov, a universal login for federal government websites, and Littlepay, a processor for contactless credit cards. Dan signed up for the ‘older adult’ program, successfully, but since the new readers have not been installed, it is not of any use yet. Dan’s initial signup with Monterey Salinas Transit (MST) took about 20 minutes, plus some wait time for verification, and the addition of SacRT ‘old adult’ took about two minutes. MST is offering the same 50% discount to disabled riders, but using their own Courtesy Card program to qualify rather than a Cal-ITP program. Santa Barbara MTD at this time offers ‘older adult’ and ‘reduced fare mobility ID’ options, with the SBMTD card being similar to SacRT Disabled Cards. At this time, Cal-ITP does not offer a direct pathway for disabled people. SacRT would have to develop (or copy) a method of integrating disabled qualification into the Tap2Ride program. The credit card(s) to be used must be entered separately for each transit agency.

As mentioned previously (low income fares for SacRT?, SacRT and Cal-ITP), Cal-ITP is now offering a low-income benefit for CalFresh participants, but SacRT is not participating in that benefit at this time. The number of people who qualify for veterans and senior benefits is probably a small portion of SacRT riders, but low-income would be significant numbers, and SacRT may be reluctant to forgo that fare income.

From the Cal-ITP newsletter: “We’re excited to share that we have secured production access to the CalFresh Confirm API. Our low-income enrollment pathway for CalFresh cardholders is now LIVE and available to any agency using the Benefits app. It offers a turn-key benefit option for agencies that want to support digital eligibility checks and enrollment for transit riders that are currently enrolled in CalFresh.“

• Cal-ITP
• Tap2Ride