U-Pass BC transition to Compass is in full swing!
May 29, 2015
U-Pass BC transition to Compass is in full swing!
May 29, 2015
On June 1, another 50,000 students say good bye to the paper U-Pass BC and hello to Compass.
Students from BCIT, Langara, SFU and UBC will start using Compass Cards to travel across Metro Vancouver—and never have to line up for a paper pass again.
Compass Card for U-Pass BC – same program, better process
With the Compass system:
- Students still get all-zone transit across Metro Vancouver and discounted West Coast Express fares
- No more waiting in line for a paper pass, students can now request their U-Pass BC online each month at upassbc.translink.ca
- Unlike paper passes, Compass for U-Pass BC helps deter fraud because cards can be unlinked if lost or stolen
Loading is easy peasy
Check out this video for all the steps!
Please tap in and tap out
- Students must tap in and tap out every time they enter or exit a bus or station, including when they transfer
- Tapping in and out provides important anonymous ridership data, so resources are placed where they’re needed most
U-Pass BC and West Coast Express
- Students without a Compass Card should use standard traditional WCE products for the month of June
- Those with a Compass Card need to load their U-Pass BC onto their Compass Card.
- To have a U-Pass BC WCE Add-On loaded onto their Compass Card, visit the WCE Office or call Compass Customer Service 604.398.2042.
- Students need to tap once they’ve loaded their WCE Monthly Pass onto their Compass Card. Until then, U-Pass BC students do not need to tap in and out on West Coast Express.
The next students to get Compass Cards are from Capilano and VCC.
Once they’re tapping on July 1, all schools will be fully converted to Compass.
Have questions? Ask away at AskCompass.ca and see our FAQ page here.
Any idea when the general public will be able to get a compass card?
Will this make it any harder for students to sell their U-pass?
Hi all, here are the responses from the Compass Team:
When can I get a card?
We expect Compass will be operational in 2016. By fall this year, we anticipate having 220,000 people using Compass Cards. We are monitoring and evaluating customer experiences and the operation of the system so we can make necessary adjustments before rolling out Compass Cards to our other customers.
Will this make it harder for students to sell their U-Pass BC?
Yes. As a discounted transit program, the requirement for students to load their U-Pass BC onto their Compass Card online every month is a safeguard that reduces the chances for fraudulent misuse and helps ensure the continuation of the U-Pass BC program.
U-Pass BC students need to use their school log-in credentials to request their pass each month and only one Compass Card can be linked to a U-Pass BC student’s account at a time. If a student loses their Compass Card or if their card is stolen, they must unlink the Compass Card right away to deactivate their card to prevent someone else from using it. The student would then get a new Compass Card and link it to their account.
Same as today, U-Pass BC is non-transferable and students need to carry valid student ID with them at all times when travelling. Enforcement personnel may ask students to produce a valid student ID along with the linked Compass Card. If a student can’t produce a valid student ID, they run the risk of getting fined.