Hello Interac Debit! TransLink’s new way to tap into transit
Hello Interac Debit! TransLink’s new way to tap into transit
Are you tired of fumbling for change or spending time purchasing Compass Tickets at the Compass Vending Machine? Well, commuters in Metro Vancouver can now use their contactless Interac Debit card to tap into the transit system at Compass fare gates at SkyTrain stations and SeaBus terminals, as well as readers at West Coast Express stations and onboard buses. This makes TransLink the first transit agency in Canada to fully integrate contactless Interac Debit payments systemwide.
How it works: Simply tap your contactless Interact Debit card or mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay) on the reader to pay an adult cash fare.
Why it matters: This further removes barriers and increases access to transit by allowing customers to pay for transit more easily without having to use an in-station Compass Vending Machine or having to pre-load a Compass product with Stored Value.
Zoom out: Interac Debit joins Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards and mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay) as available contactless payment options for customers.
Yes, but: Don’t forget regardless of how you choose to pay, always tap your card and not your wallet, to avoid card clash. This can happen when you keep multiple payment types close to each other, often in a wallet or a phone case. The Compass system doesn’t always detect which card you’re intending to pay with which can lead to an error message on the screen, or one payment method may be charged when you tap in and another one when you tap out. Remove your credit or debit card from your wallet or phone case before you tap.
What they’re saying:
- “We’re focused on making transit more convenient for customers and this upgrade will particularly benefit those who may not have easy access to a credit card. We were the first transit agency in the country to implement contactless credit card payments, and we’re proud to be the first transit system in Canada to implement contactless Interac Debit payments systemwide as well,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn.
- “When transit authorities add Interac Debit to their networks, they are offering riders a form of payment that almost 30 million Canadians already use for day-to-day purchases. Tap to Pay offers riders a convenient way to pay their fares directly with Interac Debit, without having to pre-purchase a separate transit card. Our recent survey data showed us that 85 per cent of British Columbians agreed that paying for transit should be as easy as buying a cup of coffee. Today’s announcement helps to make that a reality,” says William Keliehor, Chief Commercial Officer, Interac Corp.
By the numbers: Regional data from participants of a recent Interac Canada-wide survey found that a growing number of British Columbians want more convenient contactless payment options for transit:
- 66 per cent see debit as a convenient way to pay for transit.
- 64 per cent claimed that tap payments would save time when paying fares.
- 56 per cent would be interested in using debit or credit cards to pay for their trips if they had the option.
- 69 per cent believe it would be easier for visitors to pay for transit using their bank card as opposed to tickets, tokens, or passes.
The bottom line: Gear up and get ready for a smooth and convenient transit experience. With Interac, your journey on transit is as easy as a tap of your debit card!
Learn more: Visit translink.ca/taptopay.
Yes, but: when a debit card is tapped on a COMPASS card reader, TransLink’s system has no way of knowing who that card belongs to, so it can’t apply discounted fares. Wouldn’t a senior who uses Interac to pay a transit fare actually be overcharging themselves ?
Yes, good question Gary, as a senior myself I was wondering the same thing, how does one access the discounts using the interac system?
If I use a credit card or debit card, how do I pay for the different transit zones? Do I tap out with my debit card similar to the Compass card system. The specific procedure is not mentioned in the announcement. You’re going to get a lot of complaints about full 3 zone payments for 1 and 2 zone fares if you are not clear with the instructions. Just saying!!
Yes, this is my question as well. I am a senior and I pay a discounted fare with Compass. It is no good for me because I will be charged the full adult fare.
Hey there! Great question. Interac tap to pay is meant to complement our existing fare payment methods, not replace. So yes, Compass Card users do receive a discounted fare for travel, so in many cases existing customers will likely continue to use their Compass Card with Stored Value or a pass product to continue to get the discount. However for many customers, travelling with an Interac card or other credit card may be most beneficial for them. Hope this helps! :)
Good!
we can a debit card tapped on a compass card reader. so it can not apply discount fares. I look forward to your next post. The Posting Here
I’m looking forward to using this new feature, it’s going to make my bus trips a lot easier, I don’t want to miss the bus schedule because I’m late.
Will it know that I use the Concession Compass Card?
No it won’t.they left that information out of this publication. Use debit or credit card you won’t get Compass discount as machine doesn’t know that info.
So let get this straight… After hundreds of millions wasted to “upgrade” the transit payment system to use the proprietary compass card system and the corresponding vending machines instead of a simple visa/debit terminals that everyone uses everywhere we are now presented with a “new feature” (that we should’ve had from the beginning) to pay with debit. HAHAHAHA ? If you let a government Crown corporation to manage the Sahara desert in 5 years there will be a shortage of sand. ?
Transit systems worldwide – including privately-owned ones in for example Japan – have moved to similar proprietary payment cards. Deriding Translink for having done exactly the same and characterising it as a “waste” is just you being ugly. Don’t we have enough ugly already?
The fact that this is the only transit system in Canada to date to support Interac should be a hint that it took some engineering to make it work. It would have been great if we had it from the beginning but not if it meant that there was a delay in deploying the Compass card system.
Putting “new feature” in scare quotes doesn’t change the fact that it’s a new feature that many riders – particularly casual ones – will find useful.
Question, what about the seniors if you tap your debit card I wouldn’t know that you should be charged a senior rate about working on seniors paying no fee. It’s pretty hard when you’re senior like my mom that’s 85 years old going blind hard time walk to stand there all the time and look for change look for her card Getting on the bus, so how about making it much easier for seniors and stop charging them …. riding free program for seniors……
Hi Tina!
Great question. Customers who tap their Interac card will be charged a regular adult cash fare. Interac tap to pay is meant to complement our existing fare payment methods, not replace. So in many cases existing customers may be best suited to continue using their Compass Card with Stored Value or a pass product. Hope this helps! :)
yes, as it has been in the UK for at least the last 7 or so years. now being rolled out in many other transit systems in europe and us and ? – none can yet read a person’s birthdate from their interac card, so concession fares limited to compass card until most of us use smrtfone apps which can provide such data to the transit system’s card reading software. the time will come but likely not for 13 years or so. peace. patience.
I guess you were not aware that the card readers already could read your debit cards and that’s exactly why you were not supposed to tap your wallet on the reader. Your logic is based on false assumptions… there is actually NOTHING NEW here. The only thing NEW is that this form of payment has been made official.
Compass users get a small discount which will not apply if using debit or credit card. Seniors use Compass so might want to think about that. Nowhere was this printed in this article. Big oversight
I would like to know what about the regular buses that come by my place is that in the future to come ?
If I pay with my Interac card, do I ask for a transfer like I do when I pay cash? Otherwise, if I then take another bus to my destination, wouldn’t I have to pay again?
Yes you will. I phoned Transit and asked.
What about proof of fare payment. I assume that fare enforcement will continue?? How do transit police check if I tapped to pay fare? Is there proof of payment issued or can the police request my debit or credit card to check for recent transaction? Do I have to present it to a transit police request?
By the sounds of it I will be giving an adult fare(even though I’m a senior)everytime I swipe my bank card. Being on a fixed income I’ll keep my truck as I feel safer in that than a vehicle full of dangerous people who want my wallet.
99% of the people in that vehicle will gladly kick the ass of the 1% who want your wallet.
Just use your compass card. As debit and credit cards don’t give the discount of compass card. Yes you pay a bus fare too after the train so compass you don’t.
It would be much simpler and much cheaper to simply charge based on the distance travelled with Visa/Debit from the beginning, just like the BART system in San Francisco and simply mail/give prepaid visa debit cards to concession customers.
Is TransLink doing away with our compass card? is going to be one fare for All ??seniors ?students? Please explain how the terminals are going read a debit card if a senior or students?
Yes – I am a senior and it sounds as though the default will be adult fare not concession of any kind. It still makes it nice in case I forget my compass card or am moving fast – in a pinch this is still helpful for seniors and young people.
This sucks. Having to fiddle with my wallet to get compass card out, to avoid possible overcharging, detracts from the convenience of compass card that I have enjoyed since inception of compass. Now I must get a different form of compass card – like wrist band or key fob – to use instead. I am not about to go flashing my wallet contents out on the street or on public transit. Daily life is difficult and dangerous enough already.
Give us more key fobs !!!
Please give us a mobile Compass app that uses NFC, so that we can add Compass to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet – one that will be able to correctly charge people the fare they’re qualified for rather than overcharging them for “convenience.” Adding yet another physical card to the roster is an odd move to publicize to this degree after all these years. It’s not much in the way of progress. We want to carry fewer things. Please let us.
Hi Ari, this is something we’re looking into. To support having your Compass Card in your Apple or Google Wallet, we first need to upgrade our systems. This change is something we’re looking at as part of our Customer Experience Action Plan.
But … none of this applies to HandyDart … which is part of Translink. You can only pay with cash or with Compass, and you can only use credit cards to add Stored Value.
As part of our HandyDART Modernization Program, we introduced Compass. That means HandyDART customers can tap their contactless credit or debit card to pay an adult cash fare.
I have Samsung Pay on my phone, I use a red bus card, Disability compass card, doesn’t seen able to be added to phone yet, anyone else able to add disability compass card to samsung phone?
At this time, the BC Bus Pass cannot be added to Samsung Pay; you can only use Samsung Pay with your credit or debit card.
Does the monthly pass work on Interac? I guess no?
Monthly Passes are only available on your Compass Card.
The integration of contactless Interac Debit payments into TransLink’s fare system brings several notable benefits: it significantly simplifies the payment process for commuters by eliminating the need to carry cash or purchase tickets from machines, thereby reducing queues and improving efficiency during peak travel times. This systemwide adoption of contactless payments, including debit and credit cards along with mobile wallets, broadens access to the transit system, particularly for those without credit cards, making public transportation more inclusive. Furthermore, aligning transit payments with the everyday financial transactions of Canadians enhances user convenience, potentially increasing ridership and setting a new standard in public transit payment solutions. This initiative underscores TransLink’s commitment to leveraging technology for improved customer experience and operational efficiency.