Winnipeg Transit's Peggo smart cards on sale for all riders
Peggo cards, initially available to seniors, now on sale to all transit customers
Winnipeg Transit riders have something extra to put in their wallets today — but no, it isn't cash.
The city utility's new Peggo cards, the smart cards that are replacing bus tickets, are now available to all transit customers. Seniors had access to the cards in July.
White full-fare Peggo cards and green senior and youth cards are on sale at Winnipeg 7-Eleven and Shoppers Drug Mart locations,18 other stores in neighbourhoods without those franchises and City of Winnipeg outlets. Cards are also on sale online at WinnipegTransit.com or by calling 311.
The contactless cards can be preloaded at these stores as well as online.
Winnipeg Transit's information supervisor, Jonathon Borland, says the cards are the new way to pay.
"It works much like a bank card would," he told CBC's Radio Noon program.
One perk with the new cards is that riders will no longer have to ask drivers for a paper transfer — it's built directly into the Peggo cards.
"It will be automatically on your card and you'll be able to transfer to as many buses as you want within 75 minutes," Borland said.
There are two types of fares that can be loaded onto Peggo cards. E-passes replace paper passes and can be used for an unlimited number of trips for intervals from 24 hours to one year.
E-cash fares replace paper tickets. Riders can load a maximum of $200 on to Peggo cards; fares are deducted as the cards are tapped on the farebox.
Riders can still pay cash for fares and use bus tickets, but Borland said in the fall, the city will make an announcement with a date of when it'll stop accepting paper bus passes.
"We're sort of playing it by ear right now," he said.
During the rollout period, the city is waiving the $5 charge for Peggo cards, provided users register it and use it within 90 days of buying it.