GRT pilots EasyGO fare card

WATERLOO REGION — Grand River Transit is counting on 100 transit riders to test the EasyGO fare card before it’s officially launched.

On Thursday morning, GRT put out a call for transit riders willing to test out the card for the month of March. Two hours later, they had about 100 applicants apply with a total of 185 applicants by the end of the work day.

“We’re really excited,” said Gethyn Beniston, project manager at the Region of Waterloo.

The 100 applicants selected for the beta testing will get 20 per cent off the fare product they load onto the card. They will also be required to complete online surveys and identify any issues with the card.

“The point of beta testing is to identify any last minute issues with the electronic payment process,” said Beniston.

“If we have 100 people in the community using their fare cards to ride transit … there’s a fairly good chance that if there’s an unusual error that we haven’t seen yet, they’re going to find it for us.”

To use the card, transit riders just have to tap it onto the fare collection box.

During the testing, some of the features that will accompany the card when it is officially launched, will not be available.

For example, the test cards cannot be loaded and reloaded online. Beta testers will have to do this at the Charles Street terminal in Kitchener or the Ainslie Street terminal in Cambridge.

Beniston said there may be a more expanded pilot to follow this one. The card can be used on GRT buses and eventually, on the ION.

Those selected to be a beta tester will get an email notifying them by Feb. 19.