AC TRANSIT LAUNCHES THE NEW MOBILE APP IN BETA

Trip plan, real-time arrival predictions, and an all-new mobile payment feature for contactless payment.

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is excited to announce the launch of the beta version of its Mobile App. The Mobile App brings the benefits of the customer service center directly to the rider’s cell phone and augments AC Transit’s reNEW Plan – an all-encompassing coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery plan and commitment to riders.

The beta AC Transit Mobile App features real-time arrival predictions, allows riders to locate bus stops, bookmark favorite bus lines, submit lost and found claims, and more. To better plan and connect to any destination AC Transit serves, riders can quickly download the free Mobile App from the Apple Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android, or search “AC Transit Official”, using the quotation marks.

The Mobile App is launching in beta mode for the first 90 days of service, which permits our software engineering team to fine-tune the app’s performance, predictive accuracy, and scalability, as riders adjust and explore its features, in real-time. It is important to note, in the current iteration, the Mobile App features innovations and improvements that were the direct result of early testing.

Additionally, under the reNEW Plan, AC Transit is committed to developing technologies that improve the health and safety of our transit service. We employed considerable research, including COVID-19 studies on the importance of hand hygiene. Some public health guidance recommends limited touching of surfaces. Other research reveals that rider health concerns extend to handling cash. Although experts opine the risk of COVID-19 transmission is low from touching objects, the new App eliminates any need to physically touch fareboxes, coins or dollars, and wait in line to refill transit cards through its secure contactless payment feature.

The Mobile App directs all contactless payments to the trusted technologies of Token Transit. The card handling app has collaborated with more than 100 transit agencies across the US and Canada and is a Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) Level 1 service provider – the most stringent level of certification available in the payment industry.

Purchase Mobile Passes
Riders can now purchase one or multiple Local Single $2.25 rides, $6.00 Transbay Single Rides, or Local 1 and 7-Day rides at $5.00 or $22.50, respectively.

Once payment is complete, ride passes are valid for a minimum of 30 minutes for Local Single Ride Passes. Local 1-Day Passes are valid through 3:00 am the following day. Local 7-Day Passes expire at midnight on the seventh day following activation.

Mobile Pass Activation
The Mobile Pass is not activated until the rider taps the fare on their phone. Once activated, a green circle pulsates around the AC Transit logo and displays the time validation. Riders are required to show their activated phone screen to the Bus Operator before proceeding onboard.

When a pass has expired, the activation circle stops pulsing and changes to grey. The passes expiration will also be noted on the phone. Riders are encouraged to avoid activating the pass until ready to board the bus.

Transit App supports contactless payments
AC Transit riders currently using the popular Transit App for trip planning may now purchase a contactless payment or what its app terms a “ticket” – directly through the Transit mobile app. For access, existing Transit account holders need only sign in with your email and password. New users will need to create a Transit account by supplying names, email, and credit card information to purchase tickets.

Use Clipper Card to purchase a monthly pass
The Clipper Card is a trusted onboard form of contactless payment, and riders seeking monthly passes will make those purchases via Clipper. The Adult Local 31-Day pass is an affordable $81.00 and does not follow calendar days. Instead, this flexible pass is valid for 31 consecutive days, offers unlimited rides throughout the East Bay, and for an additional $3.50 (per ride) may be used for Transbay bus lines.

Riders may also use Clipper Card to upgrade to the Transbay 31-Day Pass. Also valid for 31 consecutive days, this $216 value pass offers unlimited rides on all AC Transit bus lines.

Customer Service Center
AC Transit’s temporary downtown Oakland Customer Service Center is now open to assist with the following restored transit services:
• Purchase fares, including Senior, Youth, and Disabled passes
• Clipper Card services and discount information
• Regional Transit Connection (RTC) Program renewal or replacement transactions
• Lost and Found support operate 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

The temporary Customer Service Center is located within the lobby of AC Transit’s General Offices, at 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland. Center hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Onboard social distancing and face covering requirements
As Alameda and Contra Costa Counties lessen restrictions, riders are reminded that AC Transit continues to comply with public health social distancing mandates, which limits the number of onboard passengers.

Decals on the bus doors advise riders of the number of permitted passengers. Bus lines may not stop or convert to drop-off only operations when onboard rider thresholds are reached. Face coverings remain a requirement to ride all AC Transit bus lines.

Riders may offer feedback on the beta Mobile App by tapping the Feedback link within the Mobile App, log onto actransit.org, email rideact@actransit.org, or call Customer Relations at 510-891-4777, and select option 2.

For more information on AC Transit’s beta Mobile App and the reNEW Plan, please visit actransit.org.