The Utah Transit Authority will temporarily suspend fare collection and offer Zero Fare systemwide from Oct. 16-18 to facilitate upgrades to its fare collection system, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
This Zero Fare weekend follows a previous system improvement pause on fare collection that occurred Sept. 18-20.
UTA is modernizing its fare collection software and hardware to provide riders with a faster, more convenient, and flexible payment experience. According to the agency, these upgrades will create the foundation for additional payment options and new rider benefits.
One of the primary goals of the modernization is to enhance FAREPAY Card connectivity, allowing riders to sync and manage UTA accounts online and at ticket vending machines. The upgrades also aim to introduce frequent-rider savings through fare capping and provide more secure account management to protect card balances if a card is lost or stolen.
Future enhancements are expected to enable UTA to accept credit and debit cards as well as mobile wallets on smartphones and wearable devices as direct payment methods.
UTA Senior Public Information Officer Gavin Gustafson stated in an email to the Standard-Examiner on Thursday that this weekend represents the next phase of the upgrade project. He noted that while both the September and the upcoming October Zero Fare weekends support modernization, they represent separate phases of the process.
Gustafson said that customers using the Transit app will not be impacted by these specific upgrades at this time.
Regarding the FAREPAY system, Gustafson said the most immediate changes will primarily affect customers who manage their accounts online. These customers will need to access their accounts through an updated website beginning Monday, Oct. 19.
The updated customer interface for FAREPAY will be available at farepay.rideuta.com starting Monday, Oct. 19. UTA advises customers to follow instructions on the agency's website to update their password, security information, and payment information.
While no additional Zero Fare weekends are currently scheduled, Gustafson noted that this could change as future work and associated service impacts are confirmed. UTA stated they will communicate any additional fare system improvements through their website and social media channels.
The modernization program is intended to make using transit as easy and convenient as possible by building a more flexible system that supports better account management and more convenient payment options.
