The following changes to Ride CK public transit fares and smart card products will be effective July 1, 2022:
- Exact Cash for urban and inter-urban conventional services will be held at $2.50 and $5.00 respectively, having last risen in 2019;
- Exact Cash for Chatham Accessible and Wallaceburg Accessible specialized urban transit services will be reduced from $3.00 to $2.50. This change creates parity in fares between conventional urban transit riders and those unable to access that service due to their disability. This will also be the cash fare for the new demand-responsive Wallaceburg urban service expected to launch later this summer;
- Riders who pay their fare using a Cash Pass will now receive a discount off the exact cash fare on all Ride CK transit services as follows:
- $2.16* on all Chatham urban services, an increase from $2.00 (*A fare of $1.52 will apply on Chatham's fixed routes during off-peak hours);
- $2.16 on all Wallaceburg urban services;
- $4.06 on all inter-urban routes.
- The 30-Day Urban Pass will increase from $75 to $78.23 for adults, and from $60 to $61.47 for seniors (65+) and students (6 – 17). This product will now be accepted on all Ride CK Chatham and Wallaceburg urban services, including specialized transit;
- The 30-Day Urban Pass available to low-income residents under the Affordable Bus Pass Program will be held at $40. This product will now be accepted on all Ride CK Chatham and Wallaceburg urban services, including specialized transit;
- The Semester Pass will increase from $120 to $156.46 per semester, having last risen in 2004. This product will provide unlimited access to all Ride CK services – including inter-urban routes – all semester. Eligibility will now be open to enrolled students at both St. Clair College Thames Campus and the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus with valid Student ID for the current academic year;
- Current exact cash-based concession fares of $4.50 for seniors and students on inter-urban routes will be eliminated in favour of the new Cash Pass discount;
- The 22-Ride Pass for inter-urban routes will continue to be accepted but no longer available for sale. Those riders are encouraged to adopt a Cash Pass to receive a greater per trip discount;
- A child five years and under will now be free with a paying passenger on any Ride CK service;
- Riders with an Accessible Pass will see the e-currency on their smart card automatically converted to a Cash Pass, enabling access to all Ride CK services. The Accessible Pass will no longer be available for sale. Chatham Accessible and Wallaceburg Accessible riders are encouraged to adopt a Cash Pass or 30-Day Urban Pass for a greater discount.
"These product changes are the direct result of ridership feedback," said Ann-Marie Millson, Manager of Transit & Capital Asset Management. "Riders are tired of carrying around multiple cards depending on what service they are going to access. I expect many more riders will load a Cash Pass on their smart card as that gives them personal flexibility to access any service at a discount."
In addition to Municipal Centres, riders are reminded that smart cards can now be purchased or reloaded online. Riders without a credit card can also use that platform to register their smart card to their personal account in order to protect against loss or theft.
