On Jan. 1, 2010 transferring between buses and trains in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties will be changing. Paper transfers will be replaced with electronic transfers on ORCA cards for trips that involve transferring between agencies.

While King County Metro and Pierce Transit will still offer paper transfers that are good within their own systems, Community Transit and Sound Transit will switch to all-electronic transfers. Everett Transit and Kitsap Transit have already phased out paper transfers on their systems, so the switch to the new electronic transfers offered by the six ORCA bus and train agencies means riders throughout the region can get a better deal with ORCA.

Cash will continue to be accepted by all seven of the ORCA partner agencies, but beginning Jan. 1, riders using cash instead of an ORCA card to transfer between different agencies’ systems will pay the full fare for each leg of their ride.

To help riders get an ORCA card and get the best deal with electronic transfers, a promotion that is in effect now through the end of January encourages riders who haven’t obtained an ORCA card to do so. During the promotion, ORCA cards – ready to be loaded with cash value or a pass of the rider’s choice – are available with no card fee. Starting Feb. 1, a standard adult or youth ORCA card will cost $5.

ORCA Advantages
ORCA makes it easier than ever to take transit throughout the four-county region with technology that automatically credits a rider’s first trip when he or she transfers within two hours. With each trip, the correct fare, including any transfer value, is automatically deducted for riders using E-purse. Riders can also load their ORCA card with a monthly pass that is good for unlimited rides. Transfer policies for ferries remain unchanged with the ORCA system, with no transfers to or from Washington State ferries onto buses or trains.

Riders can get an ORCA card and add value online, by phone, by mail, at a ticket vending machine, or in person at transit agency customer service offices and select retail businesses around the region. ORCA cards that are revalued in person are available for use immediately. The ORCA system takes about 24 hours to process transactions done online or by phone.

On top of automatically calculating and crediting transfers, ORCA cards offer many conveniences for riders. ORCA cardholders can check their accounts online, by phone or at a ticket vending machine. Customers have the option to register their card, which allows them to restore their card value if it is lost or stolen. Registered cardholders also can select an “Autoload” feature that adds value to a card automatically when the E-purse is empty or when the monthly pass expires.

Switching to electronic transfers with the ORCA smart card system will help stretch the public’s transit investments by simplifying and streamlining fare collection and administration. ORCA will replace about 300 various passes, tickets and transfers with a single card that works by simply tapping the ORCA card on a reader device. Switching to an electronic fare system also means that fare collection and distribution of fare revenue to each agency is done more efficiently and processed faster.

Over the coming months ORCA will replace many of the region’s other transit passes. Riders who purchase their own monthly transit pass online or by mail likely have already been converted to an ORCA card. Riders who purchase passes in person will receive their pass loaded on an ORCA card. Monthly PugetPass cards will not be sold to individuals after Dec. 14.

Riders who get their transit pass from their employers are being converted to ORCA as their employers’ annual contracts come up for renewal. Until then, employer-provided passes that are valid and unexpired will continue to be accepted by participating agencies. Ticketbooks will continue to be sold by King County Metro Transit and Community Transit in 2010, but these products will no longer have transfer value on other agencies’ buses or trains, and riders who use ticketbooks or tokens are encouraged to switch to ORCA cards before card fees are introduced in Feb. 2010. Vanpool and paratransit customers must check with their agency about use of ORCA for their rides.

ORCA is a smart card-based electronic fare system for public transportation agencies serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. ORCA is a durable, plastic smart card that contains a microprocessor. Riders simply “tap” their ORCA card on a card reader on board buses or at train, light rail and ferry stations, and enjoy their ride. Under normal wear, ORCA cards are expected to last three to five years before they need to be replaced.

The seven ORCA partners are Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries. Together, the agencies serve more than half of Washington’s population and carry about 500,000 riders each weekday.