How to board a bus

There are a few more things you need to keep in mind when you're getting ready for that ride on an RTA bus:

Exact change: If you're paying with cash, you have to have the exact fare, because bus drivers can't make change. Fortunately, exact fare doesn't have to be paid in coins, because coins and dollar bills are accepted in the fare box you'll find at the front of any RTA bus.

Using passes: If you've bought a ticket or RTA pass in advance, simply show it to the bus driver when you board the bus.

Local vs. Express: You have to know if you'll be paying the fare for a Local bus or an Express/Flyer bus. If it's a Local, have $1.25 ready. If it's an Express or Flyer, have $1.50. And if you're transferring from a Local to an Express/Flyer bus, you'll need to pay an additional 25¢.

Transfers: You need to know if your trip is going to be on a single bus or if you'll need to switch to another bus to get to your destination. It's no problem, and no extra money, to transfer to another bus, but you do have to ask the bus driver for a transfer card when you're paying the fare.

When to pay: You have to know when to pay. In most cases, it's simple: you pay at the time you get on the bus. But on buses that provide both Local and Express service, you'll pay either $1.25 or $1.50, depending upon how long you stay on the bus. The bus driver won't know how long you intend to ride until you actually get off, so that's when you pay.

Exiting:You have to know where you can exit the bus. Usually, you can exit by either the front or rear doors. But if you're on one of those buses that do the Local and Express/Flyer thing, you can only get out by the front door because that's where you're going to pay the fare.

Asking questions: Finally, you have to remember that you don't have to remember all of this. When in doubt, just ask the bus driver. He or she should be happy to answer your question. RTA's motto is "Quality service to every customer, every day," and answering customer questions accurately is part of that commitment.

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