Gainesville's Regional Transit System (RTS) announced on Thursday that it will accept credit card payments from customers purchasing monthly and semester bus passes at the Rosa Parks Downtown Station at 700 SE 3rd St.
“This is really going to help streamline the process and make it more convenient,” said RTS Marketing and Communications Supervisor Chip Skinner.
Customers with Mastercard or Visa can purchase bus passes starting on the official launch date Monday. Visa or MasterCard sponsored debit cards will also be accepted at the station, but the purchase will be run as a credit transaction.
Skinner explained that RTS will not be accepting other cards such as Discover and American Express since applied transaction fees would increase the cost of bus passes.
The idea for the new payment method comes as a part of Gainesville's effort -- with the help of telecommunications agency Clover -- to allow credit card use in parking payment and other services.
Credit cards will also be accepted at the new customer service building at the Butler Plaza transfer station, which the city hopes to open in early 2017.
“This is really going to be a benefit to our customers,” Skinner said.