September 20, 2021

Today, Metro’s bus and MOBY paratransit riders can begin using the new contactless fare payment option, Umo (pronounced “you-mo”). With Umo, riders can board and manage accounts with a mobile app, or board with Umo smart cards and manage accounts online. ORBT fare collection with the Umo system will begin on Friday, October 1st. ORBT prices will reflect Metro bus fares at $1.25 with 25-cent transfers.

Instead of bus passes, Umo uses “stored value,” allowing riders to load their account with any amount between $5 and $250. Umo will deduct each bus fare from their account with each ride and recognize if they are within a transfer window. Accounts are cloud-based; if a card is lost or stolen, Metro can reissue a card to that rider.

Riders board by holding the Umo app or smart card to the recently installed Umo readers, which deduct fares from their account. Additional features include auto-load, which automatically re-loads accounts when their balance is low, and fare capping, which “caps” rides each month when a rider reach $55 (or $27.50 for half-fare). Riders get the benefit of an unlimited ride monthly pass with payments they are comfortable with, and can be assured they will not pay more than $55 (or $27.50 for half-fare) in any given month by using Umo.

Metro will continue to sell paper fare passes, which can be purchased at Metro’s office, online, and through a variety of retail outlets. Fareboxes, which will remain on Metro buses and MOBY vehicles, will continue to take paper tickets, passes, and cash, and will continue to honor and dispense value cards for cash overpayment.