CATA adding mobile payment options, hopes to ‘enhance the efficiency’ of boarding
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- CATA will launch mobile fare payment via Token Transit starting August 1, 2025.
- New options include QR code tickets, contactless cards and smartphone payments.
- CATA expects mobile tools to streamline boarding and boost transit efficiency.
Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) passengers will soon be able to use their smartphones to pay for their trips.
Token Transit mobile validators will be added to all CATA vehicles on Aug. 1, giving passengers the option to pay virtually via QR codes. Cash, tokens and physical tickets can still be used, but are no longer required, according to a Monday press release.
Passengers will be able to purchase fares and save passes using the Token Transit app, available on the App Store and Google Play store. Reloadable smart cards and paper tickets with QR codes will also be available. Starting this fall, riders will also be able to tap their credit/debit cards or smartphones to pay.
These new mobile payment methods will “overall enhance the efficiency of the boarding and transit experience,” according to the release.
“This new system brings our fare collection into the 21st century,” CATA CEO David Rishel said in the release. “Fewer than 10% of our passengers pay with cash anymore, and this new system offers so many ways to make it easy to buy passes and to use your smartphone to pay your fare.”
For help with the Token Transit app or other questions, riders are encouraged to visit the CATA Customer Service Center at 108 E. Beaver Ave., or call at 814-238-2282.
