Los Angeles (Aug 21)—The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) announces it will introduce a new, more secure fare payment method for all its Cityride customers, effective October 1, 2009: Cityride is the City-operated program that enables seniors and persons with disabilities to use transportation services at a substantial discount. The new fare payment method does not affect any of the current program benefits, and Cityride customers will still receive the same amount of credit each quarter.

Since the inception of the Cityride program, participants who have paid the proper fees each quarter have been sent paper scrip to use to pay taxi or City operated dial a ride fares, or to order monthly passes from Metro. As part of a two-phase effort, beginning on October 1, 2009, a new Cityride fare card will replace the existing paper scrip for fare payment in taxis and dial a ride vans. The card does not change the manner in which Cityride customers arrange their taxi or dial a ride van trips nor will it reduce the amount of the fare discount.

For Metro pass purchases, LADOT will be working with Metro to load the monthly pass purchases on Cityride customer’s Metro TAP card. This part of the program will begin on or about January 1, 2010, once Metro completes the roll-out of its elderly and disabled TAP card program. In the meantime, Cityride customers who purchase Metro passes will continue to receive scrip to pay for their monthly pass stamps.

LADOT is implementing this Cityride Card program for several reasons:

It will increase convenience for Cityride clients by eliminating the need to handle 84 paper scrip each quarter.

• It provides better security for the customer. Currently, if a customer loses the paper scrip, it cannot be replaced. The Cityride card can be easily cancelled and a new one issued with the same balance that was on the lost card.
• It will reduce the potential for fraud.
• It will provide improved taxi service for Cityride clients by reducing time and paperwork for taxi drivers.
• It will reduce City costs by reducing the amount of City staff time associated with processing paper scrip submitted by taxi companies and the dial-a-ride service.

“LADOT is delighted to introduce this new fare payment system to our Cityride customers. With no more paper scrip to keep track of, it will be so much easier for both the Cityride customers as well as those providing the service,” said Rita L. Robinson, LADOT General Manager.

Because Cityride customers order their scrip up to 45 days in advance of the new quarter, the Cityride Cards have been mailed to all participants so that their quarterly purchases could be made in the same manner to which they are accustomed. Once their quarterly orders are placed, their Cityride account will be credited the $84 fare value. Beginning October 1, 2009, the Cityride customer will show their government-issued photo identification card and their Cityride Card to the taxi driver. Just like a pre-paid debit card, the Cityride Card is swiped through the card reader, validated, and deducts the corresponding amount of the fare (not to exceed $12 per trip) from the customer’s account.

For further information about the Cityride program or the new Cityride Card, customers can call Cityride at (213, 310, 323, 818) 808-7433 or 808-RIDE. For the hearing impaired, the TDD number is 1-800-559-1950.

08/21/09