Rider's Guide | LADOT Transit

TAP has a number of benefits for LADOT riders. Overall, the TAP card offers riders greater convenience for paying their LADOT fare. TAP offers more payment options and allows riders to better match their travel to the best (and most cost effective) fare payment method for them.

With TAP there is no need to have exact change. For riders using more than one transit system, the TAP card with an EZ transit pass or stored value (cash) provides the convenience of having just one card to use no matter how many different transit services are used.

Riders will be able to register their card, ensuring the card balance is protected if the card is lost or stolen.

Riders with the card will board faster and get to their seat quicker.

All four LADOT TAP card designs function exactly the same.

Each of the new LADOT TAP cards work exactly the same as the blue TAP card. You will be able to load the LADOT card at the LADOT Transit Customer Service Center (located in the LA Mall in downtown Los Angeles, 201 N. Los Angeles, Ste 16), selected TAP retailers, TAP vending machine at Metro stations, online or by phone. However, the fare product to be loaded must be available from that retailer or ticket vending machine. Stored value (cash) is available at all locations. See the LADOT transit website for times and locations of our Mobile Sales Van.

Not at this time, as LADOT does not offer senior/disabled 31-Day passes or Trip Tickets. Elderly and disabled customers should use the orange TAP card and place cash value or an EZ transit pass on it. They may also place a 31-Day DASH Pass, Commuter Express Pass or Trip Tickets at the regular price.

All TAP transactions such as loading passes, Trip Tickets and stored value (cash) onto a TAP card can be made when you come into the store. If you order by phone or via the LADOT Transit website, we can process your order by encoding a LADOT TAP card and mailing it to you. If you already have a TAP card, your order must be processed by the TAP Service Center, at www.TAPTOGO.net or 1-866-TAPTOGO.

Yes, the monthly EZ transit pass can be placed onto the LADOT card, with the sticker placed on the front of the card. But, if you are senior/disabled you will not be able to load a reduced fare EZ transit pass (monthly or annual) onto the LADOT card. This can only be done on the orange TAP card.

Yes, if you paid the regular fare with the TAP card. You cannot, however, pay the regular fare in cash and use the TAP card to pay for the Interagency Transfer.

If the fare product was purchased on the web or by phone, the fare product must be activated by placing the card by a Commuter Express validator within 30 days of purchase. If not activated within 30 days of purchase, the fare product will not be available for activation, and the card will be read as No $/Pass.

Call the TAP Service Center for assistance.

When you tap the card by the Validator, hold it for a second or two and you will see the remaining balance.

No, this is not allowed.

You still ride free. Just tap your card by the Validator by the farebox. You no longer have to show your card to the driver.

No, PCAs must pay a fare.

Riders who are 62, 63 or 64 years of age and have an orange TAP card will have the full fare deducted if they are paying with stored value (cash) from their card. If they have a reduced fare EZ transit monthly or annual pass, the validator on the bus will show a green light.

Unfortunately no, and it is to protect riders from accidently tapping twice and having two fares deducted. The card has a time feature that is set at 7 minutes which means it cannot be used again for 7 minutes of the first tap.

When you register the card your balance is protected if the card is lost or stolen. You will be issued a new card with the last balance (including a pass) on the card restored. Register your TAP card at taptogo.net.

It will not impact a credit/debit card with a magstripe, but we do suggest keeping the TAP card away from any other smart card you have in your wallet/purse.

It is designed to last 3 years, when it will expire. At that time, it will need to be replaced (and the customer will need to pay a fee for the replacement).

The Cardholder License Agreement is available at Taptogo.net.

You can pay with a personal check if you are buying a LADOT fare product (Commuter Express 31-Day Pass or Trip Tickets, DASH 31-Day Pass) and it is placed onto a LADOT TAP card. You may not pay by check if you are using the blue or orange TAP card or adding stored value to any type of TAP card. We understand this may sound confusing but the LADOT Transit Customer Service Center accepts personal checks for purchase of LADOT fare products, but the Metro and the TAP Service Center do not, so all transactions involving stored value (cash purse), or Metro fare products must be transacted in cash or by credit/debit card.

Commuter Express operates on a zone system with fare payment based on how far you travel and how many zones you ride. There are five fare zones, identified as Base and zones 1-4. All Commuter Express monthly passes and Trip Tickets are sold on the TAP Card.

Commuter Express routes 142, 431, 437, 438, 534 and Bunker Hill operate in only one zone. The customer should purchase the pass or trip ticket with the correct zone for that route; for example, route 437 operates in zone 1 and the customer should purchase a zone 1 pass or trip ticket. If paying with stored value, $2.50 will be deducted.

All of the other Commuter Express routes (409, 419, 422, 423, 448, 549, 573, 574) operate in more than one zone. At the beginning of the route the driver sets the validator to the highest zone number for the route, changing as the bus enters each new zone. To ensure you pay the right fare, inform the driver of your destination BEFORE you use your TAP card unless you are traveling to the furthest zone.

If you are traveling to the last zone on the route and your Commuter Express pass or ticket or EZ pass matches that zone, simply place your TAP card (either side) close to the validator located by the farebox as you board. You will get a green light if there is a valid pass or trip ticket on the card.

If you are NOT travelling to the last zone on the route, you must inform the driver your destination PRIOR to placing the TAP card by the validator. This will avoid you getting a red light because the zone on your Commuter Express pass or Trip Ticket or EZ transit pass did not match the zone set on the validator. The driver will reset the zone to your destination and after indicating the change has been made you will be able to tap your card by the validator. You will get a green or red light with a valid fare.

This same procedure must be followed for those who pay with stored value (cash) on their TAP card. Otherwise an incorrect amount may be charged and the driver cannot reverse the charge.

If you are riding DASH, simply place the TAP card by the validator. With a valid EZ transit pass you will get a green light. When riding Commuter Express the EZ transit pass works just like the LADOT 31-Day pass as described in the last question. The EZ transit pass is sold as a pass with the option of adding premium stamps for zones 1-11. The EZ transit pass with no stamp is valid for the Commuter Express base zone only. The premium stamps for zones 1-4 are equal to the Commuter Express zones 1-4. Stamps for zone 5-11 also equal a zone 4 for Commuter Express.

Please call the TAP Service Center at 866 TAPTOGO (866 827 8646).

The easiest way is to purchase a LADOT 31-Day Pass with the number of zones equal to the highest zone you will travel. For example, if you ride in a Base zone then transfer to a bus in zone 2, you purchase the pass with two zones. When you board you simply tap the card each time.

If your ride involves different zones for each bus, and you do not want to purchase the 31-Day Pass, then using stored value (cash) is convenient. You would pay with stored value (cash) on the first bus, and purchase an Interagency Transfer with stored value (cash) as well. On the second bus, you would tap the card, and the validator will see the transfer then calculate any additional fare for the added zones. This is all done automatically with the amount deducted from stored value (cash).

When you pay with a Trip Ticket and have stored value (cash) on your TAP card, the cost of the Interagency Transfer will be deducted automatically on the second bus. You must have stored value (cash) on your TAP card to buy a transfer.

The Interagency Transfer is equal to the cost of the Base zone ($1.50 or $0.75). If you have the paper Interagency Transfer the driver of the second bus will ask you your destination and will tell you the additional amount owed. Payment is in cash.

If you have the Interagency Transfer on the TAP card, the amount owed will be calculated when you tap the card, and if you have that amount in stored value (cash) it will be automatically deducted. This amount will be based on the farthest zone for that route. If you are not going to the end of the route, you must inform the driver BEFORE you tap the card. The driver will need to reset the zone so you will not be overcharged. Once the driver makes the change you can tap your card.

If you do not have enough money in stored value (cash) you need to pay the additional fare in cash.

You will need to have a Commuter Express 31 Day pass or EZ transit pass on your TAP card to transfer to DASH. You can have a Base pass or one with a zone and the transfer will be free. Also, Interagency Transfers are not valid on DASH.

There is no free transfer to DASH if you pay the Commuter Express fare with tickets, stored value (cash purse) or cash.

You will need to have a TAP card and enough stored value (cash purse) on the card for an Interagency Transfer, as the turnstiles in the rail stations will only accept TAP cards. Pay your Commuter Express fare with a TAP card (pass, trip ticket, stored value (cash purse) and ask the driver for an Interagency Transfer. The driver will encode the transfer onto the card and the cost (varies based on the transit service to which you are transferring) will be deducted from the stored value (cash purse) on the card.

You cannot pay for the transfer with cash and have your TAP card encoded.

You can have the transfer encoded onto your TAP card (paying the Commuter Express fare with the TAP card and paying for the transfer with stored value (cash purse). Cash will no longer be accepted as payment for transfers.

You can also purchase an EZ transit pass that will allow you to ride any bus service in LA County and all Metro rail lines.

Purchase an EZ transit pass that will allow you to ride any bus service in LA County and all Metro rail lines.

DASH drivers do not issue transfers so this will be two separate fare payment transactions, one for DASH and one for Metro rail.

When you pay the Commuter Express fare with a TAP card, you can also purchase an Interagency Transfer using stored value (cash purse). The driver will encode the transfer onto the TAP card (you will be asked to tap a second time) and the cost of the transfer will be deducted from the stored value (cash purse) amount on the card. On the second bus simply tap your card on the Validator.

You must have stored value (cash) on your TAP card to buy a transfer. You will request (and pay for) your transfer on the second bus (bus you are transferring to) not the first bus you transferred from. Cash will no longer be accepted as payment for transfers.

No, this is not allowed.