What is fare capping?
Fare capping allows all riders to pay as they ride instead of having to pay the total cost up front. Each time a rider pays $2, they can ride as many times as they want within a two-hour window.
Fare capping can work in two ways — by the day or by the month. Once a rider meets the cap, they earn unlimited rides for the day or the month at no extra cost!
- Spend $4 (the cost of two trips) and receive unlimited rides for the day.*
- Spend $60 and receive unlimited rides for the calendar month.*
Fare capping creates the best value for STA’s customers by guaranteeing riders don’t overpay for how often they ride. Riders are only charged for the rides they take, without the up front costs of buying a month or day pass.
* Reduced Fare riders will be capped at the Reduced Fare rate, a 50% discount. Fare capping does not apply to Zero-Fare riders because they do not pay fares. If you already have a standard Connect card, and switch to a Reduced Fare card, you will need to restart the fare capping process for the month.
Fare capping for the day
A customer using a Connect card would pay $2 upon their first ride of the day and can ride as many times as they want within a two-hour window. After the two-hour window has passed, a customer would pay an additional $2 to ride, for a total of $4 for the day. After paying $4, the customer would get unlimited rides for the rest of the day at no extra cost.
$4 gets you unlimited rides for the entire day.
Before the Connect fare system, STA sold the Day Pass for $4. But if you didn’t end up using the pass, or just used it for one ride, you still paid $4. That won’t happen with fare capping because you only pay for the rides you take.
Fare capping for the month
Each calendar month, a customer with a Connect card would pay $2 for each ride (for rides outside of the two-hour window), until they’ve paid 30 times for a total of $60. After paying $60, the customer would get unlimited rides for the rest of the month at no extra cost.
$60 gets you unlimited rides for the month.
Before the Connect fare system, STA sold the 31 Day Pass for $60. Even if you didn’t ride very often that month, you still paid $60. With fare capping, you’re guaranteed to never overpay.
Reduced Fare & fare capping
For Reduced Fare customers, fare capping works the same way but at Reduced Fare prices. So $2 gets you unlimited rides for a day, and $30 gets you unlimited rides for a month. Find out if you qualify for reduced fare and apply here.
Zero-Fare
Youth age 18 and under are eligible for Zero-Fare and do not have to add value to their cards.
How-to videos
Watch and learn how to use the STA Connect app and account website and find out about all of the features available to you.
More how-to videos about the app and the account website are available here.
Fare capping
Common questions
The legacy 31 Day Pass and 7-Day pass will still be available for purchase at select retail locations. STA has not determined a sunset date when those passes will be discontinued through retail locations.
Fare capping will replace the legacy Day Pass and 31 Day Pass. When the cap for the day is reached, unlimited rides for the day cost the same as a Day Pass would have ($4 or $2 for reduced fare). When the cap for the month is reached, unlimited rides for the month cost the same as a 31 Day Pass would have ($60 or $30 for Reduced Fare).
Yes, fare capping can be viewed on the Connect account through the STA Connect App or Connect account website.
In the app, on the home page, click “Fare Capping.” When logged in on the website, click “My Cards,” and under “Manage This Card,” click “Fare Capping.”
If a card is not linked to a Connect account, customers may call Customer Service at (509) 328-RIDE (7433), TTY 711 to request the card’s fare capping progress.
Watch a video on how to track your fare capping progress in the STA Connect app or on the account website.
Fare capping applies to one Connect card for one rider. If an account has more than one Connect card, each card has a separate balance and fare capping total.
If a rider uses both a physical Connect card and an eConnect card, the two cards will have separate balances and fare capping totals. The two types of cards cannot be linked.
Watch a video on how to track your fare capping progress in the STA Connect app or on the account website.
No, however, STA encourages you to link your Connect card to a Connect account to protect your balance in the case it is damaged, lost or stolen.
A Connect card is required to access fare capping, but you do not have to link your card to a Connect account to get the benefit of fare capping.
Fare capping is only available when using a Connect card. When you purchase a pass with cash on the bus, it does not count towards your fare capping total.
STA encourages cash users to add their money to a Connect card to benefit from fare capping savings. Cash can be added to a Connect card at STA Plaza or at participating retail locations.
Help & support
For immediate assistance, contact Customer Service at (509) 328-RIDE (7433), TTY 711.