Contactless payments coming to Transit Windsor

Over the next few months, 135 Transit Windsor buses will be retrofitted with new advanced contactless payment terminals powered by Umo Mobility. (Submitted to AM800 News)

Transit Windsor is making bus fare payments easier with new contactless technology.

Over the next few months, 135 buses will be retrofitted with new advanced contactless payment terminals, powered by Umo Mobility.

Transit Windsor’s executive director James Chacko said the new system will offer new features not previously available to riders.

“What you’ll be able to do is to create an account on the Umo system, and then utilize your phone or other smart features to pay for your fare so you don’t have to carry a card anymore, or anything else if you don’t want, you can just use your phone to be able to tap in when you’re entering the bus,” he said.

Old bus passes will need to be replaced in order to be compatible with the new system. Users can tap in with debit or credit cards or pay by cash, but Chacko said riders will save more using the Umo app.

“I would really encourage people to utilize, create an account, because then you can purchase whether it’s multi-passes, or a monthly or annual fare pass because for people who are regular users of transit are really going to be able to see some savings and take advantage of those opportunities,” said Chacko.

Chacko said the city is aiming to begin using the new terminals in spring 2026.

“Before we actually go live with it, we’re going to launch a very extensive communication campaign. We want to make sure that everybody is very comfortable with the new system and is well aware and given enough time to make that transition so that nobody’s caught off guard,” he said.

The upgrades were included in the transit master plan and funded through an $800,000 Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant, according to Chacko.