L.A. Metro integrates TAP fare card with 25 area transit systems

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on Wednesday announced that riders now can use the TAP card to pay fares on 25 other transit systems in the region.

The move to integrate the reloadable fare card system across all of Los Angeles-area agencies has involved "years of negotiations" due to each city's differing needs, Metro officials said in a press release.

TAP, which stands for Transit Access Pass, utilizes a plastic card embedded with a computer chip. The cards have a life expectancy of 10 years.

Metro Chair Mark Ridley-Thomas holds the agency's new TAP card while addressing a crowd.
Photo: L.A. Metro's "The Source"

"The milestone is significant because it shows how far we have come to create a seamless regional transportation system," said Metro Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. "You can now use your TAP card to get all the way from Lancaster to Long Beach. No more fumbling in your pockets or purse for change."

The card also has undergone several design changes, including one to commemorate Union Station's 75th anniversary and the 25-year anniversary of L.A.'s Metro Rail system, agency officials said.

Meanwhile, Metro announced yesterday that it has awarded more than $1 million to small businesses through its Business Interruption Fund. Since February, the agency has awarded 62 grants to "mom and pop" businesses that are directly impacted by construction of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project.

"We need to ensure that the transformation of L.A.'s public transportation into a world class transit system does not adversely impact our small businesses — the lifeblood of the city's local economy,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board member Eric Garcetti.