Compass Card (San Diego)
The Compass Card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within San Diego County, California. It is administered by the San Diego Association of Governments and is valid on a number of different travel systems in San Diego County including MTS buses, the San Diego Trolley, North County Buses, the Coaster and the Sprinter.
The card and fare collection systems are manufactured by Cubic Transportation Systems, and SANDAG administers the Compass Call Center, a central call center for all agencies.
Description
The Compass Card is an orange or yellow, credit-card-sized contactless smartcard which can hold a transit pass. The Compass Card card must be tapped on electronic readers when entering and transferring within the system in order to validate it. Compass Card readers are integrated in bus fareboxes and standalone readers are located just outside the paid area of rail stations. Because San Diego Trolley, the Coaster and the Sprinter operate on a proof-of-payment system, fare inspectors randomly check to make sure Compass Card users have validated their cards by using a wireless handheld unit. The cards may be "recharged" in person from TVMs in rail stations, at MTS or NCTD Transit Offices, at Albertsons stores, or online. The card is designed to reduce the number of transactions at customer service centers.Currently the San Diego Association of Governments only sells monthly passes on the compass card system-wide, and 14-day passes via telephone, but plans to sell stored cash value cards in the future capable of automatically purchasing a day pass on the first tap.
Capabilities
Customers are able to perform the following transactions at the corresponding locations with a Compass Card as indicated below:| Legend | |
| Available and functioning | |
| Available and functioning Full adult fare only |
| Locations | Buy a new card | Reload an existing card | Pay with cash | Pay with credit / debit | Sign up for auto reload | Register your card |
| The Transit Store | ||||||
| Call 511 and say "Compass Card" | ||||||
| Trolley, Coaster, and Sprinter ticket vending machines | ||||||
| Select San Diego county Albertsons and check cashing locations and Transit Center "MTS Station Shops" |
Implementation
The following process takes place when a user taps their card on a reader:- Authenticates the microchip's serial number
- Reads the rider's balance and/or passes, and displays the results
- Reports the rider's activity to the Compass Card server
- Writes the new balance and/or passes
- Displays a Thank You message along with a small green light for on-platform readers such as the Coaster, Sprinter, and San Diego Trolley.
- Shows green light and beeps once if Compass Card has valid fare, or shows a red light with an error message and beeps three times if the card is not valid or a read error occurs, for readers installed next to fareboxes. For passes, the expiration date of the pass is also displayed when the green light is lit and the reader beeps once.
- Beeps once if the Compass card has valid fare, or beeps three times if the card is not valid or a read error occurs, for readers integrated into the farebox. For passes, the expiration date of the pass is also displayed shortly after the reader beeps once.
- The driver's side computer will also show OK for a successful pass read. A type of bird vocalization that sounds different from the standard confirmation beep will occur for Youth or Senior/Disabled/Medicare passes that are valid, and the driver's side computer will show YTH for the Youth pass or SDM for the Senior/Disabled/Medicare pass.
- Invalid CRC.
- Invalid Card, can occur the first time on some readers even with a valid card, but if the card is valid a second attempt will register correctly. '.
- Operation Failed, if an add value was initiated from the farebox computer but did not work.
- Read Error..
- Feedback used too soon. '.
- Already Touched.
Benefits
- First Compass Card costs $2
- Automatic refill
- Pass or balance replacement on lost or stolen cards
- Online store & card management
- Telephone customer service
- Photo ID integration *
- Compass Card users may purchase a 30-day "rolling pass" valid for 30 days from the date of purchase in addition to the traditional monthly pass good for a calendar month.
- 14-day passes can be loaded onto the Compass Card at the cost of 60% of a monthly pass.