June 25, 2025

No cash or a bus pass? No problem.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) is excited to announce that Tap2Ride, a new contactless fare payment system, is now available on its Intercity service buses.

With Tap2Ride, passengers no longer need cash or a bus pass to ride VCTC Intercity buses. The Tap2Ride fare payment system accepts contactless-enabled Mastercard and Visa cards, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay mobile payment systems.

VCTC officially launched Tap2Ride on June 23.

Passengers on VCTC Intercity buses will see yellow payment readers with the “contactless payment” symbol as they board. Riders simply tap their card or device below the symbol then wait for the green “Go!” screen to confirm payment.

Currently, Tap2Ride is available only on VCTC Intercity’s blue buses. VCTC is working with Ventura County’s other transit operators to install Tap2Ride technology on every fixed-route bus in the county. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the year or early 2026.

The Tap2Ride system makes it easier for more people to ride VCTC Intercity buses. Passengers no longer need to carry exact change or put money on a bus pass card.

Tap2Ride users can also save money the more they ride VCTC Intercity. When paying through Tap2Ride, users will be eligible for pay as you go or “fare capping” discounts. The Tap2Ride system “caps” the amount a passenger pays when riding during a set period to mirror the same discount as a 31-day pass without the upfront cost of purchasing one.

VCTC Chair and Simi Valley Mayor Pro Tem Mike Judge said: “The Tap2Ride system is an important step toward making public transit easier to use and more accessible to everyone in the community. We look forward to bringing the Tap2Ride system to the rest of the county’s transit systems soon.”

VCTC Executive Director Martin Erickson said: “At VCTC, we are continuously focused on reducing barriers to using public transit. The Tap2Ride payment system eliminates the need to have cash on hand or purchase a bus pass in advance. Riders can simply board, tap their card or device and go!”

Passengers who choose not to use Tap2Ride can still use traditional forms of payment, including cash and the VCbuspass card. VCbuspass is accepted by all of Ventura County’s transit operators. Reduced fares that are currently available on VCTC Intercity, such as for riders age 65 and older, are not yet available using the Tap2Ride payment system but will be available soon.

Riders without access to a bank-provided contactless card or access to a bank account are encouraged to seek assistance through the Bank On national platform, which is led by the nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund). Bank On has partnered with more than 100 bank branches across Ventura County. More information about Bank On and a full list of Ventura County partner banks can be found on the Tap2Ride page on VCTC’s website at goventura.org/pay.

Funding for Tap2Ride on VCTC Intercity buses comes from a state Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP) award received by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), VCTC’s partner on the Intercity Coastal Express route. The SCCP was created by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB 1).

For complete information about Tap2Ride, including frequently asked questions, visit goventura.org/pay.