This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
Compass Card Examples | |
Location | San Diego County |
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Launched | May 1, 2009[a] |
Discontinued | August 31, 2021 |
Successor | Pronto |
Technology |
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Operator | Cubic Transportation Systems |
Manager | San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) |
Currency | USD (Stored value credit; 4-day, 14-day and 30-day passes maximum load) |
Auto recharge | Available upon request for registered cardholders |
Validity | |
Retailed |
|
Variants |
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Website | http://compass.511sd.com |
The Compass Card (Spanish: Tarjeta Compass) was the first-generation smart card used for automated fare collection on public transport services within San Diego County, California. Administered by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), it was 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 system was operated by Cubic Transportation Systems. Phased out over the third quarter of 2021, it was discontinued on August 31, and its successor, Pronto, launched the following day.[1]
The Compass Card was an orange or yellow, credit-card-sized contactless smartcard which held 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 were integrated in bus fareboxes and standalone readers are located just outside the paid area of rail stations. Because the San Diego Trolley, Coaster and Sprinter operate on a proof-of-payment system, fare inspectors randomly checked to make sure Compass Card users have validated their cards by using a wireless handheld unit. The cards were "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. Initially the San Diego Association of Governments only offered monthly passes on the compass card system-wide, and 14-day passes via telephone. Stored cash value cards were introduced in 2017,[2] with plans in the future capable of automatically purchasing a day pass on the first tap.
Customers are able to perform the following transactions at the corresponding locations with a Compass Card as indicated below:
Legend | |
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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 |
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The Transit Store | ||||||
Call 511 and say "Compass Card" | ||||||
Compass Card account management website Archived April 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine | ||||||
Trolley, Coaster, and Sprinter ticket vending machines | ||||||
Select San Diego county Albertsons and check cashing locations
and Transit Center "MTS Station Shops" |
The following process took place when a user tapped their card on a reader:
The next behavior depended on the reader:
Read errors that were displayed on the reader screen included, but not limited to:
SANDAG offered the following benefits to all Compass Card users:
*Proof of eligibility will be needed at time of purchase and Photo ID will be printed on the compass card, replacing existing Transit IDs.