Core Transit is set to eliminate the fareboxes it has used to collect cash from passengers boarding its buses on Monday. Instead, riders will need to pay for their rides using Core Transit’s mobile payment system or pre-pay for their rides in Vail or Gypsum.

“I dare to say that we are ready, and I dare to say that this is going to be a very easy transition for our riders, and they have the tools and resources that they need to be able to move on from the farebox,” said Dayana Herr, Core Transit’s marketing and communications manager, at the Core Transit board meeting on Wednesday.

Only passengers riding to or from Gypsum and Leadville on the transit line’s buses will be impacted by this change, as only riders boarding or alighting in Gypsum and Leadville currently pay fares. Stops in every location on the rest of the system have been fare-free since May.

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A one-way ride to or from Gypsum costs $3, while a one-way ride to or from Leadville costs $7.

Riders can also purchase a monthly pass, for $63 for Gypsum and $200 for Leadville. One perk of the mobile payment system is that riders can pay daily fares, and, once they have reached the price of a monthly pass, can then ride for free throughout the rest of the month.

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Why eliminate fareboxes?

The fareboxes are both costly and labor-intensive to maintain. On top of this, the outdated fareboxes installed on Core Transit’s buses would soon need to be replaced with newer models.

The process of eliminating fareboxes began years ago, when Core Transit was called ECO Transit and was under the purview of Eagle County. ECO Transit leadership decided to modernize its fare system, and the first step was introducing the ability for riders to pay fares via the Masabi smartphone app.

Then, after the creation of the Eagle Valley Transportation Authority in November 2022, which took over ECO Transit and became Core Transit in August, Eagle County agreed to pay the fareboxes’ monthly fees — $15,000 — through the end of March 2025.

Though 60% of Core Transit riders pay fares upon boarding — either in cash or via a magnetic swipe card, the system does not distinguish between the two — Core Transit leadership decided to put the organization’s resources toward other service areas, with the confidence that riders will learn to use alternative forms of payment.

There are other perks to eliminating the fareboxes. Safety, for one, as the farebox is yet another obstacle in the driver’s area, and a reduction in the driver’s obligations outside of driving. “They’ve already got all kinds of knobs, bells, whistles,” said Cisco Santaella-Mejia, Core Transit’s operations supervisor.

The elimination of cash payments upon boarding will also speed up the boarding process, Herr said.

The fareboxes will be removed from buses as they are cycled through the shop for regular maintenance. In the meantime, the fareboxes will be covered on buses.

What will people do who prefer to pay in cash?

Core Transit staff has been actively communicating with riders about the retirement of the fareboxes for the last month.

When people have boarded the bus recently, they may have received a flyer and verbal information about the sunsetting of the fareboxes. There are printed materials about the transition posted at all bus shelters in Gypsum and Leadville. Last week, Core Transit hosted pop-up events in Gypsum and Vail to alert riders of the transition.

Road supervisors have also been boarding buses at popular locations to share information about the farebox elimination with riders in both English and Spanish. “That human-centric approach has really made the difference,” Santaella-Mejia said.

Most riders are expected to pay for their rides using Core Transit’s smartphone app.

Those without a phone or who still want to pay for their rides with cash can purchase a printed ticket or a reusable smart card at Core Transit’s customer service centers in the Vail Transportation Center or the Maintenance Service Center in Gypsum.

In cases when riders are unprepared or unaware of the change, “we’re taking an educative stance,” Santaella-Mejia said. “We want to keep things simple and accessible. So if someone is hopping on our bus for the first time, and they have no idea how to pay a fare, we’re taking the human-centric approach.”

Those riders will be given the opportunity to ride, with a complimentary ride “if necessary,” Santaella-Mejia said. Then they will receive education, including a QR code, flyer and resources, on how to move to the mobile fare payment system.

But Core Transit leadership is confident any remaining uncertain riders will be comfortable using the mobile fare payment system within weeks of the elimination of the fareboxes.

Core Transit operators have also been using the fareboxes to track the number of youth riders, riders with bikes and ADA needs. With the elimination of fareboxes, that system for tracking these numbers, useful for administrative projects including ensuring buses meet riders’ needs and applying for grants, will no longer exist. Core Transit leadership is working on the solution, and drivers will take manual tallies in the meantime.