Tap Your Bank Card to Pay Your Fare FAQs – Umo Rider Help Center

At some transit agencies, you can pay your fare using a contactless credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc.) or a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay and Google Pay loaded with a compatible card.

Not all transit agencies have implemented this feature. Please contact your local transit agency regarding availability.

This article contains the following:

How do I know if my bank card will be accepted at the Umo Reader?

If you see your bank card icon on the Umo Reader screen when you board, it should be accepted as long as it does not require a pin number and has the contactless symbol .

Supported card brands in the U.S.: Visa, MC, Discover, JCB, (Depending on the agency, Amex may also be supported)
Supported card brands in Canada : Visa, MC, Amex, Interac (Discover, JCB, and Union Pay are not supported. Depending on the agency, Amex may also be supported)

I have a reduced fare type. Can I still tap a bank card to pay my fare and receive a discount?

If you are eligible to receive a discounted fare, you can have a reduced fare type added to your account, if enabled by your agency. To add your fare type to your bank card, complete the following steps:

Check the Umo Reader screen to see if your card brand is accepted. Pay your full fare at a Umo Reader using your designated contactless bank card.
Contact your local transit agency and show proof that you are eligible for the reduced fare. Provide the transit agency with the last four digits of your card number along with the expiration date.
Upon verification of your eligibility, your reduced fare type will be added to your account.

To receive the discounted fare, you must continue to use the same payment method.

I have multiple contactless cards in my physical wallet. How will the reader know which one to charge?

You must remove your card from your physical wallet when tapping at a Umo Reader. If you tap your wallet and it has multiple cards in it, you will be declined.

Why was my card was not accepted?

If you tap your bank card or mobile wallet and are declined at the reader, you may have been rejected for several possible reasons:

Your payment method has been blocked by your bank. Try using a different method of payment.
Your card requires a pin number.
Your card brand is not accepted.
You tapped your physical wallet with multiple cards. You must remove your card before tapping.
There is existing debt on your account. Try tapping your card again to reconcile your account.

Can I also pay for my companions using my bank card? Will additional taps apply to my fare cap?

If enabled by your transit agency, yes, you can tap for your companions. However, only your first tap will apply to your fare cap (if fare capping is enabled by your agency) and any discounts do not apply to companions.

Will I be able to receive transfer and fare capping benefits if I tap my bank card at the reader?

This is dependent on your agency's fare policy. Contact your transit agency to confirm if fare capping and transfers are allowed with bank card taps.

Can I alternate between using my plastic credit card and the card I have loaded into my mobile wallet?

Fare capping and transfers only apply to a single payment method. If you are working towards a fare cap, please use the same payment method with each tap. Digital and plastic cards (despite being linked to the same bank account) are recognized as separate accounts by Umo, with each accumulating their own caps/transfers.

How does fare capping work if I have an account with joint bank cards?

Joint cards are treated as separate Umo accounts, even if the card number is the same. Each card will work towards a separate fare cap. This also applies to transfers and depends on whether your agency supports fare capping/transfers in conjunction with bank card taps.

How do I get a receipt for my purchase?

If you tapped your bank card at a Umo Reader to pay your fare, your transit agency can provide a receipt for your purchase. For them to locate your account, you will need to provide the last four digits and expiration date of your card. If you paid using a digital wallet, you will need to provide the last four digits of your digital card. This number is often different than the number on your plastic card. In addition, you may also need to provide transaction information such as date/time of your purchase for your transit agency to locate your account.

Is it more expensive for me to pay my fare by tapping my bank card?

Fare pricing is entirely dependent on your agency's fare policy. Please check your transit agency's website for details and contact them with any questions.