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 News & Updates | Newsroom News & Updates: Newsroom RTA News Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003 Farecards at
your fingertips CLEVELAND -- RTA buses and trains are jumping on
the information superhighway. Now, riders can buy their transit passes and
farecards in cyberspace. Officials of the Greater Cleveland Regional
Transit Authority (RTA) sold more than $2,500 on-line in fares during January,
when the service first became available at www.rideRTA.com.
So far in February, more than $4,000 in
fares have been sold on-line. Other Web-based transit services are also being
added. "Every day, more and more of our customers
are growing comfortable with e-commerce," says RTA CEO and General Manager
Joe Calabrese. "Now, our customers can purchase their passes right from
the comfort of their home or office." RTA officials will closely monitor on-line sales
to see if they result in more riders. At least some of the requests have come
from out-of-town residents who plan to visit Cleveland. How to buy passes on-line Go to www.rideRTA.com,
and select "buy farecards on-line". Then select
"farecards". You must then follow a series of prompts to select which
farecards or passes you wish to purchase. You will also have a chance to register on-line,
so that the next time you purchase farecards, the computer will already know
your name and address. Finally, type in your credit card number -- the
site is secure -- and add $1 per order for handling, and send it. RTA will fill
the order within 24 hours, and you should receive it within five working days.
The Web site also generates a page for you to printout as a receipt. The entire process should take about five
minutes. RTA products available on-line include:
If you do not wish to use your credit card, there
is another on-line option. Go to www.rideRTA.com,
select "pass & fare info" and "farecard order form."
Just printout that page, choose which products you wish to buy, write out a
check, and mail the check and the order form to RTA. Other places to buy passes RTA farecards and passes can be purchased in
person at the RTA Customer Service Center, 315
Euclid Ave., and in the RTA Rotunda of the Tower City station during rush
hours. Farecards are also sold at more than 150 local
stores, including Tops Friendly Markets,
Giant Eagle, Medic Drug, Convenient Food Mart, Money Mart, Dave's
Supermarket and others. For a complete list, go to www.rideRTA.com
and select "pass & fare info". Other Web
services
Riders who want the latest transit news sent
directly to their PC via e-mail can visit the Web site and sign up for RTA's
list serve. More than 3,600 riders now subscribe to this free service. Updates
are sent about every two weeks. They summarize recent news and Web site
updates, with links to click for more information.
For years, operators at the RTAnswerline,
216-621-9500, have responded to hundreds of calls from riders who needed
personalized scheduling information. Now, that same information is available
via e-mail. RTA just began offering future trip planning on
the Web site, and requests are coming in rapidly, sometimes as many as 40 a
day. Requests should be made at least two business days before the trip is to
be made. RTA phone operators will prepare a customized answer and respond to
your e-mail. Go to www.rideRTA.com
and select "routing information." That system is expected to remain in place until
early next year, when RTA plans to offer real-time trip planning on its Web
site, Calabrese says. Eventually, items such as RTA logo items, will also be
sold from this site. Web site info RTA's Web site is hosted by Cboss Community Network. It is updated daily
by several RTA employees. Some information must be downloaded. Riders who do
not have that capability can click on an e-mail address, and the information
will be mailed to them. RTA background RTA's mission is to enhance
the quality of life in the region by providing outstanding, cost-effective
public transportation services. RTA's 2,700 employees
operate 758 buses on 1,100 route miles, and 108 rail cars on 34 miles of track.
Bus operators drive more than 90,000 route miles every day, and RTA carries
more than 45 percent of all public transit riders in Ohio. RTA's bus and rail
fleet is the 13th largest in the nation, and RTA carries an average
of 181,000 riders each weekday. Revenue from a one percent
countywide sales tax makes up more than 70 percent of RTA's $230 million
operating fund. Passenger fares generate 20 percent, and the other 10 percent
comes from federal and state funds, and transit advertising. In 2002, more than 52.7
million passengers rode RTA's trains, buses, Community Circulators and
paratransit vehicles. For personalized
scheduling, call the RTAnswerline, 216-621-9500. Persons who are hearing
impaired can call 216-781-4271. Visit RTA's Customer Service Center, 315 Euclid Ave., from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Monday-Friday. FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY: Jerry Masek, 216.566.5211, jmasek@gcrta.org 
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