Winnipeg Transit's Peggo tap cards now ready — but only for seniors

Reloadable smart cards for Winnipeg Transit users are now available — a decade after they were first promised.

As of Monday, the microchip-enabled Peggo card can be purchased and used by seniors. All other passengers will be able to get the cards starting Aug. 8.

Seniors can purchase the $5 card at 97 locations across the city, including all 7-Eleven and Shoppers Drug Mart, city hall, the Millennium Library, the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Red River College and several grocery stores.

Cards are also available for purchase online on Winnipeg Transit's website or by calling 311. Cards purchased through 311 will be mailed, at no cost, within 14 days.

• Where to buy a Peggo card

The electronic fare-collection system was envisioned a decade ago when then-mayor Sam Katz announced the cards as part of a six-year, $142-million transit upgrade in 2006.

Delays and glitches kept the system from becoming operational until now.

Once purchased, the Peggo cards can be loaded up with passes that range from 24 hours up to one year, or e-cash in increments of $5, $10, $15, $20, $30 and $50, up to a maximum of $200.

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To use your Peggo card, simply tap your card against the Peggo card reader on the farebox, wait for the beep, and go.

When paying with e-cash, a 75-minute transfer is automatically loaded onto the Peggo card so paper transfers are no longer required.

For a limited time, if the cards are used within 90 days of purchase, the $5 will be refunded as e-cash.

Winnipeg Transit will continue accepting cash fares but will stop selling bus tickets by the end of the year. Riders will still be able to pay cash for fares, however.