Bixi riders can now use OPUS cards to pay for rides
OPUS card users from across Quebec can now use card to pay for Bixi rides in Montreal
Cyclists who use Montreal's popular bike-sharing service, Bixi, can now pay for their bicycle rental with their OPUS public transit pass, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced Thursday.
Once users have registered their OPUS card, they can pay for single trips on Bixi bikes at any of the 540 docking stations across the city with their OPUS.
That move makes Montreal the first city in North America to integrate public transit and bicycle-sharing payment methods, according to Coun. Aref Salem, the head of transportation for the city's executive committee.
Public transit users who have OPUS passes for the following services in Quebec can pay for Bixi bikes:
- STM.
- Réseau de transport métropolitain.
- Réseau de transport de la Capitale.
- Société de transport de Levis.
- Réseau de transport de Longueuil.
- Société de transport de Laval.
How it works
Users with valid OPUS cards should go to the Bixi website and look for a bicycle logo to register their cards. Then they'll need to create a security code that will be required at Bixi terminals.
They must also create a Bixi account and enter credit card information in order to pay for Bixi rides. However, registered OPUS users won't be charged a $100 security deposit on their credit cards, which is still the case for Bixi riders who use a credit card for single trips.
Bixi trips will still cost $2.95 for 30 minutes or less.
OPUS card holders don't need to have prepaid for any tickets on their cards to use Bixi — their cards just need to be valid.
Bixi members who already pay an annual subscription fee will still need to use their Bixi keys, as the OPUS payment option is geared towards single trips of 30 minutes or less.
Bixi popularity soars
According to a release from the STM, the number of new Bixi users is up 35 per cent as of June 2017, compared to the same date one year ago.
As well, the number of Bixi trip purchases has increased 10.8 per cent over the same time last year.
The city of Montreal announced a $10 million commitment to Bixi in 2016, some of which went toward buying additional bikes and upgrading the docking stations in order to accept OPUS.
Additional spaces will be added to existing docking stations over the next two years.