FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10 November 2023

VETERANS CAN NOW ENJOY DISCOUNT TRANSIT FARE BENEFIT WHEN TAPPING TO RIDE ON MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT (MST)

Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) proudly announces the addition of Veterans in the group eligible to verify discount transit fares online and instantly link a contactless credit/debit card.

Until today, Seniors (age 65+) and MST Courtesy Card holders were the only groups able to verify eligibility for a discount and link that discount to a contactless-enabled Visa or Mastercard. Facilitated by the California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP), the Cal-ITP Benefits tool now allows Veterans to link their discount eligibility to their contactless bank card and be able to tap into MST’s Veterans discount fare right away—the discount is instantly applied to the contactless card.

Every time the registered card is used to Tap to Ride on an MST fixed route bus, passengers will receive the discount fare benefit. And when the same linked debit/credit card is used to pay the discount fare, passengers enjoy fare capping, where they will pay no more than $3 per day, $10 per week, or $35 per month when using the same contactless debit/credit card.

“MST is the first transit operator in the world to offer contactless fare collection for discount eligible groups. Working collaboratively with partners at Cal-ITP, the California Department of Technology (CDT), the Veterans Administration (VA) Lighthouse Program and the Congressional Office of Representative Jimmy Panetta, we are able to provide the veteran community with a simple, secure option to enjoy a discounted bus fare”, stated MST General Manager/CEO, Carl Sedoryk. “We appreciate and thank Representative Panetta for his continued support of public transportation and veterans everywhere.”

“Veterans deserve our appreciation, but also any assistance that they need to pursue every opportunity in their civilian life,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Through this first-of-its-kind program, the federal government is playing its part to ease transportation costs for veterans, increase mobility, and digitize travel benefits.  This program is just a token of our gratitude for the service of our veterans and their families to our country and ensures that they have the chance to continue being a part of our communities.”

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