With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
You Can Now Pay For Your LA Metro Trip With A Flick Of The Wrist
A limited number of new TAP Flex wristbands are being sold at Metro customer centers. (Courtesy Metro Los Angeles)
Wallet fumblers and purse combers rejoice: the days of rummaging about your person or bag in search of your TAP card are over -- if you have $10 and act fast.
After a couple years in development, Los Angeles Metro's new TAP wristbands are now available for transit riders, agency officials announced Monday. A limited number of them, dubbed TAP Flex, are being sold, but only at Metro's customer centers.
The silicone bands come in black or blue and function just like traditional TAP cards, keeping stored values and passes at arm's length. The wristbands work at all Metro validators, gates and fare boxes, and are also valid at all other L.A. County transit agencies that accept TAP.
Metro first began testing wristband prototypes in 2017, studying their potential benefits for riders with disabilities.
Sponsor
Another type of wearable TAP wristband, this one made of elastic fabric, is expected to be released later in August. (Courtesy Metro Los Angeles)
Improving the ease of paying for public transit trips won't stop there, though. Metro officials announced other wearable payment tools are set to be released later this month, including another wristband made of elastic fabric and a mini TAP card for a keychain.
Metro officials added that they're "also working on TAP wearables that can accommodate reduced fare riders."
Soon you may not even need a physical TAP card or wristband to pay for your train or bus trip. Metro has been working on updating its infrastructure to roll out fare payment through a smartphone app. After some hiccups, agency officials expect to launch the new app this winter.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
