Skip to main content

Detroit transit authorities offer unified fare system for buses

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDoT) has partnered with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) to launch a unified payment system for the US region’s buses. Detroit’s mayor Mike Duggan says: “Dart will bring our two systems closer together with seamless transfers and more flexible payments making riding transit easier for everyone.” According to the mayor’s office, riders can take unlimited rides on both systems as each pass starts on the first use for the time
May 3, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDoT) has partnered with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) to launch a unified payment system for the US region’s buses.


Detroit’s mayor Mike Duggan says: “Dart will bring our two systems closer together with seamless transfers and more flexible payments making riding transit easier for everyone.”

According to the mayor’s office, riders can take unlimited rides on both systems as each pass starts on the first use for the time period allotted. Regional passes are available for reduced fare riders – seniors, people with disabilities, Medicare cardholders and young people. A Dart mobile app will allow riders to pay for travel from this summer.

Warren C. Evans, Wayne County executive, says: “Under the current system, transfers can be confusing and intimidating. Relieving that headache encourages ridership which is important to improving mobility and increasing transit options.”

Under the new system, riders purchase the following Dart passes:

  • Four-hour regional with unlimited transfers between DDoT and SMART for $2, with a reduced fare price of 50 cents for qualified riders.
  • 24-hour regional with unlimited transfers between DDoT and SMART for $5, with a reduced price of $2.
  • Seven-day regional for $22, with a reduced price of $10.
  • 31-day regional, good for unlimited rides on both systems, for $70, with a reduced price of $29. The 31-day pass will also feature a tap to pay option for easier boarding.


The four-hour and 24-hour Dart passes will be available for purchase on SMART and DDOT vehicles. All passes will be available through SMART/DDoT centres, select retail outlets, online or by post.

Related Content

  • August 22, 2018
    Atlanta goes regional
    Georgia’s new transportation authority will focus on regional funding and planning, says Andrew Bardin Williams – and hopes to be a model for reorganisation across the US With an eye toward eventually creating Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in the Atlanta metropolitan area, the Georgia state legislature has shaken up how transportation is managed by creating a new regional transit governance and funding organisation. The Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (The ATL) will be responsible for transit plann
  • December 24, 2024
    Omny roll-out to benefit New York's older transit users
    Tap-and-go benefits available to 1.5 million 'reduced-fare' customers
  • December 16, 2014
    Chicago integrates regional transit fares
    Travellers in Chicago will soon be able to use a single app to plan their journey, pay and receive real-time alerts across all public transit services in the Chicago region. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), suburban bus operator Pace and commuter rail system Metra have awarded Cubic Transportation Systems a US$5.4 million contract to supply an integrated mobile application and system supporting a wide variety of mobile ticketing, mobile top up, contactless mobile payment using Near Field Communication (
  • March 7, 2018
    RIPTA install fare management platform for bus fleet
    The Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA) has selected Init to implement an account-based electronic fare and back-office revenue management system on their fixed-route fleet of over 240 buses. The platform is intended to allow passengers to board faster and receive more convenient fare options. Once completed, the solution will allow passengers to pay fares by tapping their card or mobile device on a validator. Init’s Mobilevario will calculate the fare, validate the transaction against the