Sound Transit: 200K daily boardings as ORCA turns 1

On the first anniversary of the Puget Sound region’s ORCA smart card program, Sound Transit officials reported today almost 200,000 riders have used the ORCA on the average weekday. The ORCA program got underway with a limited rollout that began on April 20, 2009. The full rollout took place in September and gathered steam in January as ORCA replaced most of the region’s other transit passes. Unlike older passes and paper tickets, ORCA cards can be reused for several years. Riders can go online or pick up the phone to add E-purse value or passes. ORCA is valid on Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries. ORCA is also valid on the King County Water Taxis. ORCA allows you to pay your fare with a simple tap of the card. The microchip inside each ORCA card contains an E-purse that can be loaded with cash value that can be used for individual trips, or any number of passes that offer savings and convenience. For more information, visit http://www.orcacard.com or call 1-888-988-6722 (ORCA) / TTY Relay: 711 / 888-889-6368.