Gabby has been wanting to share and answer the hundreds of questions you send to her every day. And now she can! Gabby is your source for the inside scoop on everything you ever needed to know about mastering the art of public transit. Email her at deargabby@foothilltransit.org.

Dear Gabby,

I take both Foothill Transit and Metro to get to work. I heard something’s changing about transfers, but I don’t know what it is. Can you tell me what’s going on?

-Curious in Claremont

Dear Curious in Claremont,

You heard right! Changes are coming on Sunday, July 15th. The good news is that they should make life much easier for you.

Here’s the biggest takeaway: Starting on July 15th, you will need a TAP card to transfer to Metro or any other TAP-participating transit agency in LA County.

Once you’ve got that card, though, you’ll never have to give another thought to transferring. Here’s how it’ll work. Beginning Sunday, July 15th, all transfers to Metro or any other LA County transit agency will be automatic with your TAP card. You don’t have to ask for a transfer when you board your first bus. You don’t have to do anything other than pay your fare with your TAP card. Just make sure you’ve got stored value (cash) on your card. When you board your second ride – bus or train – and tap your card, the transfer fare will be automatically deducted. Nice, huh?

Oh, and it gets even better. Transfers are going to be extended from two hours to two and a half hours from your first boarding. So you’ll have less hassle and more time. If only everything could be this easy.

By the way, tell your friends, because this change is good for everyone – even if they don’t plan to transfer to another agency. First of all, it should make boarding the bus a lot faster, because no one has to ask for a transfer or wait for a paper transfer to be punched, and that should speed up our service. And speaking of paper transfers, using less paper is one more step towards a more sustainable ride.

But remember, transfers to other LA County agencies will no longer be available without a TAP card. It’s really easy to get one. You can purchase and reload your TAP card at our Transit Stores, TAP vendor locations, TAP vending machines at Metro Rail stations, online at taptogo.net, or by calling 1-866-TAP-TO-GO (827-8646).

One last thing I should add. This only applies to LA County agencies. This change will not affect transfers to OCTA or Omnitrans. If you need to transfer to those lines, ask your bus operator for a paper transfer to OCTA or Omnitrans before you pay your fare. And remember, since October of 2017, transfers between Foothill Transit buses are not available.