Bixi riders can now use OPUS cards to pay for rides

Cyclists who use Montreal's popular bike-sharing service, Bixi, can now pay for their bicycle rentalwith theirOPUSpublic transit pass,theSocitde transport deMontral(STM) announcedThursday.

Once users have registered theirOPUS card, they can pay for single trips onBixi bikes at any of the 540 docking stations across the city with their OPUS.

That move makes Montreal the first city in North America to integrate public transit and bicycle-sharing payment methods, according to Coun.Aref Salem, the head of transportation for the city's executive committee.

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Public transit users who have OPUS passes for the following services in Quebec can pay for Bixi bikes:

• STM.
• Rseau de transport mtropolitain.
• Rseaude transport de la Capitale.
• Socit de transport de Levis.
• Rseau de transport de Longueuil.
• Socit de transport de Laval.

How it works

Users with valid OPUScards should go to the Bixi websiteand look for a bicycle logo to register their cards. Then they'll need tocreate a security code that will be required at Bixi terminals.

They must also create a Bixi account and enter credit card information in order to pay for Bixi rides.However, registered OPUS users won't be charged a $100 security deposit on their credit cards, which is still the case for Bixi riders whouse a credit card for single trips.

Bixitrips will still cost $2.95 for 30 minutes or less.

OPUS card holders don't need to have prepaid for any tickets on their cards to use Bixi their cards just need to be valid.

Bixi members who already pay an annual subscription fee will still need to use their Bixi keys, asthe OPUS payment option is gearedtowards single trips of 30 minutes or less.

Bixipopularity soars

According to a release from the STM, the number of new Bixi users is up 35 per cent as of June 2017, compared to the same date one year ago.

As well, the number of Bixitrip purchases has increased 10.8 per cent over the same time last year.

The city of Montreal announced a $10 million commitment to Bixiin 2016, some of which went toward buying additional bikes and upgrading the docking stations in order to acceptOPUS.

Additional spaces will be added to existing docking stations over the next two years.