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OnYourWay app
Is the OnYourWay app free to download?
Yes, the app is free to download from the App Store or Google Play.
I would like to activate an affordable account, or a concession account (youth, senior, or post-secondary account). How do I prove eligibility to activate the app?
Once you download the app and identify your category, access the Reduced transit fare eligibility form. Have ready the following:
- your digital (app) account number (displayed in your account profile, at the top); and
- • supporting documentation such as a piece of government issued identification that verifies your name, address and date of birth.
Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] with instructions on how to proceed.
I am a high school student over the age of 18. What fare category do I select?
Please select your category as youth and follow the eligibility process above.
How do I transfer from a physical card to use the OnYourWay app?
To transfer the balance, you will need to email [email protected], call 519-822-1811 or visit the Guelph Transit Administrative Office (170 Watson Road South) . your balance will be moved to the app and you will be able to keep card.
What type of fare media can I buy using the app?
Affordable categories can purchase E-Cash, and E-Passes. Concession categories (Youth, Senior, Post-Secondary, etc.) and Adult can purchase E-Cash. E-Cash is the only available fare to purchase with the implementation of Fare Capping on September 1, 2023.
Do I need to have a credit card to buy E-Cash using the app?
Yes, you need a credit card or Debit Visa/Mastercard to buy E-Cash in the app.
Does the app store my credit card information?
The app does not store your credit card information automatically, however you have the option to securely store your credit card information if you choose to do so.
Do I get a receipt for my purchase?
Yes, we’ll email you a copy of your receipt. The receipt will be visible on your mobile screen after a successful purchase.
Do I need to have a minimum balance on my mobile account?
You must have valid bus fare (at least one ride, $3 cash or one transfer) available on the app to use it on the bus.
Can I link my OnYourWay physical fare card with the app?
The OnYourWay app generates a digital QR code with a number that is different than the physical OnYourWay fare card. The card and the app are not linked. Users are encouraged to use only one card type. If you have an OnYourWay reload account, you can add your mobile account number to the account (like you would add a card). Once the app account is added, you can load fares to the app account from your reload account. Reduced fare accounts (youth, senior and post-secondary) cannot maintain both cards (physical and digital cards) simultaneously.
The QR code expired. What should I do?
Once you generate a QR code, it is available for 20 seconds. If it expires before you get the chance to scan it on the farebox, simply generate another QR code. You will only be charged for the QR code scanned on the farebox.
Does my E-Cash expire?
No, E-Cash does not expire. E-Cash not used in one month can be used in the next, with no expiry.
I activated a QR code but changed my mind about using the bus. What should I do?
Let the QR code expire or return to the home screen. Only scanned QR codes on the farebox will be deducted from your account.
What if I lose Internet connection before boarding the bus?
The app provides real-time updates and requires mobile data or a wi-fi connection. For security reasons, you will be logged out after 24 hours of inactivity. You need to have an internet connection to sign into the app before using it.
If you are logged into the OnYourWay app and you lose Internet connection while trying to generate a QR code, you will be alerted that you don’t have an Internet connection. Click “Ok” and scan the QR code on the bus.
What if my phone stops working?
You are responsible for having a mobile device in good working order prior to boarding the bus. If your mobile device stops working, you are expected to pay for your ride using another form of payment.
How do I use my transfer?
The OnYourWay app works the same as the physical card and will display the same messages on the fare box screen. Your OnYourWay app stores the transfer. You simply need to generate a QR code before boarding the second bus. Your QR code will show the transfer.
Your transfer is valid for 90 minutes from when QR code is scanned. To verify time remaining on a transfer, go to the ’History’ tab.
I want to change my account category. How do I do this?
To change your category you need to email [email protected], call 519-822-1811 or visit the Guelph Transit administration office (170 Watson Road South). If you have a balance remaining on your card, we will load the value of the remaining balance to your OnYourWay app.
I lost my phone/I got a new phone. How do I transfer my account?
If you have a new phone, simply log out from your app in your old phone and login to the new phone.
If you lost your phone, you will be able to login to a new phone after 24 hours if the app wasn’t used. If you need assistance send an email to [email protected] or call Guelph Transit Administration office at (519) 822-1811
Note: Switching devices can only be done a set number of times. Ensure that this is only carried out when obtaining a new device.
What happens if I uninstall the app?
Your balance will be stored in the app until you use it up.
Is the OnYourWay app compatible with all devices?
The OnYourWay app is compatible with the majority of iOS and Android devices. However, please make sure your software is up to date. The app might not be compatible with older versions of software.
I need help with the app. Who can help me?
Please contact the Guelph Transit administration office by emailing [email protected] or calling 519-822-1811.
OnYourWay fare card
Where do I buy an OnYourWay fare card?
The OnYourWay fare card is available at select retailers and City facilities (e.g. ServiceGuelph (City Hall), recreation facilities and Guelph Transit).
Why should I get an OnYourWay fare card?
The OnYourWay fare card is a faster and more secure way to pay for bus fare in Guelph. You can add funds to your card online or in person, protect your fare balance by registering your card, ensure your money is safe if the card is lost or stolen and manage your card easily online (e.g., check balance and history).
Does it cost anything to get an OnYourWay fare card?
OnYourWay fare cards cost $5 to purchase. Lost or stolen cards are subject to a $5 replacement fee.
There is no card fee if you are changing fare class. For example, if you have a youth fare card and turn 18, there will be no fee charged to get an adult fare card.
What happens if I lose my OnYourWay fare card?
If your OnYourWay fare card is lost or stolen and is registered, we can cancel the card and transfer the balance to a new card. There is a $5 fee for the new card.
Are paper tickets, monthly passes and cash still accepted?
The OnYourWay fare card replaces paper tickets and monthly cards. Storing E-Cash on the card and using cash on the bus will continue to be options.
Customers can load E-Cash (stored dollar value on the fare card).
For stored value, each time the card is tapped on the fare box, the system deducts Guelph Transit fare for your category from the stored balance on the card.
For more details see the updates for the new Fare Capping program, effective Sept 1, 2023.
Paper tickets can no longer be purchased or used at the farebox. Transit customers holding paper tickets can visit a ServiceGuelph at City Hall or Guelph Transit’s administration office on Watson Road to have the value of any leftover tickets added to an OnYourWay card.
Is Guelph Transit doing anything to ensure non-profit organizations can continue hand out bus tickets to people in need in the community?
In response to customer feedback: Guelph Transit works with non-profit organizations, providing single-fare bus tickets. A process that enables service providers to continue to hand out tickets to people in need in the community. These QR tickets are scanned on the farebox and honoured as valid fare on Guelph Transit buses.
Will the OnYourWay fare card link with my Presto card?
Starting August 8, 2023, PRESTO cards will no longer be accepted when riding on Guelph Transit. To receive your free trip connecting to and from GO Transit, enrol to link your OnYourWay and PRESTO accounts for the Connect-to-GO discount program.
For more details visit guelph.ca/co-fare
I am an Affordable Bus Pass holder. What changes for me?
Affordable Bus Pass holders will use the OnYourWay fare card purchased at select retailers. Use the guelph.ca/reducedtransitfareeligibility to upload government issued ID. You’ll receive an email when the account is set up and ready to use.
You can then load your card online or in person at our office at 170 Watson Road South, ServiceGuelph at City Hall or a select retailer.
Your OnYourWay fare card expires one year from the date of your subsidy approval. You must reapply for the Affordable Bus Pass subsidy yearly.
If your affordable bus pass is provided to you by a third-party organization or institution and funded for you, you will need to continue to get the pass through that organization. The same applies for reloading fare products to your card.
I am a Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) customer. What changes for me?
Continue to use your current Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) card.
I am a University of Guelph student. What changes for me?
If you are a University of Guelph main campus student and have been charged the bus pass fee on your student account, you are eligible for the Student Bus Pass.
On January 1, 2022, eligible students will tap their University of Guelph student ID cards on the card reader on a Guelph Transit bus. For more details, please visit the Central Student Association’s Bus Pass page.
If you’re an undergraduate student enrolled in distance education courses or a co-op work term, you are not billed for the bus pass as part of your semester fees. You can opt in for a bus pass directly through the Central Student Association.
Effective March 1, 2022, if you lose your OnYourWay fare card, the fee for a replacement will be $5. The same fee does not apply to a student tapping their student card.
I am a veteran. What changes for me?
The OnYourWay fare card will be issued once you submit the completed Veterans Transit and Parking Pass Application form. The fare card expires at the end of each year and can be renewed by contacting [email protected] or calling 519-822-1811 option 3.
I usually get a Day Pass. Can I still buy this pass?
No changes to the current day pass program.
How do transfers work?
Starting September 1, 2023, the transfer will be 90 minutes, extended from 60-minutes. A 90-minute transfer is automatically activated on your card when paying with a monthly pass rides or stored dollar value. No additional fare will be deducted from your card if you tap again within that 90-minute period.
If you pay cash, you will need to request a paper transfer from the transit operator. Paper transfers state the expiry date and time.
How do I change my stored credit card on the website?
Stored credit cards cannot be changed or updated for security reasons. You can remove/delete your existing stored credit card and add a new card after you make a purchase. When making a purchase using a credit card that is not stored, the system will ask you toward the end of the transaction if you want to save the credit card.
Who is paying for this project?
The fare box project, including the OnYourWay card, is a Council-approved recommendation of the Guelph Transit Business Service Review. In 2017, the federal government announced $1.3 million in funding for Guelph through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund to replace fare boxes on City buses to improve efficiency, reduce potential fraud and missed fares and automate validation of student passes (U-pass) and transfers. The City is providing the remaining project funds of $1.3 million from its Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund.
Questions?
Call 519-822-1811 or email [email protected].