Metra customers who use the Ventra App will now be able to display multiple tickets at the same time on a single phone as part of an update available today.
The new feature eliminates the need to go through the steps of selecting and launching a ticket for each person using a ticket in the app on a single phone. Instead, customers will be able to select the tickets needed and launch them to be displayed all at once. You can update the app by going to the App Store or Google Play.
“We recognized the need for our customers to have an easier way to use one phone for their ticketing needs when they are traveling with others,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “This update simplifies the process for our customers and will ultimately save time for conductors when they are checking tickets.”
To launch more than one ticket, customers should go to the My Metra Tickets page of the Ventra App. Select the “multiple riders” tab and select the type and number of tickets to launch. After confirming the number of tickets the customer would like to launch, the app will display the number of tickets being used in the center of the animated ticket display.
There are some guidelines customers should keep in mind when using the multiple riders feature. One-Way and 10-Ride tickets can only be launched in multiples when they have the same fare-zone pair. A Monthly pass can be launched with any ticket type, including special event or weekend tickets. Special event and weekend passes can also be launched with One-Way and 10-Ride tickets.
Launched in 2015, the Ventra App is the first of its kind to allow customers to pay for rides on all three transit systems – CTA, Metra and Pace – from their mobile devices. The app offers customers a wide range of functionality, including Metra mobile tickets, Ventra account management, loading of transit value/passes, account notifications and real-time transit tracker information for CTA, Metra and Pace all in one place. The free app is available for download and use on Apple and Android smartphone and tablet devices via the App Store and Google Play.
Since its debut, the app has been downloaded more than 1 million times and has been used by Chicago transit users to purchase more than $110 million in fares.