What is fare media?

• A. A fine system for fare evasion.
• B. A privilege program for frequent users.
• C. The medium used to pay fares, such as cards, passes, or tickets.
• D. A device that monitors fare collection.

Answer: (C)

Fare media are the items or methods you use to pay for a ride on transit. They’re the means of payment, like smart cards, magnetic cards, passes, paper tickets, or mobile/digital wallets that you present or scan when you enter a station or hop onto a vehicle. This is different from penalties for not paying, loyalty programs for frequent riders, or devices that check whether payment was made. The essence is the payment method itself, not enforcement, rewards, or monitoring.