Copper Card

The Copper Card, will be a contactless smartcard fare collection system used by Valley Metro in Metro Phoenix.

Proposal
In 2021, Valley Metro announced they wanted to reduce waste and were going to update their fare system, and launched a new app. In 2022, Valley Metro updated new fare readers. In 2023, Valley Metro launched mobile payment on the app. In 2024, the Copper Card will be released.

Operation
Copper cards will be available for $4 at service centers and will be available to purchase online and in-person. Full fare customers will never pay more than $4 a day, $20 in week or $64 a month with the Copper card. For reduced fare customers it will never be $2 a day, $10 in week or $32 a month with the Copper card. For Express and RAPID it will never be more than $6.50 a day or $104 a month with the Copper card.

The operator of the Copper Card will be Vix Technology.

The designer of the card will be InComm Payments.

In March 2024, Valley Metro announced they would start accepting reduced fare applications for the Copper Card and launched the new reduced fares website.

The Copper Card will have a one-time issuance charge of $4 and a maximum load amount of $150. The new Copper Cards will also be reloadable.

Valley Metro will also add new bus fareboxes, card readers, app barcode readers, and ticket vending machines at bus and light rail stations during this time.

On 1 April 2024, ADA, Platinum, and A+ Copper Cards were activated to use on rail and buses.

Rates
The table at bottom shows the future rate structure for the Valley Metro system.