Providing a direct return to tax payers is one of the primary benefits of the Property Tax Bus Pass Program, but encouraging the use of public transit is also intended to:

• Decrease traffic congestion

• Reduce the demand for parking

• Improve local commute and travel times 

• Decrease pollution 

• Reduce the need for individual investment in personal autos while increasing the amount of expendable income for anyone using public transit

There will be three categories of tax payers eligible to receive a bus pass on the basis of their property tax payment: 

1) Individual Home and Property Owners

Individual home and property owners will simply need to fill out a bus pass application form that will be available online at busride.org or picked up at the Westover Terminal

2) Rental Property Owners

Rental Property Owners may choose to offer bus passes to their tenants by notifying the Authority of the property address and name of the tenant.

3) Commercial Property Owners

Commercial Property Owners may choose to offer bus passes to their tenants, either corporations or employers, by notifying the Authority of the property address and name of the tenant(s).  

Each of these tax payer groups are eligible to receive (or allocate if rental or commercial property owners) bus passes on the basis of their property tax payment, a portion of which supports public transit in Monongalia County.

The Authority will verify the applicant (Individual, Rental or Commercial Property Owners) is current in their tax payment through the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office using their on-line database. The number of passes received will be based on tax contribution on the following scale:

• $1 - $1,000 taxes paid = 1 bus pass
• $1001 - $2000 taxes paid = 2 bus passes
• $2,001 - $3,000 taxes paid = 3 bus passes
• $3,001 - …… and so on

All persons who will receive a pass will verify their identity and residency or ownership with the Authority. An appointment will be arranged for the Applicant to appear for the creation of their bus pass, which will include a photo of the Applicant.

The Bus Pass will include magnetic information which will be validated through the digital fare box on each bus. The Bus Pass must be presented and swiped through the fare box upon each vehicle entry, including transfers.

All bus passes will be reviewed on an annual basis to verify property tax payments are up to date and that the property owner or designee is still eligible for a Bus Pass. Invalid passes will be disabled in the Authority’s digital fare box system.

Any persons or organizations that either:

1 ) Do not pay property tax in Monongalia County

2 ) Have another form of subsidized Bus Pass will not be eligible for this bus pass program.  

Such groups include, but are not limited to, Children age 5 and under (already ride free), High School Students (already ride free), or West Virginia University students, faculty or staff (prepaid and can use their WVU ID).

Ineligible Services

Bus Passes issued through this program will not be valid on non-regular, local route services such as the Intercity Grey Line bus service or the New Fit supplemental transit service. These services operate with outside, dedicated funding and are not exclusively supported using local tax contributions. 

Replacement Cards

Replacement Bus Passes are available upon request, at the following cost:

Initial Bus Pass = Free

Replacement Pass with surrender of previous pass = Free

Replacement Pass for lost or stolen passes = $20