STA Connect

Spokane Public Transportation Benefit Area

About this app

The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Connect app is packed full of features! With the STA Connect app you can:
Link a physical Connect card or create a virtual eConnect card
Add value or passes
Check your balance
View fare capping progress
Enable autoload
Lock lost or stolen cards
Manage payment methods
View card activity, including ride history
Virtual eConnect cards are separate from physical Connect cards. eConnect cards are completely virtual and exist only in your mobile phone. Every card, whether physical or eConnect, has a unique 20 digit number, and that 20 digit number has its own separate balances and fare capping totals from any other Connect card number, even when linked within the same STA Connect app account profile.
To add value to an eConnect or physical Connect card, simply add a credit or debit card to your Connect account, then add value to your cart and check out. With value added to your card, you are ready to ride! Please note that no refund can be given on funds loaded to a physical or eConnect card.
When you board the bus, bring up the fare payment QR code and hold your phone approximately eight inches below the fare validator with the screen facing up. When your eConnect card has been validated and fare collected, you’ll hear a beep and see a green check mark.
Riders with a Universal Transit Access Pass (UTAP) through a local university (e.g. EWU, Gonzaga, SCC, SFCC, Whitworth, or WSU Spokane), employer (e.g. City of Spokane or Spokane County), or other partner agency (e.g. Kendall Yards) can now link their UTAP to their virtual Connect card directly in the STA Connect app. Simply register with your UTAP email address and use the “Partner Agency” widget on the home screen to get started.
Learn more about the Connect fare system at https://spokanetransit.com/connect/

Ratings and reviews

The app gets a 3 star for doing the bare minimum with passes, but the internal links do not work with android and redirects to an error screen that involves copy-pasting the link into an actual tab. Not to mention the buses that have Alert markers on them do not load the time table or even allow you to see what the Alerts are, they're stuck on a loading screen. Aside that, the app does (to extent) work the way it should.

Great for the most part. But using the QR feature doesn't work most of the time. Which is frustrating given how much money I put in only to have it idly sit there. I believe an option being added that could allow riders to transfer digital funds to there cards would be a very helpful tool for people who may also have this issue of the digital passes not being as reliable as the physical cards.

There was a huge delay between account creation and actually being able to login to the app. >5 minutes. The in app route planner returned a service error when I tried to double check my stop. There was also a service error when I attempted to add a payment method. I then called STA and a polite staff member said they could add one remotely, but then they received an error as well. Eventually they let me know if I have a card with tap to pay I can use that instead of the app.

What’s new

We’ve been working hard to improve your experience with our app. This update includes:
• General performance improvements
• Bug fixes and stability enhancements
• Minor UI and usability updates
Thank you for using our app!