Mobile Ticketing

Sioux Area Metro has partnered with Token Transit to offer a new way to purchase and use bus passes on your smartphone!

Token Transit offers an alternative to using cash by using your smartphone as a digital bus pass. Customers can use an online payment to purchase SAM single ride and monthly passes from anywhere! Passes can be purchased for immediate use, or if you're planning ahead, they can be stored on Token Transit for future trips on SAM.

How It Works

Here's how to pay for your SAM pass with a mobile device, in just 4 easy steps:

1. Download the app

2. Enter your cell phone number to create an account

3. Choose Sioux Area Metro (SAM)

4. Select the fare option you wish to purchase

5. Add your credit/debit card information

6. When you are ready to board the bus, activate your ticket

7. Show the ticket confirmation to the bus driver

Frequently Asked Questions

Token Transit is a mobile ticketing application that lets you pay for and ride public transit with your phone. With the Token Transit app, you purchase, activate and board using just your phone.
  • Download Token Transit on your smartphone
  • Enter your cell phone number to create an account
  • Select Sioux Area Metro (SAM)
  • Select the ticket/pass option you want
  • Add credit/debit card information
  • When you’re ready to board the bus, activate ticket/pass
  • Show confirmation on phone to bus driver
Token Transit supports iOS and Android phones. Your phone will need to have cellular data or Wi-Fi connectivity to purchase and activate passes. Boarding does not require an internet connection. You will need storage space on your device for the app as well as downloaded ticket information.
No. Token Transit is free to download.

Fare capping will be available via the Token Transit app only. Fare capping limits how much riders pay for their trips in a day, week, or 30-day period. Once pass purchases and activations in a day, week or 30-day period add up to the value of a higher-value pass, riders will automatically be provided the higher-value pass to use for the remaining time period. Not available on multi-day or ride tickets (7-day or 10-ride). Passes must be activated to be considered for fare capping.

Example: I ride the bus four times in a day. I normally would purchase and activate four ride passes at $1.50 per ride, which would equal $6. When I go to activate my third ride on the Token Transit app, I would automatically be upgraded to the day pass, which is only $3. I would be refunded the $1.50 that I paid for the third ride.

After downloading Token Transit, create an account using your phone number. If you allow Token Transit to use your location, it will connect you to the nearest public transit system. SAM should automatically appear in the app. Add your credit or debit card to make purchases within the app.

Token Transit only accepts credit or debit cards for payment. You can purchase ticket(s)/pass(es) with cash or check at the SAM Depot or Office and have the ticket(s)/pass(es) added to your phone. Lewis Drug only offers physical tickets at this time and will not load tickets/passes purchased there onto your phone.

Bus fare is available to purchase at the following Lewis Drug locations:

All personal and credit card information is securely stored, using Token Transit's encrypted Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant servers.
No. Prices do not change based on payment method.
No. Token Transit is voluntary to use. For information on where and how to purchase fares, visit our Bus Fares and Passes page.
  • 1 Ride: Valid for one regular ride. Ticket will display for 10 minutes after activation.
  • 1 Day: 1-Day passes are valid for unlimited use until midnight on the day of activation.
  • 7 Day: 7-Day passes are valid for 7 consecutive days after first activation until midnight on the 7th day.
  • 10 Ride: Pack of ten 1-ride passes. Each pass is valid for 10 minutes after activation.
  • 30 Day: Passes are valid for 30 consecutive days after first activation until midnight on the 30th day.

Individuals eligible for discounted fares, including seniors (65+), persons with disabilities, Medicare cardholders, and individuals using paratransit, can also purchase tickets/passes using Token Transit. Show your eligibility card/ID with your mobile confirmation when boarding the bus.

Individuals do not need to reapply for an eligibility card to use Token Transit.

You can purchase and activate tickets/passes using a Wi-Fi connection. The SAM Depot (120 E. 11th St.) has public Wi-Fi.
Yes. However, you need an internet connection (data plan or Wi-Fi) to activate your ticket before boarding the bus.
Your single-ride ticket will be available for 10 minutes after activating it. If you purchase day or multiple-ride passes, those will be available under “My Passes” for when you are ready to use them.
Active tickets/passes will be displayed under "Passes in use," which immediately appears when the Token Transit app is opened.
Yes, you can view a log of your past actions by going to your Account Settings and selecting 'History'. There will be a new entry every time you use a ticket/pass.
Yes, but you need to make sure that you include your email address when you register your account. Receipts will be sent to the email address associated with your account.
You are responsible for keeping your phone charged while using your ticket. Refunds will not be issued if your phone's battery dies while your ticket is active.
Yes. SAM fares can be purchased online and sent to a non-smartphone. You need the phone number of the device you are sending to. To receive the mobile ticket, the device must have a data connection for the ticket to be downloaded and activated. Fares can be purchased online.
Your passes and payment information are linked to the account associated with your phone number. They are not linked to your physical phone. Logging in with your phone number on a new device will restore your previous pass and payment information.
Passes are not transferable or replaceable. All sales are final. However, if you experience technical issues, please contact Token Transit, at help@tokentransit.com.
You need an internet connection (data or Wi-Fi) to purchase a pass and activate a pass daily. You do not need an internet connection to show your ticket to the bus driver.

Yes. Multiple people can board using a single phone with the Token Transit app. To board with multiple people:

  1. Activate your first ticket. Show to driver for visual validation.
  2. Close the current ticket and return to your passes screen.
  3. Activate a second ticket and show to driver for visual validation.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as necessary for each additional pass.

Token Transit passes are locked to an account for security purposes. You cannot move or transfer a purchase from one account to another.

Instead, Token Transit allows you to buy passes on behalf of another account at the time of purchase. To start, go to https://tokentransit.com/send. From there, you can select SAM and then purchase any pass for any phone number you like. You can even use it to send passes to yourself online.

No. Token Transit is for fare payment only. Riders will continue to request Paratransit, SAM On Demand and other services via current methods.
If you have a payer (a company that purchases bus tickets or passes on behalf of individuals), you will continue using paper tickets at this time. Your payer will update you when that changes.
Should you experience any technical issues with the app, please contact Token Transit. Visit support.tokentransit.com or call 415-918-6628. SAM customer service representatives can assist with all other questions, call 605-367-7151 and select option 1.