2026 FREE FARE PASSES ARE AVAILABLE
Summerland residents that are new to UMO or have an UMO card or app on their phone can now obtain the 2026 Free Fare Pass for the 2026 calendar year. The new pass is only valid for the 2026 year, and will be activated on January 1 2026.
You are able to continue using your current Free Fare Pass for the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, but will need this new pass to continue accessing the free fare program for 2026 when using the Route 30 bus as a Summerland resident.
You DO NOT need to obtain a new UMO card or app to load the pass, it will be loaded onto your existing card/account.
Please visit any one of our two(2) vendor locations in town to obtain your pass! The Municipal Hall office is closed from 2pm on December 24th, 2025 through till January 1 2026. Re-opening at 8:15am at Municipal Hall January 2nd.
Please check out the Aquatic Centre
webpage for full holiday schedules
How to Get Your Free Fare Pass
If you are a Summerland resident how can you ride for free?
- Add the ‘Free Fare Pass’ on your Umo card or App from one of our two(2) BC Transit vendors and tap it on the new fare device when you ride the Route 30 bus
How can you obtain the free fare pass? Please follow these steps:
- First you must be registered with Umo either on their app (Visit Umo) which can be downloaded for free from Google Play or the App Store, OR visit a Summerland BC Transit vendor, at the Municipal Hall or Aquatic Centre, who can give you a physical Umo card.
- Bring a piece of ID to the vendor that shows you are a Summerland resident. Either a utility bill, government ID that shows your residence, or a student card from a Summerland School will be accepted.
- Once you demonstrate you are a Summerland resident our vendors will upload the ‘Summerland Free Fare’ pass onto your Umo card or app*
- When you ride on the Route 30 bus just tap your Umo card or scan the QR code from the Umo app on your phone, and go!
*The free fare pass will be valid for one year you will then need to come back to our BC Transit fare vendors and get a new pass for another year.
The Free Fare Pass is ONLY valid on Route 30 Penticton/Summerland. Umo can be used to upload other regional or local bus passes or ticket packs across the South Okanagan Similkameen, Kelowna Regional and Vernon transit systems. You must visit the appropriate regional transit system vendors to obtain/add other passes and tickets outside of the South Okanagan Similkameen.
Vendor Hours
The Aquatic and Fitness Centre
Monday to Friday, 8am-8:30pm (reduced hours in Summer till 7:30pm)
Saturdays 10:30am-4pm (closed during summer)
Sundays 9am-4pm (closed during summer)
Municipal Hall Tuesday to Friday 8:15AM-5PM.
Background
On Earth Day April 22, 2023 the District of Summerland Council launched a year long free fare pilot for Summerland residents on bus Route 30 Penticton/Summerland. The free fare for Summerland residents on Route 30 is the first regional route in BC offering free fares to their residents. The free bus fare initiative is identified as a Council Strategic Priority, contributing to an adaptable and affordable community for Summerland residents.