Starting next spring, bus commuters in the Lehigh Valley will have a new way to pay for their fare.

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) said it plans to implement ValleyRide, its new ticketing system

The new system “will give riders a 21st century solution that makes it smoother, faster and fairer,” says chief executive Owen O’Neil. “With ValleyRide, we’re introducing a more efficient, user-friendly experience for both riders and bus operators. By simplifying the collection process, we can reduce boarding times and improve overall efficiency, making the daily commute faster and more convenient.”

O’Neil said there is a money-saving feature in ValleyRide, which he called price ceiling.

The function enables drivers to save on daily or monthly passes without having to pay higher upfront costs.

Once riders take the predetermined number of trips, their ValleyRide account will automatically reduce the cost to the lowest available for the time period.

ValleyRide will give riders the option to either use a SmartCard or online-based account to pay fares with a smart phone.

LANTA will still accept cash payments on buses, but these payments will not be linked to a SmartCard or ValleyRide account.

O’Neil said ValleyRide SmartCards and online accounts work much like those used by fast food and other industries, including automatic or manual top-up.