Troubleshoot Your Transit Pass

The Universal and Employee Transit Passes bridge technology between the University of Minnesota and Metro Transit. Because these systems sync periodically, activating your pass can take a bit of time or require specific steps.

Your U Card has separate chips — one for transit and one for door access and other services. If door access is working, it doesn't always mean transit is working. If you just received your U Card, it will take a full 2 business days to work, regardless of when you became eligible.

Check your eligibility

Before trying to activate your pass, make sure your account is active.

Students

  • If you pay the Transportation Fee, your are automatically signed up for the pass. Check your billing statement to confirm.
  • If you do not pay the Transportation Fee, you can opt-in online as long as you aren't a part of an ineligible group.

Employees

All employees must explicitly request the transit pass before it can be added to your U Card. After completing one of the forms below, wait for an email with confirmation and activation instructions. It may take up to two weeks to arrive, and you will not be eligible until your first day of work.

  • Must be benefit-eligible.
  • 75–100% FTE employees receive the pass at no cost. Complete this form to opt-in.
  • 50–74% FTE employees can receive the pass at an extreme discount. Complete this form to opt-in.
  • Employees under 50% FTE or that are not benefits-eligible are not able to receive the pass.

Get your card status

Metro Transit's "Check Balance" webpage allows you to check the current status of your U Card. To do so,

  1. Go to Metro Transit’s “Check Balance” page. 
  2. Input the MiFare number from the back side of your U Card (the 16-digit number to the right of the black magnetic strip).

You will see one of three messages (below):

Expand all

A pass is held and active (Will read “Employee Transit Pass” or “Universal Pass”).

Your pass has been activated. No action is required.

The balance check webpage showing "Pass: Employee Transit Pass"
The balance check webpage showing "Employee Transit Pass" as the active pass on the card.

 

The balance check webpage showing "Universal Pass" held.
The balance check webpage showing "Universal Pass" as the active pass on the card. This message will show for students holding the Universal Transit Pass.

Message stating recent purchase will not be reflected until card is used on a bus or train

Follow activation instructions below.

Balance check page with message near the bottom reading that a recent purchase will not be reflected until your card is used on a bus or train.

The "Pass" and "Last Used On" fields are blank

Tap your U Card at a METRO Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit station Go-To reader to activate. Activation may take 5 taps spaced at least 1 hour apart. Do not add money to your balance.

Balance check webpage showing no pass held and no last used date.

First-time activation

To activate a new or newly renewed pass, you must follow specific steps. Activation cannot be completed on a regular bus. If you just received your U Card, it will take a full 2 business days to work, regardless of when you became eligible.

  1. Visit any METRO Light Rail station or Bus Rapid Transit station.
  2. Tap your U Card on the card reader on the platform. Use the GO reader — do not use the ticket/fare vending machine.
  3. Check the screen:
    • If the reader displays GO: Your pass is active and ready to use everywhere, including on buses.
    • If the reader displays INVALID: Proceed to activation troubleshooting below.

Activation troubleshooting

If your card displays an error or fails to read during initial activation, follow these steps to resolve the issue.

Do not tap on a regular bus first

First time activation only works at Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit platform readers. The fare boxes on standard local buses cannot load initial pass data onto your U Card.

Wait 1 hour between taps

If your first tap reads as invalid, walk away and wait at least one full hour. The Metro Transit network needs time to request and download your U Card data from the central servers.

Retry up to 5 times

Repeat the process: tap once, wait at least one hour and tap again. It can take up to 5 attempts (spread at least an hour apart) for the platform reader to fully pull your data.

Note: This extra sync process is especially common if you are activating your pass more than 2 weeks after becoming eligible.

Still not working?

If you have tapped 5 times at least an hour apart and your card still fails to read "GO", please submit a service request for our transit pass team to further review your information.