TARC Discounts in Louisville: $1 Rides, MyTARC Photo IDs and TARC3
A TARC bus ride in Louisville costs $2.25, but riders who qualify for a reduced-fare MyTARC card pay $1.00. That includes riders 65 and older, Medicare cardholders, people with disabilities and students 6 to 17. One detail matters more than people expect: the discount and free transfers come with the card, not with cash. This guide explains how to get the card, what TARC3 paratransit costs, and where TARC's own pages don't agree.
AT A GLANCE
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What a TARC ride costs
TARC's Fare Structure page lists these local fares:
How you pay | Price | Transfers |
|---|---|---|
Cash, single ride | $2.25, exact change | None, and drivers don't hand out paper transfers |
MyTARC card or MyTARC Mobile, single ride | $2.25 stored value | Unlimited for 2 hours from first boarding |
24-hour pass (card or mobile) | $5.00 | Starts with first use |
7-day pass (card or mobile) | $25 | Starts with first use |
30-day pass (card or mobile) | $75 | Starts with first use |
Reduced MyTARC card, local ride | $1.00 | Card transfer rules apply |
The difference between cash and the card shows up when you change buses. With cash, every bus costs another $2.25. With a card or the app, other buses you board within two hours are included.
Our example: If you go to work on two buses and come home on two buses, paying cash costs $9.00 a day. With a MyTARC card it's $4.50, because each one-way trip is a single $2.25 tap plus a free transfer. A reduced-fare cardholder on that same routine pays $2.00 a day. (Our own math from TARC's posted fares.)
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Who can get the $1 fare
According to TARC's Fare Structure page, each group shows something different to qualify:
Group | What TARC asks for |
|---|---|
Riders 65 and older | Proof of age or a government-issued ID, then a MyTARC photo ID card |
Medicare cardholders | Your Medicare ID |
People with disabilities | Federal disability documentation, or a TARC Medical Verification Form issued by TARC staff |
Youth 6 to 17 | Proof of school enrollment, then a MyTARC photo ID card |
Children 5 and under | Nothing, they ride free on all routes |
Getting the card
Reduced-fare MyTARC photo ID cards are issued only at the TARC Customer Service kiosk, 1000 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203. The kiosk is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The card costs $5.00 to start. Bring the documents for your group from the table above.
If you have a disability but no federal paperwork that shows it, ask at the kiosk about the TARC Medical Verification Form. TARC staff hand it out, and it isn't posted online.
Our example: A $1.00 fare saves $1.25 compared with a full $2.25 ride, so the $5 card pays for itself by your fourth ride. (Our own math.)
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Loading and looking after a MyTARC card
TARC's MyTARC Card page covers the day-to-day rules:
Where to reload: online at mytarc.ridetarc.org, at the 1000 W. Broadway kiosk, at selected Kroger stores in Louisville and Southern Indiana, or on the bus.
Reloading on the bus: tell the driver, tap your card, insert up to $20, press ACCEPT, then tap again to pay. Online and in-person loads can go up to $50.
One card per person: up to eight cards can be registered to one online account, but each rider needs their own card.
Lost or damaged: a replacement card costs $5.00.
Card life: cards last five years. To renew one that's about to expire, log in, report it "lost or stolen," and choose pickup or mail. If it has already expired, you need to go to 1000 W. Broadway for a new one.
If a card doesn't reload properly, call (502) 585-1234 and have the card, the bus number, the route and the time ready.
Paying by phone instead
MyTARC Mobile works through the Token Transit app. A single ride costs the same $2.25 as on the card. Transfers are good for two hours once you activate the ticket, and tickets you haven't activated don't expire. TARC says "relevant discounted pass options" are available in the app, but the Fare Structure page doesn't give any reduced pass prices.
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TARC3: paratransit for riders who can't use the bus
TARC3 is a shared-ride, origin-to-destination service using small buses, vans and taxis. It goes anywhere within three-quarters of a mile of a regular, non-express TARC route. TARC's Rider's Guide describes it as service for people who, because of a physical or mental impairment, can't use regular buses without help.
Applying through ADARide
TARC now sends new applications and renewals to ADARide.com. You can apply, upload documents and check your status there, or call ADARide at 877.232.7433. TARC says the eligibility rules haven't changed, only the platform. If you don't have internet access, ADARide can help you over the phone.
TARC's April 2026 brochure says applicants get a written decision within 21 days. The decision will be full eligibility, conditional eligibility or not eligible. If you're approved, you get a TARC3 photo ID at TARC headquarters. Sometimes a free functional assessment is part of the process.
What it costs
TARC3 item | Price or rule |
|---|---|
One-way trip | $4.50 |
Round trip | $9.00 |
Ticket strip (5 tickets) | $22.50, no discount |
Monthly pass | None for TARC3 |
Personal Care Attendant | Free, with an approved certification of need |
Companions | Up to three, each paying the fare |
You can buy tickets online, or by mail with a check, money order or transit voucher. TARC's mail-order form says not to send cash, to allow 10 days for processing, and that returned checks cost $10. Drivers don't carry change, so TARC strongly suggests buying tickets ahead of time.
Booking and riding
Reserve at (502) 560-0333 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. You can book up to seven days ahead, and no later than 4:30 p.m. the day before.
Be ready during the 30-minute on-time window (15 minutes either side of your pickup time). You have five minutes to board once the vehicle arrives.
Cancel at (502) 560-0322, a voicemail line open 24 hours a day. A cancellation less than two hours before the trip counts as late.
Visitors who are eligible for paratransit in their home city can ride for 21 days in any 365-day period. Call the Eligibility Office at (502) 213-3217.
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Free rides on Election Day
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, all TARC fixed-route buses and TARC3 paratransit are fare-free all day. TARC says it has done this for every primary and general election since 2020. Jefferson County polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find your polling place, go to LouisvilleVotes.org or call (502) 574-6100.
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Where TARC's pages disagree
Proof for Medicare riders: the Fare Structure page says to show a Medicare ID. The MyTARC Card page says reduced-fare cards require a photo ID to confirm eligibility.
Who gets reduced fares: the How to Ride page and the 2026 brochure only mention people with disabilities and riders 65+ "with TARC I.D." The Fare Structure page also includes Medicare cardholders and youth 6 to 17.
The 30-day pass: the Fare Structure page lists a $75 30-day pass, but the MyTARC Card page lists only the 24-hour and 7-day passes.
TTY number: the TARC3 page says to use 711. The brochure lists 502.213.3240, and the 2018 Rider's Guide lists 502.830.9414.
How to apply for TARC3: the TARC3 page points to ADARide. The April 2026 brochure still says to call or visit the TARC3 office and that TARC will mail out a paper packet.
Reduced pass prices: none are published, so ask at the kiosk before buying a pass with a reduced card.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
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More help in Louisville
Official sources
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Fares come from TARC's Fare Structure and MyTARC pages. TARC3 details come from the TARC3 page, the April 2026 brochure, the Rider's Guide and the mail-order form.
This is general information. TARC sets fares and decides eligibility, and either can change. Call (502) 585-1234 to confirm before you rely on any figure here.
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