Help
What is Cal-ITP Benefits?
The Benefits tool is provided by California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP), which is a new program from the California Department of Transportation dedicated to making travel simpler and cost-effective for all.
We partner with local transit agencies, the California Department of Technology, and Login.gov to confirm the identity of riders who are eligible to receive transit benefits. Once we are able to confirm a rider’s identity and eligibility, our payment partner Littlepay helps us connect a transit benefit to the rider’s contactless card of choice.
The Benefits application is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). You may obtain the source code from GitHub.
What kind of credit card can I use?
Benefits only works with contactless debit or credit cards. We do not currently support mobile wallets or digital cards, such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet.
The contactless symbol is four curved lines, like this:
Your card must include a Visa or Mastercard logo.
Don’t have access to a contactless card? You can request a contactless card from your bank, or one of the companies that offer free contactless prepaid debit cards, such as the Cash App Visa debit card or the Venmo Mastercard debit card.
What is Login.gov?
Login.gov is a service that offers secure and private online access to government programs, such as federal benefits, services and applications. With a Login.gov account, you can sign into multiple government websites with the same email address and password.
For more information on Login.gov, please visit the Login.gov Help Center.
Why is Cal-ITP Benefits using Login.gov?
Login.gov uses two-factor authentication, and stronger passwords, that meet new National Institute of Standards and Technology requirements for secure validation and verification. By using Login.gov, you’ll get an extra layer of security to help protect your account against password compromises.
How do I verify my identity on Login.gov?
You will need a state-issued ID to verify your identity with Login.gov, which can be either a driver’s license or non-driver’s license state-issued ID card.
You will need to upload a photograph of your state-issued ID and share your address, phone number and other personal information which is then verified against authoritative sources.
Login.gov will also need to verify your identity by calling or texting your phone. If Login.gov can’t verify your phone number, you can verify by mail instead.
Please visit the Login.gov help center for more information on identity verification.
What is Littlepay?
Our payment partner, Littlepay, is a secure, end-to-end payment processing platform that allows us to connect your transit benefit to the contactless card of your choice.
For more information on Littlepay, please visit the Littlepay website.
Questions?
If you need assistance with this website, please reach out to the customer service team for your local transit provider.
Monterey-Salinas Transit
Sacramento Regional Transit
Santa Barbara MTD
Nevada County Connects