3 day Duece pass and Ticket Vending Machines

I usually rent a car so haven't used the deuce in a long time. I'm interested in the 3 day Bus pass. Can they be purchased from the driver? Do the ticket vending machines have them? The Website isn't clear on 3 day passes, and do not want to order on-line as I am in Canada and just T-8! YIPPEEEE!!
Thanks in advance.

 

The ticket vending machines had them last time I checked a couple months ago. I never buy the longer passes from the driver so i'm unsure about that.

 

Three day all-access passes may be purchased at the TVMs (ticket vending machines) for $20 cash or credit card.

I am uncertain about buying them from the driver.

For more info, go to rtcsnv.com. Click on transit & see menu for fares, schedules, etc.

 

I'm not certain about buying a three day pass from a Deuce driver.
I suspect you can because there are a few Deuce stops where there are no machines.
Every SDX stop has a machine because to ride that bus you do not interact with any driver. You can see the machines on this map for both routes
http://www.rtcsnv.com/wp-content/uploads/routes/2013/SDX(07-07-13).pdf
If you have not ridden in a while, you might not know that the SDX is a much better ride, providing you are traveling when it is operating and that one of the fewer stops is near enough your destination. The Deuce, especially during busy times, is just as crowded as it always was, so taking the SDX when you can is a good idea for comfort.

 

Here is a little known trick for confirming information: if you sneak in a question in the comment section of the RTC facebook page( in some logical spot after one of their posts,) it will often get answered.
Here is the answer to buying the 3 day pass on the Deuce:

"Dewey. 3-Day Strip passes can be purchased on board Deuce vehicles with exact change only via the farebox."

The grammatical position of the word "only" makes it ambiguous, but I suspect the intent is to have it attached to "exact change" rather than "via the farebox."

All money is run into the farebox, so they don't want to say the driver sells the tickets. The driver will direct you to put the exact change in the farebox. Anyway, there is the answer to that piece.

 

The TVMs I went to didn't have the 3-day pass offered. However, YES you can buy them from the driver. My whole group of 9 just did this over a week ago.

 

Dewey, (bus guru) I want to ride from down town to the Southpoint. It looks like i would take the SDX and then the 117 . Do i use a transfer to go from one to the other or buy a new ticket ?..........

 

No transfers in this system Tom. You have the route right, but it is a long ride. Figure an hour and 22 minutes. An $8, 24 hour all access pass gets you there and back. A $6 two hour pass gets you there. Grab the SDX at Binions.
Now if you are really an "old" crab and going to use the bus a couple other times, you might like getting a senior ID and then buying a 15 day all access bus pass for just $17. You have to be 60. You take one of the residential buses (cheaper than the SDX) from Binions ($2 or maybe $1 if you have Medicare or some senior ID) to the BTC, get a photo ID (good for 5 years,) buy the 15 day pass, hop on the SDX and start the journey from there. I think they validate the 15 day pass when you buy it at the BTC, but you should validate and get the 15 day clock ticking before you board the SDX.
On future trips when you already have an ID you can buy a 15 day pass right at the Walgreen's downtown. Then you validate it in the machines outside Binions. You could even do that this trip if you can prove you are 60 plus with other ID. It is still good to get the official RTC photo ID. No issues then and if you want to buy a 15 day pass from the machine at the STT on another trip, that photo ID should bring up the senior menu (although Keno had trouble doing that when he found a misfunction in the machine)

 

Dewey, Thanks for the detailed reply.
I am making this a challenge to see how little I can spend for transport. I will be there for a week so no worries about time consumed. Although I have never ridden the bus, this is my plan. The WAX fm airport to downtown where I will stay @ MSS or Fremont or CAL for a couple of nites, then take the 'Boyd' bus to Sam's Town for a couple of free nights. Then its back to downtown to catch the SDX/117 to South Point for a few and take their shuttle to the airport.
I thought that might appeal to your frugal nature !..........:evillaugh

 

Yes, frugality is one of the reasons I ride the bus.
However, I also like the social aspect. I have had many interesting and stimulating conversations on the bus with locals and with tourists. Once I rode in that front upper seat all the way down the strip and next to me was a fellow who knew Vegas trivia in great detail and told me stories all the way down the street.

Here is a story from my last trip:
I hopped on the SDX at Paris and sat in the seats facing the exit. To my right were three girls who had been attracted by the Life is Beautiful Festival. One was from Scotland and her accent was a delight. Another sang songs and overacted the stage moves. She was both funny and entertaining. In front of them sat Mickey, a light skinned Black fellow with a huge frizzy Afro and carrying a backpack.
On came two from Washington state who had been married just 3 hours ago. Both had T shirts with glittering "Bride" on one and "Groom" on the other. They were a bit of an odd couple, not classic beauties, probably in their forties, short, with unusual faces.
He was in old jeans. Both were delighted with each other and the day and the trip. They were fun to watch. At one point he turned to her and said, "Isn't this just a fun trip?"
They had been together for two years and finally decided to marry.
Mickey gave them his seat, so they could sit together and the Scottish girl with friends got wind of the circumstances, so a fuss was made and photos needed to be taken.
And "Going to the Chapel and We're Going to Get Married" had to be sung with stage moves acted by the one girl.
Mickey moved back to sit by the Scottish girl and they both had a fine conversation. He was not trying to hit on her, just be friendly.
He had a backpack with what he called bootleg beer; it was Bud in a can that he sold on the strip for $2.
The Scottish girl bought two cans, opened them and passed them up to the married couple to help them celebrate.
It was a reception of sorts with this motley collection of folks from all over, all delighted to celebrate a wedding.
I loved it. I stayed quiet and just enjoyed the conversation, all the fuss and laughter and joking.
I felt once again old.

Also, I like the safety statistics. 40 times less chance for a debilitating accident than in cars or cabs. Many of the folks hurt in cars and cabs had no chance. They were stopped waiting to turn left and Blam!!! in comes a rear end collision. The saddest accident was the woman who had just won the Megabucks and ended up paralyzed.
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20133953,00.html
So frugality is the immediate payback, but there are other paybacks as well. It really adds up for me since I pay $32.50 and ride for my entire 25 day trips. That is less than taxi tips would be for half that time, and I have much more flexibility because I would never pay taxi fare for the long rides I take in the bus.

Say, from your post it looks like you are going to Sam's Town with luggage. Do they allow that on their shuttle? I've gone from staying at the Orleans to staying at Super 8 and they allowed my luggage on that Boyd free shuttle. That was a much nicer ride than taking two city buses. But I have not tried luggage on the way to Sam's Town on the Sam's town shuttle. Generally, I've gone from downtown on the old routed HDX. That route is changed, so it does not stop at Sam's Town anymore. The BHX is okay but a lot longer.
If I were you, I'd be tempted not to go all the way back downtown and then all the way South again.
Not too far from Sam's Town at Boulder and Nellis, you could take the 115 and get to Sunset Station Casino in 28 minutes.
I'd stop there and grab a cheap meal. Station Casino buffet prices are the best in Vegas.
From there you can take the Sunset bus, the 212, to the South Strip Transfer Station (33 minutes) and pick up the 117 right to Southpoint. (26 minutes) It is always fun to grab a bus at a transfer station because there is no doubt about where the bus is, where it is going, and AC is there if you have a bit of a wait.
Try different routes using the tools on the RTC site.
http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/transit/

And when it is all over, let me know what you decided and how it worked for you. I'll use that myself and get the info to others.
Maps and Schedules
or
The Trip Planner in the bottom left corner.

Also, note that all the buses you are taking are residential not strip. So you could use 24 hour residential passes that cost just $5 for 24 hours.

 

I had thought about the luggage problem but I will have a bag small enough to sit on my lap..........I'm hoping that will not be a problem....mebby I will hear from others who have carried luggage with Boyd ?

 

With light luggage that could pass for a daypack you will probably be fine no matter what. I am always with the largest suitcase that fits on an airplane, so I have to actually have permission. I have done it from the Orleans to Super 8 Koval. That worked great getting off at the back of Bally's.
Anyway, enjoy the adventure and let us know how it all worked out. And if you don't mind, give me a PM heads up as I miss some posts but want to keep up with how the buses feel, especially to someone using them for the first time.

Actually, you inspired me to look up Southpoint VP and see what the American Casino Guide coupon offers. I can get a free buffet for 300 points and every dollar is a point even on video poker, so perhaps I'll try that 212-117 route from Sunset Station on my next trip. There is a full pay JOB nickel 50 play near the Oyster Bar. I may try that and give their poker room a try as well just to see. I have not been to the Southpoint in a long while, but I am planning on doing some bus riding on the next trip to more obscure places, even Fiesta Henderson, just to see what they are like now. It has been years.

 

OK< I will keep you up to date, my visit won't be till SEPT 15-23. Just trying to get my ducks lined up.

I highly recommend the Southpoint, both for playing and staying...........Watch that poker room, bunch of locals and what sure seems like collusion. I occasionally play but just for fun, no expectations...

 

Oh, if there is collusion, I'll skip it. I saw that at the Orleans. In limit it is easy to catch because it requires capping the bets preflop.
I'll watch carefully before I play.
Sometimes what seems like collusion is just all the locals knowing how everyone plays and passing around the tourist fish. It is more a NL problem because there they have more of a chance to make good money on the best hand if someone with trash is reraising.
September is great. It will be personally helpful because I won't go before then, but hope to go sometime in the fall. We'll see. Every day my possibilities change.

 

i am not sure at all the boxes but when i bought my pass at the SSTT it would not accept either of my credit cards (one bank visa and one american express) nor my debit card, it wanted american cards. I had to use cash.

Also to the poster who mentioned being there for a week, if you need a pass for the whole time take the 109 South from the airport to SSTT and get the 15 day pass. $2 to get to SSTT and 34 for the 15 day one. Super cheap and we loved hoping on & off.

 

Doesn't the South Point have a shuttle bus from Treasure Island anymore?

 

Looks like this one is running. $8 per person per day.
http://www.southpointcasino.com/hotel/strip-shuttle-schedule.php

 

Was there ever a shuttle from the MB to SP. I seem to remember reading about it?