Monroe County is touting a new pilot program that it says makes public transportation more accessible.

The program, which has been in place since August, allows riders who qualify for monthly transportation assistance to swipe their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on Regional Transit Service (RTS) buses to pay the fare.

This cuts out the need for people to wait for bus passes to arrive in the mail, which officials say sometimes leads to them being lost or stolen.

County Executive Adam Bello says Monroe County is the first in the state to have this in place.

“Access to transportation is a key driver of opportunity and success in Monroe County. With this program, we are breaking down barriers, making public transportation more accessible and convenient for residents – without the stress of lost or misplaced bus passes,” Bello said in a statement. “I am grateful for this first of its-kind collaboration among our DHS team, RTS and OTDA, together we are advancing technology and streamlining transit services for our residents.”

The county says only those deemed eligible by New York State and Monroe County DHS can use their EBT cards for bus fares. Around 200 residents eligible for monthly bus passes are using the program.