Frequently Asked Questions

Bhadala Atlas is a comprehensive digital transit wallet that unifies public transportation access across multiple transit agencies in the Detroit metropolitan area, including DDOT, SMART and Regional service. Buy passes, activate them, and board — all from one app.

You can register by downloading our mobile app or visiting our website. You'll need to provide basic information such as your name, email and phone number. After registration, you'll receive a verification code to activate your account.

Yes, creating a Bhadala Atlas account is completely free. You only pay for the transit passes and services you purchase through the app.

For the pilot program, participants are primarily job seekers who are transportation insecure, recruited by United Way. Eligible participants will be invited by United Way to join the program.

Riders will be invited by United Way to participate in the pilot. Once invited, you will receive an invitation email with the links to download the app from the App Store (for iOS users) or the Play Store (for Android users). The invitation email also contains temporary login information you can use to access the app. You can update your password after your first successful login.

The pilot program features a dual wallet system where participants have both a Personal Wallet (funded by you) and a Subsidy Wallet (funded by United Way). This lets you combine personal funds with subsidy balances, with options for cash payments and access to cost-saving features such as longer-period passes purchased with subsidy funds.

To register, you'll need a valid email address, phone number and basic personal information. Some services may require additional verification documents.

Tap "Forgot Password" on the login screen, enter your email address, and follow the instructions sent to your email to reset your password.

Yes, you can update most account information through your profile settings. Some changes may require verification for security purposes.

You have two main ways to fund your wallet(s):

• Personal Wallet: Add funds by linking a credit card, debit card or bank account to your Bhadala Atlas account.
• Subsidy Wallet: Funds for this wallet are provided by United Way. You cannot add funds to your Subsidy Wallet yourself — contact United Way to receive subsidy funds for transit.

The minimum load amount is $5, and the maximum is $200 per transaction. Your wallet can hold up to $500 at any time.

Refunds are available for unused balances. Contact our support team with your request, and refunds will be processed back to your original payment method within 5–7 business days.

Please confirm whether the money has actually left your bank account. If the funds have left your bank account and are not reflecting in your wallet, email us at support@bhadala.us or call (313) 435-2880 to have your issue resolved.

Yes. The app lets you view your account balance(s). You can also see your active passes and any purchased passes that have not yet been activated. The app indicates when a pass will expire and how many passes are currently active.

You can purchase DDOT, SMART and Regional (Dart) passes with the Bhadala Atlas app. A variety of fares and passes are available, including different period passes (for example, 4-hour, 24-hour, 7-day, 31-day, weekly and monthly) and reduced fares. You can purchase multiple fares at once.

To purchase and use a pass, follow these steps:

• Make sure you are logged in and have the funds needed for the pass you want to purchase.
• Select the passes you want to purchase.
• Pay using your Personal Wallet or Subsidy Wallet.
• Activate your pass.
• Show your activated pass to the driver.

Yes, Bhadala Atlas supports reduced fares for eligible individuals, such as seniors, ADA-eligible travelers, Medicare card holders, high school students and youth.

You'll need to apply independently to DDOT and SMART to be admitted into their reduced-fare programs. Once accepted, you'll see reduced-fare passes in the Bhadala Atlas app.

Note: The United Way team can help you navigate the process of applying for reduced-fare programs. Reach out to United Way if you are unsure how to apply.

We accept major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and bank transfers.

Yes. All payment information is encrypted and processed through PCI-DSS compliant systems. We never store your complete card details on our servers.

We use industry-standard encryption and security measures to protect your data. All information is stored securely and access is restricted to authorized personnel only.

We only share information with transit agencies and service providers within the Bhadala Atlas ecosystem as necessary to provide services. We never sell your personal information.

Yes, Bhadala Atlas is available for download from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Your active passes work offline once downloaded. However, you'll need internet access to purchase new passes, reload your wallet, or check transaction history.

Make sure you are using the correct mobile number or email and the password set for your account. If you've forgotten your password, request a password reset, set a new password, then log in with the new password.

Check that your phone number is correct in your account settings and that you haven't blocked messages from our service. You can reply "START" to any previous message to re-enable notifications.

Try closing and reopening the app, and make sure you're running the latest version. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and sufficient storage space on your device.

You can reach our support team at support@bhadala.us or call us at (313) 435-2880 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 AM – 6 PM EST).

Please include your account email, a description of the issue, any error messages you're seeing, and the device you're using. This helps us resolve your issue faster.

Yes, phone support is available at (313) 435-2880 during business hours. For non-urgent matters, email support typically provides faster response times.

Yes. Comprehensive user guides and video tutorials are available in the app's help section and on our website to help you make the most of Bhadala Atlas. You can also visit our rider training page for a step-by-step walkthrough.