Beginning September 16, jumping on the Metro ArlingtonXpress, or MAX, will be as easy as pulling out a smartphone, pressing a few buttons and boarding the bus.

No longer will you have to carry exact change or a paper ticket to board MAX.

Thanks to GoPass, a new mobile ticketing application, MAX riders will be able to buy and use passes instantly on a web-enabled smartphone-anywhere, anytime.

"You'll be able to purchase tickets for MAX, DART, the T and DCTA (Denton County Transit Authority) using your smartphone," said Morgan Lyons, Director of Media Relations for DART. "Let's say you are in Arlington and you have to head to Dallas on Monday; you can go ahead and buy your ticket Sunday afternoon."

To download the GoPass app to your smartphone, go to the Google Play Store for Android devices or the App Store for iOS devices. It takes about five minutes to launch the app for the first time, enter credit card information and buy a ticket. With payment information securely stored, future purchases are a breeze.

The phone will display a color-coded ticket featuring a QR code, which can be shown to the bus operator. Eventually, QR readers will be used on the buses to scan these passes. Passengers can activate the pass right before you board the bus. The pass will also include a countdown timer that tells a rider exactly when the pass will expire.

If you already know what ticket you need, simply click on "Quick Buy" to begin your transaction. There's another option for less experienced riders. Try using the trip planner tool before heading out the door.

Riders can use the new GoPass app to purchase tickets for MAX, TRE, the T and DCTA. Visit www.GoPass.biz later this week for additional information and videos on how GoPass works.

A $5 fare allows you to ride MAX from UT Arlington to the Trinity Railway Express' CentrePort/DFW Airport Station, then on the TRE train to Fort Worth or Dallas, and any T bus or DART bus/train for the day.

MAX buses will operate Monday-Friday from about 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For a bus schedule, maps and ticket information, visit RideTheMax.com.

All MAX updates are available via Facebook at RideTheMax and on twitter at @ArlingtonMAX. Subscribe to email updates at [email protected].