There’s another option for those of us without the EcoPass, CollegePass or MyRide fare card. We can now buy single and monthly fares using the RTD app.

Transit riders have been able to buy day passes on their phones for about a year, but the Regional Transportation District added the new products to its mobile ticketing app just last week, along with a function that lets riders buy fares with a tap of the finger. (Make sure you update the app.)

The new single fare lets riders travel in any direction in a three-hour window within local or regional zones. You won’t need a paper transfer — just your phone. That change reflects the agency’s new fare structure.

If you’re at least 65, have a disability, receive Medicare, or are a student between 6 and 10 years old, you can also use the app to get the 50 percent discounted fare.

Taken together, these this-century improvements mean less holdups in line on the bus. They mean slightly faster rides. They mean saving 15 minutes because you didn’t have to stop to mess with a machine before boarding the A Line. They mean freedom!