This is the 3338th most frequent Russian word.
плата
"Плата" means "payment" or "fee" in English.
Here, 'плата' refers to the fare, which is a specific payment for a service (the bus ride).
Я заплатил плату за проезд на автобусе.
I paid the fare for the bus ride.
In this context, 'плата' is used to denote payment as compensation for performed work.
На этой неделе получили плату за работу.
This week we received payment for the work.
In this sentence, 'плата' is metaphorically used to refer to the figurative 'cost' of effort needed.