Fare collection updates: Monterey-Salinas Transit, PRT, Valley Metro
Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) in Monterey County, Calif., is using Google Wallet to enhance their Tap2Ride contactless fare payment experience while Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) in Pittsburgh, Pa., is seeking feedback on its PRTner Pass and Valley Metro in Phoenix, Ariz., is introducing Smart Fare on its updated app.
MST
MST is offering riders an enhancement to their Tap2Ride contactless fare payment experience with Google Wallet.
By adding an MST Transit Card to their Google Wallet, riders can track their Tap2Ride fare contactless payments and spending history, see their bus journeys and track their pay-as-you-go savings on their Android mobile phone. Google Wallet is both a digital way to pay and a spot to track Tap2Ride trips on MST.
The agency worked with the partners, including the California Integrated Travel Project, which is an initiative of the California State Transportation Agency and California Department of Transportation to enable easy and accessible travel planning and payments.
In this project, transit payments processing specialist Littlepay provides the infrastructure that receives tap data, processes payments and calculates progress toward fare caps.
“We are happy to collaborate with Google, Littlepay and Cal-ITP on this newest innovation to the MST Tap2Ride program, making it easier to view not just the proof of that payment, but their progress toward daily, weekly and monthly pay-as-you-go fare caps—in real-time after each tap with a Google Wallet MST Transit Card,” said MST General Manager and CEO Carl Sedoryk.
Key features of the MST Transit Card in Google Wallet include:
- Convenient and secure: Google Wallet is an easy and secure way to pay and adding the MST Transit Card to Google Wallet gives riders a convenient way to track their progress toward free rides on MST.
- Real-time savings: When boarding an MST bus, riders can use Google Pay to tap on a Tap2Ride contactless payment reader. Once completing their tap, riders can look at their MST Transit Card in Google Wallet and they’ll see how much they were charged and their progress toward pay-as-you-go daily, weekly and monthly fare caps.
- Journey history: Once riders start using Tap2Ride with Google Wallet, their MST Transit Card will display their complete Tap2Ride history, allowing riders to track their journeys.
PRT
PRT is seeking feedback on its PRTner Pass, a new program that could make taking the bus, light rail or the inclines more accessible and significantly less expensive for thousands of people across Allegheny County, Pa.
The PRTner Pass aims to increase ridership on PRT vehicles by offering multi-family property owners and managers with more than 10 units, secondary and post-secondary schools and employers 70 percent off, reducing the cost to just $28 per monthly pass. The agency notes participating entities would be required to purchase passes for 100 percent of their eligible employees, students or housing units, with certain exceptions and exclusions to ensure fairness, inclusivity and fiscal viability.
"The PRTner Pass can be a win for transit, the participating entities and riders," said PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman. "We're excited about the potential of this program and the positive impact it can have on our region."
On July 26, the PRT Board approved a 60-day public comment period starting on Aug. 12 and continuing through Oct. 11. During the public comment period, PRT will host two one-hour information sessions and a public hearing.
Following the public comment period and final board approval, PRT expects to roll out the PRTner Pass early in 2025.
The PRTner Pass program came about following a pilot study through the support of the Heinz Endowments in 2023. After a application process, PRT issued more than 100 passes to four employers, enabling their employees to use the Ready2Ride mobile application to experience the benefits of public transit at an unprecedented low cost. The program increased transit use and influenced job choices and employers expressed overwhelming enthusiasm and a strong desire to continue the program beyond the initial phase.
Valley Metro
Valley Metro is updating its app to make riding public transit more convenient and cost-effective.
Within the app, the agency is introducing Smart Fare, an account-based system that allows riders to pay as you go.
The updated app allows riders to add funds to their account using cash at selected retail locations. Riders can check their transaction history and access their Smart Fare dashboard anytime.
Brandon Lewis | Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros.com in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor.
