Greater Dayton RTA, Masabi, Transit launch account-based ticketing for Tapp Pay on mobile

Transit, Masabi and the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) have added account-based ticketing (ABT) to the RTA’s Tapp Pay contactless fare payment solution.

The new system, which is powered by Masabi’s Justride platform, means riders in Dayton, Ohio, will no longer need to buy a ticket or select a fare in advance of travel. Instead, they can now simply use Tapp Pay via the Transit app on their smartphone to tap and ride - safe in the knowledge that, thanks to new fare capping technology, they will always be charged the best possible price for their journey.

With fare capping, customers will automatically be limited, or capped, in the amount they pay within a given timeframe once they have ridden enough times to accumulate the equivalent of a daily or 31-day monthly pass. This means no matter how many essential trips a customer takes throughout a given day or rolling 31-day period, they will never pay more than a daily or monthly pass, rewarding passengers the more they travel. Customers are capped at $3 daily and $30 within a rolling 31-day period by using Tapp Pay.

“Traditional transit fare systems have created a situation where customers who are least able to afford the upfront costs of a monthly pass end up paying more, but also end up traveling less by the end of the month. Thanks to our partnership with Masabi, this new fare capping technology solves this, and we are delighted to be able to offer our customers a convenient and contactless method of riding our services,” said Brandon Policicchio, RTA chief customer & business development officer.

Thanks to Masabi’s integration with the Transit app, RTA customers are now able to add stored value to their accounts and seamlessly navigate the transit network in one easy-to-use app. With the Transit app, RTA customers have an integrated mobility experience including trip planning, real-time information and connections to first-mile/last-mile services such as Link Dayton Bike Share, Spin, Uber and Lyft. Riders simply need to tap and ride when they’re ready to travel, all from within the Transit app, with integrated fare payments on RTA’s system powered by Masabi’s Justride SDK.

Cash digitization is also now available to Tapp Pay customers who have a smartphone and want to pay with cash. They can now purchase and load RTA passes to their Tapp Pay account at T-CETRA retail locations across the Dayton region. 

This demonstrates a commitment by RTA to the democratization of public transit, recognizing its fundamental role in enabling economic and social growth. Ensuring the availability of fully contactless journeys for riders also shows RTA’s commitment to a transport-led recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping transit working safely for the people of Dayton, says the authority.

“2020 saw unprecedented challenges for transit agencies, their employees and customers as ‘stay-at-home’ orders and social distancing requirements hit ridership. The priority for agencies is now making public transit COVID-safe, to protect staff and encourage riders back in 2021,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO at Masabi. “Contactless technologies such as mobile and account-based ticketing provide COVID-safe fare payments, as well as offering incentives to riders and agencies with features such as fare capping, rewarding riders the more they travel and fare flexibility, which is crucial with the shift in people’s working habits. We are excited to continue our work with Greater Dayton RTA, welcoming them to the ever-growing group of Masabi customers launching Justride ABT, to create a modern and robust fare payment system maximizing customer convenience and safety.”

“Fare capping is just the latest feather that Transit and Dayton RTA have added to our partnership cap. Among North American agencies, Dayton RTA has taken the lead in making sure all of their city’s mobility options are easily accessible to all in the agency’s official app. Whether that means working with operators to integrate first- and last-mile connections or collaborating with Masabi to bring innovations like fare capping to Transit, RTA has been a first-class partner and is delivering results for riders,” said David Block-Schachter, chief business officer at Transit.