RTA of Central Maryland launches mobile ticketing in the Transit app with fare capping, free transfers

The Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) of Central Maryland now offers riders digital bus fare through the Transit mobile app.

Thousands of RTA riders already use Transit every month to plan their trips and track their bus in real time.

Now, thanks to a partnership with Token Transit, a mobile ticketing provider and RTA’s new fare payments platform, customers can plan, track and pay for a complete RTA journey all from the same app. This integration, where real-time multimodal trip planning and digital fare payment is available to transit users on the same platform, is the first of its kind in the state of Maryland.

To purchase mobile tickets, riders open the app and tap the “Buy ticket” button at the bottom of Transit’s home screen. Users can create a Transit account and enter their credit card information to purchase a ticket. When boarding, riders display the activated pass to their driver for visual validation.

In addition to simplifying travel for RTA customers, mobile ticketing in Transit provides another way to keep riders and operators safe during the pandemic. Touch-free payment with visual validation in Transit limits contact between drivers and riders while boarding, making it easy for riders to practice physical distancing at every step of their journey.

“With so many RTA customers already using Transit to get real-time bus arrival information, offering fares in the app was a logical next step toward improving the ease of use of our services,” said Jason Quan, general manager, RTA. “This initiative is one of many ways we are working to improve the accessibility of our system, especially given the challenges posed by COVID-19.”

Along with mobile ticketing, RTA introduced free transfers and fare capping, two cost-effective features for its riders that improve equity and access to the RTA system. One-way $2 fares purchased in Transit are valid for 90 minutes, making any transfers within that 90-minute window free system-wide.

Fare capping ensures that riders automatically receive the best price when riding RTA. When a rider’s one-way fares total the amount they would have paid for an unlimited pass, they are automatically upgraded and refunded the difference.

“Under a conventional fare structure, a rider who can’t afford a monthly pass upfront ends up paying more over time than riders who can,” said Cole McCarren, senior transit analyst, RTA. “This new system is contactless and easy to use, but perhaps most of all, it improves equity.”

Transit was endorsed by RTA in September 2020 as the agency’s official mobile app.

“We want to make riding public transit as simple and stress-free as possible,” said David Block-Schachter, chief business officer, Transit. “RTA passengers already rely on Transit to plan their next trip and track their ride in real time. Adding the ability to buy transit fares gives riders everything they need in one app.”

“Token Transit powers transit payments for over 100 cities across North America,” said Pomi Tefera, director of operations, Token Transit. “In Transit, we’ve found a partner to help us make mobility services more accessible through payments. We’re excited to help RTA riders seamlessly purchase and use transit passes where they already plan their trips.”