NEORide and Masabi have launched account-based ticketing (ABT) for EZfare, the regional fare payment solution used by transit agencies across Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The move will bring ABT to 11 agencies, including Cleveland and Cincinnati, with more agencies following thereafter.
“Since the launch of EZfare, we have grown geographically, adding more and more agencies, as well as adding new and innovative features,” said Katherine Conrad, director of NEORide. “By launching ABT across the network, we are ensuring that all riders get access to the best possible fares, helping to make riding transit more equitable and cost-rewarding for everyone. We’re delighted to be rolling out this technology from Masabi and look forward to the launches with agencies across our network.”
The first agency to launch was the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority (PARTA), which went live on July 10. PARTA riders are now able to simply scan the EZfare app when boarding the bus or use new EZfare smart cards to Tap & Ride. Riders will be able to use the same app and card to ride on all of the EZfare transit networks participating in ABT, eliminating the need to buy tickets ahead of time and replacing it with a simple tap of a customer’s phone or card.
“We’re excited to offer enhanced technology that provides a more equitable fare system for all riders by offering fare capping, so every rider has the opportunity to benefit from the best fare possible while streamlining travel across transit systems,” said Claudia Amrhein, general manager of PARTA.
The system also delivers fare capping, ensuring all riders are guaranteed to pay the lowest possible fare regardless of how they pay for travel. For riders using the EZfare app and smart cards, the system facilitates payments across all participating agencies, with the added benefit of daily, weekly and monthly fare capping for each agency, based on their own fare rules.
The new solution supports all rider groups, including the unbanked and underbanked, as well as providing comprehensive support for riders requiring concessions and partner programs run by EZfare agencies. Riders will still be able to purchase tickets using existing EZfare-enabled apps including Transit, Uber and Moovit.
The new payment solution is made possible through the use of Masabi’s Fare Payments-as-a-Service (FPaaS) approach, delivering agencies the latest fare payment innovations quickly using Justride - a cloud-native multi-tenant platform, which is constantly updating and adding new features. It also reduces the total cost of fare collection, as the costs are shared between all users of the platform through reduced build, update and maintenance costs.
“The upgrade to ABT for Justride customers is testament to the power of the Fare Payment-as-a-Service approach – delivering continual innovation and improvement to all of our agency customers,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “Building on the ground-breaking success of EZfare to date, this latest innovation ensures all riders are guaranteed access to the best possible fares, making transit even more attractive.”
