Transit technology has come a long way over the last few decades and the way people plan their trips and pay for their fares has evolved over time.
In the past, riders would pay for transportation with cash or spare change, which was fine until extra pressure was placed on transport networks around the globe, causing long lines when waiting to buy tickets during a weekend trip or the morning commute.
Advances in ticketing technology helped ease this burden. The paper ticket was replaced by the magnetic stripe card, payments moved to credit card transactions, and then the smartcard helped significantly improved the fare collection experience.
Although these technological advancements made the transit experience more efficient, it wasn’t until the age of the Smartphone that riders have been able to benefit from a new technology called “mobile ticketing”.
Mobile ticketing is technology that allows riders to purchase public transportation fares from their Smartphones. Users can store their credit card information securely and make payments with just a few taps on their phone. This means riders no longer have to wait in line to buy their ticket, and provide the exact amount of change. Now, riders simply show the screen on their phone or use it to scan a barcode via a reader.
Mobile ticketing is helping dramatically improve the transit experience but also fundamentally change how fare collection works. Previously all fare collection systems needed a physical ticket to be issued by the transport authority or operators in exchange for cash or card payment. With Mobile ticketing this is no longer the case.
Mobile ticketing continues to evolve...
As smartphone technology has made more and more progress over the last few years, mobile ticketing apps have also added various new features. Riders can now access suggested transit routes, connect with other ride-sharing and urban mobility apps, and get live travel information.
For example, At Masabi we encourage deep-linking to best of breed apps based around the needs of individual cities, helping make moving around urban areas as stress free as possible.
Take ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft. As popularity with ridesharing grows, Uber and Lyft are teaming up with public transportation agencies to help provide the ultimate rider experience and help solve the first-mile/last-mile problem.
Transit agencies using mobile ticketing are also providing other urban mobility options within their apps as well. Consumers are more likely to use public transit if they know they have ample transportation options from the beginning of their trip to their final destination and ecosystems of interconnected apps are starting to build up around cities.
Mobile ticketing is a lot more than just a new method of fare payments. It is the new and improved way to move around your city, in a quicker and more effortless way than ever before.
Want to learn more? Read our blog Mobile Ticketing: Why Barcode?
