--- title: Central Ohio Transit Authority Launches Open Payments with Masabi description: COTA launches Open Payments with Masabi, enabling riders across Columbus to tap and pay with contactless cards or mobile wallets, with fare capping and account linking. image: https://blog.masabi.com/hubfs/Masabi%20Blog%20Headers%20(3).jpg --- [![](https://blog.masabi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/masabi%20186.png?width=150&name=masabi%20186.png "masabi 186.png")](http://www.masabi.com/) - [Platform](https://www.masabi.com/justride) - [Justride Platform](https://www.masabi.com/justride) - [Agency Services](https://www.masabi.com/justride-hub/) - [Validation](https://www.masabi.com/inspect-validation-suite/) - [Rider Experience](https://www.masabi.com/justride-app/) - [Enterprise Solutions](https://www.masabi.com/enterprise-fare-collection-platform/) - [Express Solutions](https://www.masabi.com/full-fare-collection-solutions/) - [Why Choose Justride?](https://www.masabi.com/why-choose-justride/) - [Industry Awards](https://www.masabi.com/masabiawards/) - [Customers](https://www.masabi.com/agencies-and-operators-using-justride/) - [Customers](https://www.masabi.com/agencies-and-operators-using-justride/) - [Case Studies](https://www.masabi.com/fare-collection-case-studies/) - [Request a Demo](https://info.masabi.com/justridedemo) - [Partners](http://www.masabi.com/partners/) - [Partner Network](https://www.masabi.com/partner-categories/) - [Get Certified](https://www.masabi.com/justride-ready-certified/) - [Careers](https://careers.masabi.com/) - [Careers](https://careers.masabi.com/) - [About Us](https://www.masabi.com/about/) - [Management Team](https://www.masabi.com/management/) - [Newsroom](https://www.masabi.com/press-releases/) - [Blog (Education)](https://blog.masabi.com/blog) - [Blog - Recent Posts](https://blog.masabi.com/blog) - [Blog - Popular Posts](https://www.masabi.com/mostreadticketingblog/) - [Reports](https://www.masabi.com/reports/) - [SaaS Content](https://www.masabi.com/fare-payments-as-a-service/) - [Ben's Blog](https://www.masabi.com/bens-corner/) - [Case Studies](https://www.masabi.com/fare-collection-case-studies/) ![Masabi Blog Headers (3)](https://blog.masabi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Masabi%20Blog%20Headers%20(3).jpg?width=1920&height=1080&name=Masabi%20Blog%20Headers%20(3).jpg "Masabi Blog Headers (3)") 06-Jan-2026 14:00:02 by [Irina Grant](https://blog.masabi.com/blog/author/irina-grant) # Central Ohio Transit Authority Launches Open Payments with Masabi - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and Masabi announced today the launch of Open Payments across COTA’s network, allowing riders to pay fares simply by tapping a contactless payment card or device. The new service builds on COTA’s pioneering implementation of Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) with smartcards and mobile app, launched in partnership with Masabi in 2021, adding another convenient way for COTA riders to pay by tapping their payment card.  With the addition of Open Payments, COTA riders can now pay for their trip directly with a contactless card or device, eliminating the need for a ticket, app, or reload, while automatically receiving the benefits of fare capping and concessions, helping ensure equitable pricing and added convenience. Through account linking, riders can register their contactless card to view payment history and apply concessions to their account, guaranteeing that they always pay the correct reduced fare when eligible. Combined with fare capping, this ensures that all riders benefit from the lowest available fare, removing financial barriers and promoting fairness across the system.     “As we continue to grow and expand transit service across the region, COTA must make it as easy and convenient to ride as possible, and Tap to Pay helps us deliver a smarter, more connected transit system,” said COTA President/CEO Monica Téllez-Fowler. “We know that transit is at the heart of economic mobility and getting the most from everything we have in Central Ohio. Tap to Pay removes barriers to using transit, especially for new or occasional riders, helping all of our residents have access to food, jobs, healthcare, and entertainment.”   “COTA was one of the country’s earliest adopters of Account-Based Ticketing, and today’s launch of Open Payments cements its position as a leader in fare innovation,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO at Masabi. “By enabling riders to tap and pay directly with a contactless card or mobile wallet, we’re helping COTA deliver the most convenient, inclusive, and efficient fare system possible. In 2025, Open Payments deployments are accelerating as it offers a practical and proven model for agencies of all sizes to help them simplify operations, improve accessibility, and meet the expectations of modern riders.”  ![53624605-86cf-4658-8823-ff30295158e2](https://blog.masabi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/53624605-86cf-4658-8823-ff30295158e2.jpg?width=5208&height=1146&name=53624605-86cf-4658-8823-ff30295158e2.jpg) COTA operates fixed-route buses, bus rapid transit, microtransit, and paratransit services across the Columbus metropolitan area, serving nearly 12 million riders annually. The addition of Open Payments completes the evolution of COTA’s fare system, which already enables riders to purchase and manage passes through the Transit app, use COTA Smartcards, and even purchase fares directly within Google Maps.   By adopting Masabi’s Justride platform, which powers Open Payments through a single, cloud-based back office, COTA continues to simplify the rider experience and advance its vision of accessible, equitable mobility for Central Ohio.   This launch reinforces COTA’s commitment to modernizing public transportation and ensuring that fare systems keep pace with the needs of today’s riders, making transit throughout the Columbus region faster, fairer and easier than ever.   ### Written by [Irina Grant](https://blog.masabi.com/blog/author/irina-grant) ![](https://blog.masabi.com/hubfs/Irina%20Grant.jpg) Find me on: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ipgrant/) [ ### St. Louis Metro Transit Launches Account-Based Ticketing with Network-Wide Tap-and-Go and MetroLink Gate Integration, Powered by Masabi Jul 14, 2026 ](https://blog.masabi.com/blog/st.-louis-metro-transit-launches-account-based-ticketing-with-network-wide-tap-and-go-and-metrolink-gate-integration-powered-by-masabi) [ ### San Joaquin Regional Transit District Launches Open Payments with Masabi, Delivering “A Faster, Easy Way to Pay” Across Stockton and the Central Valley Jul 2, 2026 ](https://blog.masabi.com/blog/san-joaquin-regional-transit-district-launches-open-payments-with-masabi-delivering-a-faster-easy-way-to-pay-across-stockton-and-the-central-valley) [ ### How SaaS Fare Collection Keeps Getting Faster at Scale Jun 30, 2026 ](https://blog.masabi.com/blog/how-saas-fare-collection-keeps-getting-faster-at-scale) ### Menu [Fare Payments as a Service](http://www.masabi.com/fare-payments-as-a-service/) [Justride Platform](http://www.masabi.com/justride-mobile-ticketing/) [Account Based Ticketing ](http://www.masabi.com/account-based-ticketing/) [Mobility as a Service](http://www.masabi.com/mobility-as-a-service/) [Mobile Ticketing ](http://www.masabi.com/mobile-ticketing/) [Contactless EMV](http://www.masabi.com/contactless-emv-ticketing/) [Blog](https://blog.masabi.com/blog) [Content ](http://www.masabi.com/resources/) [Careers ](http://www.masabi.com/we-are-hiring/) [Contact Us ](https://www.masabi.com/about/) [Request a Demo ](https://info.masabi.com/justridedemo) ### About Justride Masabi’s Justride is the leading Fare Payments platform for public transport. Transit agencies and operators can sign up to mobile ticketing services, enable Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and deploy an account-based system allowing passengers to simply tap a contactless bank card, mobile device and smartcard to travel, without needing to buy a ticket or understand fares. With over seventy agencies of all sizes across ten countries signed up, Justride is leading the movement away from bespoke and expensive ticket systems to Fare Payments as a Service. ### About Masabi At Masabi we believe a new Fare Payments system allowing passengers to just tap and ride, without needing to buy a ticket or understand fares, should be available to every passenger and every transit agency around the globe, without prohibitive costs or taking years to deliver. By providing a Fare Payments platform which is constantly improving and connected with leading mobility applications (for full first-last mile journeys) Masabi is helping passengers move seamlessly from A to B, attracting more people to conveniently ride public transit. ### Masabi Newsletter © Masabi Services - All Right Reserved. ** ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "caption" : { "@type" : "MediaObject", "contentUrl" : "https://blog.masabi.com/media-transcripts/204356093266/en.vtt", "inLanguage" : "en", "name" : "en Captions" }, "contentUrl" : "https://823172.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/823172/video_assets/204356093266/inherited/web_optimized.mp4", "dateModified" : "2026-01-06T13:24:42.974Z", "duration" : "PT6S", "height" : 1080, "name" : "COTA_TapToPay_6_1x1", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://823172.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/823172/COTA_TapToPay_6_1x1.mp4/medium.jpg?t=1767705882974", "uploadDate" : "2026-01-06T13:24:34.464Z", "width" : 1080 } ```