The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Masabi announced the launch of Open Payments across RTD’s entire transit network. Riders can now simply tap a contactless credit or debit card, or use a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to pay their fare on any RTD bus or rail service with no physical ticket or reloading required. With this launch, RTD’s complete digital fare payment ecosystem now runs on Masabi’s Justride platform, which has powered mobile ticketing, Account-Based Ticketing and Open Payments within a single, cloud-native platform.
Building on a multi-award-winning partnership that began in 2017, this latest innovation delivers on RTD’s vision of a faster, simpler and more accessible transit experience for all of its riders. The Open Payments feature introduces fare capping and account linking across the network, ensuring passengers always get the best possible fare when tapping their contactless card. Riders and visitors alike can simply pay when boarding RTD services with the payment card they already have in their pocket, benefiting from daily and monthly fare caps that make using Denver’s transit network affordable and effortless. Regular riders can review their payments history online and associate concessions with the contactless card they tap to ride.
“The introduction of Tap-n-Ride provides an experience that is easy to navigate, equitable, and accessible for everyone who relies on RTD,” said Debra A. Johnson, RTD’s General Manager and CEO. “This new fare payment option is focused on removing barriers and offering customers a seamless, straightforward experience where they can simply tap and ride. With fare capping available, customers can feel confident they’re always getting the best fare on each and every trip.”
“RTD has been a global leader in fare innovation, and this launch marks the next milestone in a partnership that has redefined how agencies can deliver cutting-edge payment systems quickly and cost-effectively,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO at Masabi. “By extending the platform to include Open Payments and account linking, we’re making transit easier and more secure for everyone, whether they’re daily commuters or visitors exploring Denver.”
RTD operates 10 rail lines and 126 bus routes throughout the Denver region, including 86 local and 23 regional bus routes, and 77 stations across its light and commuter rail systems. The Open Payments launch further enhances RTD’s modernized fare system, which already supports MyRide smartcards and mobile ticketing via the MyRide app, offering a unified, rider-first experience across all modes.
With Open Payments now live, RTD joins a growing number of agencies worldwide using Masabi’s Fare Payments-as-a-Service platform to deliver contactless, account-based systems that are easier to deploy, operate and expand, transforming rider experience while driving long-term cost savings and innovation for transit agencies.