The Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, Masabi, and the Transit app have received Metro Magazine’s Innovative Solutions Award for our collaboration in simplifying multimodal travel. The successful partnership brings trip planning and fare payments for services like RTD buses and trains, Bustang, Lone Tree Link, Boulder BCycle, and Lyft scooters into one app, offering a more convenient experience for riders across the Denver metro area.
Launched in March 2024, with funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) program, the project will continue through February 2026. Its goal is to streamline how people navigate different transportation modes. By using a single app, riders can plan trips, view fare information, and purchase tickets, eliminating the need for multiple apps and payment systems, and providing a seamless experience for commuters and travelers.
Benefits for Riders and the Community
“Through this project, RTD, governmental, and commercial partners wanted to solve the issues of customers having to use multiple apps to plan a trip in the region and to pay for each trip segment through disparate systems,” explains Monika Treipl-Harnke, RTD’s Sr. Manager, Revenue. “In addition to the success of introducing a planning option that covers multiple mobility providers, including bike and scooter-shares, the trip planning screen includes selection buttons for purchase of RTD and Bustang tickets, which creates a more streamlined customer experience.”
The benefits extend far beyond convenience for individual riders. By streamlining the travel experience, the program also encourages greater use of public transit and alternative transportation modes, reducing the reliance on personal vehicles. This shift is expected to alleviate traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to Denver's sustainability goals.
How it works
The Transit app functions as a centralized hub for planning and paying for multimodal trips. By partnering with Masabi, RTD has made it possible for riders to pay for their journeys digitally, without needing separate accounts or apps for each mode of transportation. Riders can use the app to not only plan their entire trip but also purchase tickets for various mobility services, all with a few taps on their smartphones.
Masabi’s open platform allowed RTD to integrate services beyond its own network, providing users with access to regional partners like Boulder BCycle for bike-sharing and Lyft for scooter rentals. The app enhances the experience by offering real-time information on schedules and service disruptions, further simplifying the travel process.
“RTD, Transit, and Masabi have collaborated for five and seven years, respectively; initially on a white-label RTD mobile ticketing app on Masabi’s Justride platform, then on the integration between Transit and Masabi to sell RTD mobile tickets in the Transit app,” said Monika Treipl-Harnke. “Based on the ongoing collaborative relationship, all partners were confident going into this project that they would be able to overcome any challenges and deliver a successful implementation. This provided the foundation for the success of this project.”
Data-Driven Decision-Making and Future Enhancements
This project is the first of its kind in the U.S., setting a new standard for how public transit systems can be integrated and modernized.
A key feature of the pilot project is the valuable data RTD will collect over the next two years. By analyzing travel patterns, peak usage times, and popular routes, the agency will be better positioned to optimize its services. This data-driven approach will allow RTD to make informed decisions about future transit investments, ensuring that resources are allocated where they are needed most.
In addition, the pilot will be assessed to determine its success in attracting new riders. By making public transit and other mobility options easier to use, RTD hopes to bring in more people who may have previously relied on personal vehicles. This could lead to long-term changes in travel behavior, supporting the agency’s efforts to increase ridership and promote sustainable transportation.
Expanding Multimodal Travel
While the pilot is focused on the Denver region, its potential to be replicated in other cities is significant. The success of this initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration between transit agencies, technology providers, and app developers to create an integrated, user-friendly transportation experience. Other regions facing similar challenges with multimodal travel may look to this project as a model for their own transit systems.
As RTD continues to enhance its services and simplify multimodal travel, the partnership with Masabi and the Transit app exemplifies how forward-thinking transit solutions can transform urban mobility, making public transit more accessible, efficient, and appealing for riders.
“Our partnerships are based on mutual trust, open communication, and shared goals, and this collaborative approach has allowed us to work to create a solution that we think will enhance travel across Colorado and help people leave their cars at home,” says Ashleigh Primm, Account Manager at Masabi. “The result has been the delivery of a seamless and efficient fare payment system that enhances the rider experience across agencies in Colorado and between different modes of transit.”
And now, RTD’s successful partnership with Transit and Masabi has been recognized and earned the METRO Innovative Solutions Award for Customer Experience.
“RTD is honored that our strong partnership with Transit and Masabi contributed to receiving this award,” says Monika Treipl-Harnke. “The agency is most pleased by the fact that this is benefiting customers and improving the customer experience by streamlining transit planning and fare payment.”
“We are thrilled and honored to receive this award with RTD, Transit, and our regional partners. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and the collaboration and trust our partners and clients have placed in Masabi,” adds Ashleigh Primm.
