Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, Masabi and Transit app Expand Account-Based Ticketing to All Riders with Smartcard and Retail Network Launch

New System Ensures Cash Riders get Access to Contactless Payment Options and are Charged the Best Possible Price for Journeys with Account-Based Ticketing and Fare Capping

Masabi, the company bringing Fare Payments as-a-Service to public transit, the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and the Transit app today announced that riders on their network are now able to purchase reusable smartcards giving them the ability to simply tap and ride without needing to buy a ticket or select a fare before traveling. The new Account-Based Ticketing system, which is powered by Masabi’s Justride platform and available through Transit, RTA’s official app, uses fare capping technology to ensure all riders are charged the best possible price for their journey.

RTA riders can now purchase smartcards from newly installed Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) and add funds to their account using cash or credit and debit cards. They can also visit any retail outlet signed up to InComm Payments’ VanillaDirect cash-in payment platform. To preload cash onto their Tapp Pay account, retailers scan a barcode on riders’ Tapp Pay card or Tapp Pay in the Transit app. This is of particular benefit to cash riders, and those who choose not to use credit or debit cards to top up their smartcard or account.

This latest development follows the successful launch earlier in the year of Account-Based Ticketing on Tapp Pay mobile through the Transit app, RTA’s official “Mobility-as-a-Service” app for trip planning, real-time bus tracking and fare payment.

The validation of tickets is carried out using Masabi’s Justride Validator units (JRVs), which have been installed onboard RTA’s bus fleet. Designed from the ground up by Masabi, the JRVs possess the necessary capabilities to meet the demands of Account-Based Ticketing at a price point that makes next-generation ticketing accessible to transit agencies around the globe.

 “Traditional transit fare systems have created a situation where customers who are least able to afford the upfront costs of a monthly pass end up paying more, but also end up traveling less by the end of the month. This development is the last piece of the puzzle of our work with Masabi, bringing fare equity to our customers with this technology, and offering them a convenient and contactless method of riding our services.” said Brandon Policicchio, RTA’s Chief Customer & Business Development Officer.

“The pandemic has accelerated agency adoption of new fare payments technologies, in particular contactless – which offers huge benefits to agencies and riders alike. However, transit agencies must also maintain accessibility to all riders, regardless of whether they own a smart device or prefer to pay with cash,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “This development brings access to the best possible fare and contactless convenience to all riders of Greater Dayton RTA and we’d like to thank the agency and our partners in helping make it a reality.”

“Smartphones aren’t just for Silicon Valley early adopters. These days, they are indispensable to daily life, including getting around,” said David Block-Schachter, Transit’s Chief Business Officer. “Giving RTA riders the ability to load cash value right into their phone brings the equity-boosting benefits of fare capping to all riders. RTA has come through time after time with innovations for its riders, and I have no doubt many agencies will be looking to RTA’s example moving forward.”

“We’re excited that our solution will improve the rider experience when loading and reloading funds to their accounts, especially for being inclusive of the cash-preferred rider,” said Michael Herold, Vice President of Business Development for Tolling and Transit at InComm Payments. “This is also convenient, as riders will also have the option to load funds in the retailers they already shop.”

If you would like to learn more, please download our Dayton RTA Look Book.

Fare Payments-as-a-Service delivers agencies the latest fare payment innovations quickly by using a multi-tenant platform, like Masabi’s Justride, which is constantly updating and adding new features. This not only improves the journey experience for passengers, but helps agencies keep up with the pace of technology change. It also reduces the total cost of fare collection as costs are shared between all users.

The Justride platform provides comprehensive Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) functionality and enables Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) through partnerships with leading mobility providers. The platform supports all rider groups and enables cash to be turned into stored value passengers can use to travel without the need for expensive hardware.