Account-based Ticketing in the Sunshine State

INIT will set up a region-wide electronic ticketing and fare management system in Greater Tampa

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), the lead procuring agency of the local Regional Working Group (RWG) in Tampa, Florida, has awarded INIT the contract for a region-wide electronic ticketing and fare management system. The RWG consists of five county transit agencies (HART, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), Hernando County’s THE Bus, Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT), and Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT). Additional project partners include the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA).

The contract between INIT and the RWG will involve the deployment of an integrated fare system using account-based smart cards and mobile ticketing. INIT’s passenger terminals, PROXmobile3, will be installed on more than 600 buses for the validation of the new fare media. INIT will also supply the back-end clearing and processing system MOBILEvario to facilitate the management of the RWG’s individual customer accounts, setting of fare rules, revenue processing and statistical evaluation reporting. 

MOBILEvario will benefit the RWG by allowing them to provide a seamless fare structure across five counties while ensuring the secure administration of each agency’s data. Also included in the project are Interactive Voice Response (IVR) applications and new enhanced web portals to allow customers to check their balances, register their cards and load values, as well as manage mobile payment applications using their smartphones.

The Regional Working Group is excited to bring this innovative system to our riders. It will move our region into the future of transit fare collection and allow our riders an unparalleled, flexible rider experience. The project will provide great value to our region, improve on time performance, and reduce costs.

Jeff Seward

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
of Hillsborough Area
Regional Transit Authority

End of 2016 riders will be able to use the mobile app across the Tampa Bay area by showing their purchased fare via the phone to the driver. Once completed, this regional fare system will be a major shift on how the RWG provides fare options for their riders. The RWG’s partnership with INIT will allow them to provide passengers with a more convenient payment experience and attract new riders who will be able to travel across a wider service area covering approximately 4,100 square miles. The new system will provide seamless and common fare media for passengers throughout the Tampa Bay region.

Contact

Matthias Tanne

Head of Department Sales and Marketing

INIT GmbH

Germany