The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) Partners with INIT for Modern EFM Project

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) serves 36 of the state’s 39 communities with fixed-route, paratransit and flex service. The agency’s fixed-route service covers 1,436 square miles and services more than 16K riders annually. RIPTA operates two facilities: one in the Capital city of Providence and the other in Newport.

260

Vehicles

36

Communities

18

mil riders annually

When RIPTA decided to modernize their legacy fare system from a cash and closed-loop card to a state-of-the-art account-based and mobile ticketing system, INIT was chosen as the preferred partner. The decision was based on INIT’s success with other e-fare projects like TriMet, and the ability to complete projects on time and on-budget.

The project includes EMV-capable e-fare validators, the integration of a mobile ticketing app, and an option to implement platform validators and Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) in future phases of RIPTA’s fare collection upgrade project and plans.

Once implemented, RIPTA passengers will benefit from multiple and more convenient options to pay fares. They will be able to conveniently purchase e-fares from their account and simply tap their card or mobile device to ride. INIT’s back-end processing software, MOBILEvario, will calculate the fare, validate the transaction against the back office account and display the remaining balance to the rider in real-time. This means riders can instantly view and manage their account transactions at any time.

The project will be implemented using an open architecture design. This means RIPTA will be able to integrate both new and existing partners easily. For example, the INIT EFM system will incorporate RIPTA’s current CAD/AVL system, as well as another vendor’s fare boxes for a fully functional solution. INIT’s open architecture model is demonstrated in all of their EFM projects, including those in Tampa, FL (HART), the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area (TriMet), and Grand Rapids, MI (The Rapid).