Akron METRO RTA Riders Can Now Simply Tap and Ride Thanks to Masabi’s Justride Validators
250 Justride Validator (JRV) units installed across METRO RTA network, part of the EZfare regional fare payment system, to enable safer and faster boarding
Akron, OH & New York, NY April 20 2020 Masabi, the company bringing Fare Payments as-a-Service to public transit, today announced the deployment of 250 Justride Validator (JRVs) units across the METRO RTA fleet, allowing passengers to validate tickets and passes when boarding METRO RTA services – providing a contactless, secure and safe way to pay.
METRO tickets and passes can be purchased on EZfare app as well as within leading Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and mobility apps such as Transit, Uber and Moovit. Riders can now scan their mobile passes on a JRV when boarding METRO RTA services, with an audible beep and a colored screen identifying the ticket as valid for use. The JRV units will expedite the boarding process making riding METRO RTA services faster and also safer by enabling contactless fare payments combined with electronic validation.
Masabi’s Justride Validators (JRVs) support all major ticketing formats including paper and mobile barcodes, smartcards (NFC) and cEMV. Designed from the ground up by Masabi, the JRV changes the economics of account-based ticketing, delivering full functionality at a price point that makes next-generation ticketing accessible to transit agencies and operators in cities of all sizes around the globe.
METRO tickets and passes are available for purchase on EZfare’s regional fare payment system, which is powered by Masabi’s Justride platform. The agency is the second in the EZfare regional fare payment system to deploy Masabi JRVs, taking the number of installed units to more than 1,000 across the participating agencies. METRO RTA is a member of NEORide, a council of governments comprising 13 transit systems dedicated to the development and promotion of regional public transportation services, the largest of its kind in the United States
“In recent months the importance of reducing contact between riders and drivers on public transit has taken on a new relevance to agencies with an important focus put on providing riders with a simple, contactless and speedy ticketing experience,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. ” We’re delighted to be working with METRO RTA to launch electronic validation for their riders, and expanding the reach of contactless validation across the EZfare network – helping passengers and agency staff to stay safe and making public transit match-fit for the ‘new normal’.”
“Providing a safe, low-touch way for our riders to access tickets and pay for transit services is crucial to keep our customers and operators safe and ensure crucial services continue during the COVID-19 response,” said METRO CEO Dawn Distler. “We are excited to continue our work with Masabi to help keep riders safe in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and to expand the successful EZfare network, enabling riders to travel across the region via a single app.”
About Masabi
Masabi is bringing Fare Payments-as-a-Service — a better way of delivering fare payments — to public transit agencies and authorities of all sizes around the globe. This enables the delivery of the latest fare payment innovations quickly, using a platform which is constantly updating and adding new features. Not only does this improve the journey experience for passengers, but it helps agencies keep up with the pace of technology change, while reducing the total cost of fare collection. Justride, named Ticketing Technology of the Year 2019 and 2020, is used by more than 100 public transit agencies and operators of all sizes across 10 countries. Masabi has offices in New York, Denver, London, and Cluj, and investors include Mastercard, Shell, and Keolis. For more information, visit www.masabi.com.
About Metro RTA
METRO RTA is the public transportation provider in Summit County. METRO enhances the quality of life for our community by providing innovative transportation solutions that are safe, dependable, cost-effective and customer focused, now and into the future.
