VIA Metropolitan Transit, Uber and Masabi offer transit tickets through Uber app

Uber Transit Ticketing, powered by Masabi’s Justride platform, provides seamless rider experience

 San Antonio, Texas and New York, NY – May 8, 2023 – VIA Metropolitan Transit, Uber and Masabi, today announced the launch of transit ticketing available for Uber users in San Antonio. Uber Transit Ticketing, powered by Masabi’s Ticketing SDK, will enable riders across San Antonio and Bexar County to seamlessly buy tickets and ride – all from within the Uber app.

Purchasing fare tickets in the Uber app is easy. Once riders have selected their route, they can choose to purchase transit passes using their existing payment profile. Once purchased, tickets are stored in the “Transit Tickets” section of the Uber app, and users can activate them when boarding the bus, even when they are offline (i.e., no cellular connectivity). Riders can simply scan their passes using the onboard validation devices.

  By making mobile ticketing available in more applications, VIA is ensuring its customers have flexible fare payment options for trips on any VIA service, including bus, van and VIA Link trips. For VIA, it ensures mobile ticketing is instantly available to an already established user base providing a seamless and convenient experience to transfer to or ride public transit. Uber represents an additional sales channel for VIA next to VIA’s own goMobile+ app, and in turn, makes the ticketing experience for its passengers easy and accessible.

This functionality in the Uber app to enable VIA transit ticketing has been made possible using Masabi’s Ticketing SDK. This ticketing software development kit (SDK) for public transportation creates a seamless passenger experience combining public transit and shared mobility services, together with the Justride SDK integration which combines best-of-breed secure ticketing functionality with existing apps.

“We’re excited to expand the fare options for riders through this offering,” VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “With this launch, customers can use the latest ticketing technology to plan and pay for multi-modal trips in San Antonio and Bexar County.”

“At Masabi our mission has always been to make it quicker and easier to get around cities using a range of transit options and our collaboration with Uber and VIA Transit is the next step to help us meet this goal,” says Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “VIA has been at the forefront of agencies launching modern technology and payment options, increasing accessibility to transit. Today’s launch builds on these foundations, delivering seamless access to Uber’s users for public transit.”

“We’re excited to be working with VIA and Masabi to bring yet another transit agency’s ticketing into the Uber app,” said Jen Shepherd, Global Head of Uber Transit. “Having a greater variety of transportation options helps to make it easier to live a car-light lifestyle. And with tickets available directly in the Uber app, riders are now able to purchase fare tickets seamlessly and with more flexible options.”

 

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 is used by more than 200 public transit agencies and operators of all sizes across 4 continents. For more information, visit www.masabi.com.

 

About Uber

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 37 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

 

About VIA Metropolitan Transit

VIA provides safe, reliable transportation options that put opportunity within reach for millions of passengers each year. VIA began operation in 1978 and today serves 14 member cities and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, operating seven days a week on 77 routes, with complementing VIAtrans paratransit service and VIA Link on-demand options. VIA’s family of services helps connect our community, support economic vitality, and enhance quality of life throughout the region. In 2020, voters approved funding for VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan, in support of projects designed for a modern mass transit system in San Antonio and Bexar County. Visit VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.