Madison County Transit (MCT) riders will have the option to purchase bus passes on their smartphones starting Feb. 25. MCT says it will be the first public transportation agency in the region to introduce the mobile ticketing technology. MCT's service area is just east of St. Louis, Mo., in Madison County, Ill.
MCT equates the mobile ticketing technology to that of electronic airline tickets where a QR code is generated on a passenger's smartphone following purchase. The QR code is scanned by MCT's on-board readers, which the MCT says will reduce boarding times and create a more seamless riding experience.
The mobile ticketing technology has granted MCT some flexibility with its pass options; for example, 30-day passes are no longer limited to a calendar month. Available for purchase in its mobile app will be the popular Two-Hour Regional Pass, as well as a new 7-Day Pass and 30-day versions of the MCT Local Pass and MCT System Pass. The Token Transit App will also allow a pass purchase to be a "gift," which will allow a riser to purchase a pass for another rider.
“The process is really simple,” said MCT Director of Marketing & Planning SJ Morrison. “People have become so accustomed to buying items on their phone. Why not bus passes too?”
MCT will continue to sell traditional monthly bus passes at 21 retail sites in Madison County and will also continue to offer on-board passes, such as the 2-Hour Zone Pass, 2-Hour Regional Pass and Express Round Trip Pass, which can be purchased with cash upon boarding.
