A contract for new mobile ticketing services has been approved by the Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) that is expected to make public transit more user-friendly for existing customers and more attractive to potential customers.
The Token Transit app will allow CAT customers to purchase tickets with their smart phones, which can then be used as electronic tickets to board buses. To ride, the rider simply shows the bus operator the ticket displayed on the smart phone instead of sticking a pass or cash into the farebox.
“We are excited to offer mobile ticketing as an additional option for our customers,” said Interim Executive Director and CEO Michael Brown. “This added convenience is something many of our riders have been requesting and in line with our board approved strategic plan.”
In addition to making it easier to purchase a ticket, the simpler process is expected to help CAT buses stay on schedule by reducing delays that sometimes result from multiple customers inserting cash or paper passes into the fareboxes.
During the first phase of the project, there is no need to scan the ticket or install costly additional equipment on the buses. Token Transit’s visual validation mobile ticketing platform includes a variety of methods to ensure the validity of the ticket can be identified quickly and accurately. These methods include animated images, changing colors, pictures and words and the time of day to prevent screen shots and fake recording of the ticket image.
The app will provide an additional resource for riders to avoid having to physically purchase multi-ride passes at the Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center or on CAT’s recently created eCommerce web pages, where customers can buy passes with their credit cards and have them mailed to their homes.
The contract with Token Transit does not have any start-up costs, but the company will instead be paid an eight percent fee per each transaction. CAT expects the total fee amount paid to Token Transit to range between $900-$1,500 during the first year of implementation and will not pass on additional costs to customers.
The mobile payment app is expected to be made available to CAT customers in the first quarter of 2020