The Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District (St. Louis Metro) has launched account-based ticketing (ABT) in partnership with Masabi. Riders can now tap to pay their fare at select MetroLink stations, with the rollout extending across the full network over the coming weeks. 

The agency notes the launch of ABT builds on its mobile ticketing rollout with Masabi in June 2025 and introduces a fully account-based fare system across the Ride On app, Transit app and new Ride On smartcard. On MetroBus services, riders can tap their Ride On smartcard or scan a barcode in the Ride On or Transit app at onboard validators when boarding. On MetroLink, riders are able to tap or scan to open fare gates and pay in a single step. Gate access is currently available at select stations, with the full network coming online over the coming weeks as the rollout completes.  

According to the agency, fare capping ensures that no rider will ever pay more than $5 in a single day or $78 in a single month, regardless of how many journeys they make. Once a rider reaches the daily or monthly cap, subsequent travel within that period costs nothing, delivering the value of a pass without requiring payment upfront. Riders who prefer the certainty of a set monthly commitment can continue to purchase a monthly pass directly through their account in the Ride On or Transit apps.  

The agency’s ticket vending machines (TVM) are also integrated into the new fare system, giving riders an additional way to purchase fare products and load them directly to their Ride On account. Riders with a registered Ride On smartcard can tap their card at any TVM to identify their account, with the machine presenting the fare products available to them based on their eligibility. 

"This is more than an update. It's a transformation of how the bi-state region experiences transit, and it would not have been possible without partners who believed in it alongside us,” said Bi-State Development President and CEO Taulby Roach. “This investment in new fare technology, new security gates and infrastructure upgrades strengthens public confidence in Metro Transit and positions our region for the growth that a safe, reliable transit system makes possible."  

According to Masabi CEO Brian Zanghi, ABT “removes complexity for both riders and the agency, delivering the flexibility to offer fair, equitable pricing across every channel.” 

St. Louis Metro joins Collier Area Transit, Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati Metro, Altoona Metro Transit, CityBus and the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority to recently partner with Masabi to launch ABT on their systems.