September-October_2021 - 40

A 21st Century
Approach to
Fare Collection
Contactless fare payment technology, such as
mobile ticketing, gives transit agencies a future-proof
solution that provides more flexibility and a more
convenient, equitable customer experience.
By Megan Perrero, assistant editor
Saskatoon Transit's TGO
Creates Opportunities
for New Fare Products
As Saskatoon Transit's fareboxes
reached the end of their useful life,
the agency was going to simultaneously
think about new solutions
while conducting a fare review
with the public.
" COVID affected that a lot, "
said Tracey Davis, Access Transit
manager, Saskatoon Transit.
Since the pandemic affected
public outreach for the fare review,
Saskatoon Transit launched its
new fare payment system in phases
instead of rolling out as a complete
package with new fare products.
The first phase introduced the
TGO mobile app, which was rolled
out June 2021, a little more than a
year after the agency had awarded
a contract to work with Masabi on
the new technology.
" The first phase was always to
get that TGO mobile app up and
running and get it into the hands
of our riders, " Davis explained.
The app offers customers a mobile
ticketing option, which was
also integrated into Transit, thanks
to Masabi's partnership with the
app company. Also included in the
first phase was integrating the local
university's U-Passes as a mobile
ticketing option.
The second phase will focus on
DTS
T
HE PANDEMIC HAS ALready
highlighted how contactless
fare payment technology
can contribute to a
cleaner and safer environment.
However, the technology
offers transit agencies a
host of other benefits, including
access to more accurate data,
streamlined boardings, simplified
fare structures and a more flexible
and future-proof solution.
" The realization was that mobile
ticketing was the technology
we really needed to embrace.
At the time, this is going back
four or five years ago, where we
thought that it was way advanced
for what we needed. With every
year that passed, we realized how
much we needed [it] " said Cory
Shrigley, customer support and
engagement manager, Saskatoon
Transit.
40 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
DTS' HOLO card
can be used on
the fixed-route
bus system,
with plans to
expand the
card to the
paratransit
service and
municipal
parking.
expanding partnerships to businesses,
high schools and a social
service program to integrate their
respective passes into the mobile
ticketing platform as well. Riders
will also be able to add transit value
at partner vendor locations or
via the web platform
In addition to more partnerships,
the next phase will involve
launching account-based ticketing
and offering a new smart
card. This will be contingent on
when thorough public engagement
can be completed for the
fare review and when the agency
is able to present recommendations
to the city council.
" The flexibility of contactless
solutions and account-based
http://www.MassTransitmag.com
September-October_2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September-October_2021
