Fare Payments-as-a-Service

What is Fare Payments-as-a-Service?

Fare Payments as a Service is a new and better way of delivering ticketing systems to transit agencies and riders. Instead of purchasing a bespoke Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system, agencies can now sign up to a service delivered via a multi-tenant fare payments platform, removing the cost, risk and complexity of providing the latest fare payment innovations and allowing agencies to concentrate on what they do best, operating safe, reliable and convenient transit services to riders.

Introducing Fare Payments as a Service

A NEW and BETTER way of delivering Fare Payment services to agencies and passengers.

Transit Agency Research Report: The State of Fare Collection

Masabi issued a survey in the late summer/fall of 2019 to professionals working for transit agencies and operators around the globe, with a particular focus on fare collection teams. We wanted to better understand the fare collection market, the challenges agencies and operators are facing, and gain an understanding of where the fare collection industry is heading.

Bespoke Automated Fare Collection (AFC) Systems

The purchase and use of Automated Fare Collection (AFC) systems has traditionally followed the same cycle. Solutions are procured in a highly prescriptive way. This results in bespoke systems being build as their own dedicated solution for an agency who then operate and maintain the same system for decades. This leaves a significant proportion of agencies locked out of the latest ticketing innovations, or requiring deep pockets to keep up with the pace of technology change.

The Problems with Design and Build Fare Collection (AFC) Systems

Transit agencies have traditional purchased their own bespoke Automated Fare Collection (AFC) systems. These solutions are expensive to build, maintain and update and come with problems which are no longer necessary:

Expensive

Agencies are overpaying unnecessarily for fare collection by buying bespoke technology.

Slow to Deploy

Fare collection deployments using bespoke technology can take years to go live.

No Updates

Bespoke system do not benefit from regular free updates (unless a significant amount of money is spent).

Closed

Bespoke systems tend to be closed in nature and difficult to connect with new systems or enable MaaS (without expense).

A Guide to Fare Payments-as-a-Service for Public Transit

This eBook provides a comprehensive guide for transit agencies and operators looking into Fare Payments as a Service.

Introducing Fare Payments-as-a-Service

Fare Payments-as-a-Service offers a new and better way of providing fare payment services to transit agencies and operator. Instead of needing to run a design and build project to deliver a bespoke system, agencies can sign up to a multi-tenant fare payments platform paying for services on a pay as you go/subscription basis. This enables agencies to deliver the latest ‘tap and ride’ innovations to riders extremely quickly and grow capabilities as they get regularly released onto the platform.

By running procurements based on outcomes and holding vendors to targets and KPIs, agencies can free up technology providers to offer the best solutions to problems not building solutions to meet detailed specifications. There are a number of Fare Payment-as-a-Service characteristics which are important to mention;

The Benefits of Fare Payments-as-a-Service

Cost-effective

Reduced capital, maintenance and update costs.

Speedy

Once functionality is added to the platform it’s super quick to deploy.

Regular Updates

New functionality is delivered regularly to everyone.

Open Integrations

An open API centric architecture means the platform can link to existing (or new) systems.

Future-Proof Roadmap

A roadmap of new features and capabilities removes the complexity of running ticketing services and allows agencies to keep up with the pace of technology change.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Enabled

Enabling MaaS for public transit is a key requirement as agencies look to attract more people to leave their cars at home.

Digital-First

Enabling concession, cash digitization and dematerialization with a digital-first approach, saving money and increasing convenience.

Account-Based Fare Payments

Fare Payments as a Service enables the delivery of tickets but also facilitate the latest account-based ticketing experiences, meaning riders no longer need to buy a ticket or understand fares to travel.

Justride Fare Payments Platform

Masabi’s Justride is the leading Fare Payments platform for public transport. It’s one platform configured in different ways for all our agency partners, with regular feature updates everyone benefits from. Transit agencies and operators can sign up to mobile ticketing services, enable Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and deploy an account-based system allowing passengers to simply tap a contactless bank card, mobile device and smartcard to travel, without needing to buy a ticket or understand fares.