Init innovation in traffic systems SE: Portland implements North America's first account-based ticketing system with fare capping

- In Portland, Oregon (USA), the laborious process of searching for tariffs and paying for tickets is a thing of the past

- Electronic ticketing system from init saves passengers and transport providers considerable time and money

- First integrated operation control and ticketing system in North America
 

Karlsruhe/Portland, September 1, 2017. In the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region, one of the fastest-growing economic areas in the USA, the future of local public transport can be marvelled at in reality. Since mid-July, the laborious process of searching for the best-priced tariff and the right ticket to go with it is now a thing of the past for all bus and rail passengers. They simply step on board, secure in the knowledge that the best fare for their journey has been calculated for them. This is made possible by a revolutionary, electronic ticketing system, supplied by the init subsidiary in Chesapeake, Virginia/USA.

In the past month, the transport companies Tri-County Metropolitan Transit Authority (TriMet), Clark County Public Transit Benefit Area Authority (C-TRAN) and Portland Streetcar have put the so-called Hop system into operation, and the initial experiences with it are ground-breaking. Hop Fastpass^TM is a fully integrated electronic ticketing system that works with contactless customer cards, so-called Hop cards. The system also accepts credit or debit cards, or payments from a mobile wallet service like Android Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.

Hop system boosts efficiency and makes public transport more attractive

Hop Fastpass is one of the world's first electronic ticket systems for public transport to offer a daily and monthly cap on fares. Passengers get the savings of a day or month pass without the upfront cost. Once a passenger reaches the cost of a daily ticket the rest of the rides that day are free. When paying with a Hop card, once a passenger reaches the cost of a monthly ticket the rest of the rides that month are free. Passengers can check and manage their account at any time of day or night - with total ease via the Hop website, the Hop app, the customer hotline or at hundreds of regional sales points.

"The benefits of the Hop system are wide-ranging. Not only do our customers benefit, the efficiency of our operating processes and those of other transport providers in the greater Portland-Vancouver region also rises enormously," says Neil McFarlane, General Manager at TriMet. Hop Fastpass can be used on the transport association's 700+ buses and rail-based vehicles and at approximately 400 validators on platforms.

Thanks to this system, transport providers can reduce boarding times at stops and improve efficiency and punctuality, while simplifying payment procedures and reducing the amount of cash in the system. This is a tangible cost benefit, which also helps to make public transport more attractive.

Networked mobility - Digitalisation in everyday life

A further important aspect is added to this: The electronic ticketing system from init integrates various transport providers, meaning that Hop Fastpass users are able to change from regional buses to trams or commuter trains effortlessly and worry-free. Transfers to various transport services of the same or lower price are free of charge. When transferring to a higher-priced service, the fare difference is deducted from the account. This is made possible by the back-office system MOBILEvario, developed by init and the core of the account-based Hop Fastpass solution. It manages the tariff structures of the various transport companies, handles the companies' income distribution, manages costs and automates reconciliation.

init set up an open system architecture that allows various partners' data and systems to be integrated seamlessly. As TriMet and C-TRAN are already using the operation control and passenger information systems from init, it was possible to implement the new ticketing system significantly more easily and cost-effectively - which contributed considerably to the project's overall success and represents a new phenomenon in North America.

"Our 15-year technological partnership with init has promoted our growth, technical progress and effective process management from the start," commented Neil McFarlane, summarising his experience.

About init:

As worldwide leading supplier of integrated planning, dispatching, telematics and ticketing systems for buses and trains, init has helped transport companies make public transport more attractive, faster and more efficient for over 30 years. Over 600 customers worldwide now rely on init's innovative hardware and software solutions.

init products bring an impressive profit thanks to their state-of-the-art technology. Their modular structure and high level of standardisation enable them to be used as standalone units or, depending on the transport company's requirements, to be integrated individually into an intelligent overall solution. It is also possible to extend systems gradually. The competitive advantage enjoyed by the integrated MOBILE telematics system is that it can handle all of the tasks required by transport companies - from planning and dispatching, operations control and real-time passenger information, all the way to ticketing and electronic fare management and analysis and optimisation.