Of particular importance for METRO is the ability of the INIT fare system to configure different fares for their various groups of riders from within the back-office. Reduced fare, student, business, or free-fare accounts, as well as daily or monthly fare capping incentives, are possible with the next generation FCS. Thanks to INIT’s open architecture design and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), the FCS is adept at meeting the future needs of METRO and their riders.
METRO’s new account-based system will provide a user-friendly experience to more than 100 million annual riders who will be able to manage their own accounts anywhere and at any time. Using a vastly expanded and robust retail network, riders will be able to purchase and reload value to their accounts with cash, credit, or debit. Additionally, riders will be able to use the web portal or their smartphone to add and reload value to their accounts. With INIT’s core back-office system, MOBILEvario, METRO will be able to manage all fare products and transfer rules, capping pots, revenues, and accounting which will provide greater flexibility and interoperability for an easy and seamless fare payment experience.
The new fare collection system will help METRO meet its goals of simplifying the customer experience, increasing service reliability by improving boarding times, delivering more accessible fare payment options, and guaranteeing a secure and scalable system for the future.
About Houston METRO: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) operates transit service in the metropolitan area of Houston, Texas. METRO’s service area includes the City of Houston, Harris County and 14 surrounding cities. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States by population and the 18th-largest transit system in the US by unlinked passenger trips. Several other transit providers in the Houston-Galveston region also provide transit services that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
