METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Masabi secures $2.8M in funding

The company also announced the opening of its New York office and the hiring of Josh Robin as VP, strategy and business development, North American operations.

March 20, 2013
2 min to read


Transit mobile ticketing and agile fare collection company Masabi secured $2.8 million in funding from Detroit-based Fontinalis Partners, a strategic investment firm focused exclusively on next-generation mobility companies; London-based MMC Ventures and existing investor m8 Capital to accelerate U.S. transit agency deployments.

The company also announced the opening of its New York office and the hiring of Josh Robin as VP, strategy and business development, North American operations.

Ad Loading...

“Masabi’s partnership-based approach to implementing agile fare collection means that transit agencies can have a revolutionary mobile ticketing system in months, not years, as we have shown with the MBTA in Boston. Because Masabi takes on the risk of delivering the new service on-time and on-budget, we only succeed when the agency succeeds,” said Ben Whitaker, CEO of Masabi.

Masabi’s JustRide product is a cloud-based rapidly deployable, and end-to-end mobile ticketing and fare collection system with award winning mobile apps for ticket purchase, use and ticket agent validation. The solution allows transit agencies to revolutionize riding transit by allowing customers to purchase tickets without needing to wait in line. Masabi’s technology also means that transit agencies can now launch mobile ticketing for a significantly lower capital investment than traditional fare collection systems.

Masabi already processes more than $50 million in ticket sales per year across its systems worldwide and continues to see strong growth. In November 2012, the company launched the U.S.’s first system-wide deployment of mobile ticketing for Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

Unlike a traditional fare collection system which would have taken years of development and cost an estimated $70 million, Masabi was able to deploy its JustRide system in just seven months and at minimal cost to the MBTA. In the four months since launch, it has processed $3 million in transactions, accounting for more than 10% of ticket sales.

More Bus

Turning Transportation Challenges into Opportunities
Management•by Alex Roman•October 22, 2026

Brian Dickson on Building Stronger, More Resilient Transportation Organizations

Bus Business Consultants Founder Brian Dickson discusses the leadership principles, operational discipline, and strategic planning that separate transportation companies positioned for long-term success from those stuck in survival mode.

Read More →
Groundbreaking ceremony for LA Metro's Vermont Transit Corridor BRT
Bus•by Staff and News Reports•October 22, 2026

LA Metro Breaks Ground on Vermont BRT Project

The 12.4-mile corridor is projected to serve 66,200 daily riders, reduce travel times by up to 24%, and create the nation's busiest bus rapid transit corridor.

Read More →
ABC Companies President and CEO Roman Cornell
Bus•by Alex Roman•October 21, 2026

Roman Cornell on ABC Companies’ Evolution and the Future of Passenger Transportation

The company’s CEO discusses carrying forward a third-generation family legacy, ABC’s continued evolution in passenger transportation, support for increasingly complex fleets, and how technology and continued investment could help operators improve uptime.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
VIA Primo BRT bus riders
Bus•by Alex Roman•October 19, 2026

VIA Bus Ridership Grows 10.1% Through August 2026

San Antonio's VIA Metropolitan Transit reported the highest bus ridership growth among major Texas transit systems. Federal Transit Administration data ranked it second among the nation's 50 largest transit systems.

Read More →
Crowd waiting for LA Metro bus
Management•by Staff and News Reports•October 16, 2026

LA Metro September Ridership Climbs 3.9%, Led by Rail Growth

The agency recorded more than 27.2 million boardings, with rail ridership increasing 12.4% year over year and the D Line posting the largest gains.

Read More →
The Frontrunner XF on the APTA Expo show floor in 2026.
Paratransit•by Alex Roman•October 15, 2026

Frontrunner Bus Group Introduces XF Low-Floor Bus with Enhanced Accessibility

The new mid-sized bus features a full flat-floor design, eight-inch curbside step-in height, and zero-entry rear ramp to improve passenger access and operational flexibility.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An overhead view of APTA EXPO's show floor.
Management•by Alex Roman•October 9, 2026

Scenes from APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026

Transit leaders, manufacturers, and industry professionals gathered in Chicago to explore new technologies, share ideas, and discuss the future of public transportation.

Read More →
DRPA interns with program swag.
Management•by Alex Roman•October 1, 2026

More Than a Summer Job: Building the Next Generation of Transit Talent

The Delaware River Port Authority and PATCO have transformed their internship program into a hands-on professional development experience that introduces students to the breadth of transportation careers — and creates a pipeline for future employees.

Read More →
A shot of ENC's manufacturing facility
Zero Emissions•by Alex Roman•September 30, 2026

LA Metro Board Awards 220 Battery-Electric Bus Contract to ENC

The contract, which is the largest base award of battery-electric buses by a U.S. transit agency, will be built in Southern California, sustaining good jobs as LA prepares to welcome the world in 2028

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Help Shape the 2027 Public Transit Conference
Management•by Alex Roman•September 29, 2026

Public Transit Conference Returning to GFX in 2027, Call for Papers Now Open

The Call for Papers is now open, allowing transit agency professionals and industry experts to help shape the PTC educational program by submitting session ideas for consideration.

Read More →