INIT Technology Empowers RIPTA's Fare-Free Pilot Project

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced it has launched a campaign in the City of Central Falls using INIT’s smart fare technology.

The agency set up a zone-based fare structure by drawing a digital geographic boundary or "geofence" around the City of Central Falls, using the INIT back-office fare management software.

The geofence identifies all stops within the boundary as eligible for fully discounted fares.

Installed onboard RIPTA buses, INIT fare validators detect each bus's orientation along the route, so that when the bus stops within the geofence and a boarding rider scans their Wave card or smartphone app barcode, the fare system applies the full-fare discount.

The Wave fare system currently serves 36 of the state’s 39 communities with fixed-route, paratransit, and flex service.

“We are excited to offer free fares with Wave in Central Falls as part of this pilot. This program will demonstrate technology from INIT and will allow us to collect the statistical information we need to help us make informed decisions about future innovative services that are beneficial to our passengers,” said Scott Avedisian, RIPTA CEO.

INIT’s back-office fare management system allows RIPTA to set up various fare types to accommodate specific groups of riders. In addition, it delivers benefits like fare capping which allow riders to pay for a day or monthly pass as they go.

Funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA’s’) “Accelerating Innovative Mobility” (AIM) initiative, RIPTA said it intends to demonstrate how the use of state-of-the-art technologies like Wave can enhance transit services and increase ridership.

Other goals of the agency are to promote car-free travel that connects with a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) structure linking alternate modes like biking, reservation-based transit services, or walking.