INIT, Florida’s HART Team for Open Payments Via Square

While transit agencies have historically been tethered to payment terminal hardware, which required knowledge to operate and maintain, Tampa, Fla.’s Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) teamed with INIT to transition from traditional, proprietary terminals to Square's widely adopted platform for fare payments.

Square is a digital payment system that enables the acceptance of credit card payments using smartphones as point-of-sale (POS) registers.

The integration of Square with INIT's MOBILEvario back-office fare management and clearing software has resulted in an inclusive solution that addresses the dynamic needs of riders; therefore, it was selected as a METRO Innovative Solutions Award Winner for fare collection.

“INIT is excited to be at the forefront of fare payment technologies and grateful for our customers innovative openness,” says Andy Singh, COO, at INIT. “We appreciate METRO for giving us the opportunity to showcase our partner's pioneering ideas and for our shared commitment to enhancing the rider experience with advanced, accessible transit technology.”

How Square Impacts Fare Payment and More

HART's integration of Square within its Flamingo Fares system improves sales efficiency and accessibility by enabling credit and debit card transactions via smartphones. This streamlines payment processes, enhances service quality, and ensures passengers always pay the best price.

One large advantage for HART in implementing Square payments is that it enables them to perform sales on the go, or at pop-up events, since traditional workstations often fall short in such dynamic environments due to their lack of portability and slower processing capabilities.

“We appreciate our participation in this collaboration with INIT on this very cool initiative,” says Emmanuel Nunez, manager, retail sales & revenue, HART. “Square POS helps streamline the checkout process with our clients onsite and offsite. Our transactions are processed blazing fast using tap debit/credit cards or Apple Pay and we can accept all major card brands with one simple account. This is a win for HART and INIT.”

Utilizing Square POS also requires a minimal learning curve, due to its simple touch format.

“Strong partnerships with agencies like HART are key to delivering effective transit solutions,” says Singh. “Our collaboration with HART demonstrates how joint efforts can bring new technologies to improve the rider experience.”

Addressing A Need

The initiative was inspired by the critical need for streamlined, contactless POS systems for minimizing queue times and allowing quick payment processing, according to INIT and HART.

The integration of Square with INIT's MOBILEvario back-office fare management and clearing software has created a rider-focused solution that empowers HART to manage fare payments in a modern and convenient manner.

By leveraging Square's payment system in conjunction with the MOBILEvario API, HART’s tracking capability helps facilitate thorough report generation, essential for agencies to monitor performance, manage inventory, and make informed decisions.

Moreover, it helps HART continue to provide an array of payment options to essentially make transit more user friendly for both current and prospective customers.

“Ongoing provision of diverse payment options is crucial for increasing transit equity as it ensures that all community members, regardless of their financial status or technological access, can utilize public transportation services,” says Singh. “Our partnership with HART is a collaboration where rider needs meet innovative solutions for increasing the efficiency and attractiveness of public transportation for all.”