Hoboken, N.J.’s Academy Bus launched SilverPass, its first mobile device application. The app will offer complete mobile-based route planning, pay, and ride capabilities for Academy’s daily commuter routes between New York City and destinations in both New York and New Jersey.
SilverPass will be available through Apple’s App Store for devices on the iOS platform and through the Google Play store for Android-based mobile devices. The app is powered by Moovit’s Mobility-as-a-Service platform, and Masabi’s Fare Payments-as-a-Service technology.
“As our society continues to manage the current public health emergency, SilverPass will not just offer a more convenient ticketing experience, it will offer our daily commuters an opportunity to transition their traditional ticketing process to be truly contactless during a period of concern over high-touch, high-traffic surfaces,” said Francis Tedesco, President and CEO of Academy Bus.
SilverPass will allow commuters to plan their trip and pay for their tickets anytime, anywhere. Ticket inspection will be provided by a new Inspect App, giving staff the ability to securely validate tickets in a contactless and COVID-safe way. In addition, to make it easier to anticipate the arrival of their motorcoach, SilverPass will allow users to see its current location using GPS technology.
SilverPass is powered by Moovit’s MaaS platform and its White Label App capabilities, the same technology that Moovit’s free mobility app is based on. Tapping into Moovit’s robust features, SilverPass guides people in getting around effectively and conveniently via any mode of transport. Moovit also provides SilverPass users with multimodal journey planning and real-time arrival information, so passengers know exactly when their bus or train is arriving; a Live Directions feature with Get-Off Alerts to provide step-by-step guidance for the entire journey; and Service Alerts so they can avoid disruptions on usual lines and plan their journey accordingly.
The technology also incorporates accessibility features, empowering people across the disability spectrum to use public transportation with more assurance. The app is optimized with screen reading features for low vision users, identifies wheelchair-accessible routes and stations, calculates step-free routes, and is equipped with optimized menus and buttons for those with hand-motor disabilities.
The new mobile ticketing option will be powered by Masabi’s Justride platform, made available through its Justride Software Development Kit (SDK). Justride is a multi-tenant, Fare Payments-as-a-Service platform that can be configured in different ways for companies like Academy. This allows them to benefit from the latest ticketing innovations quickly and cost-effectively with regular feature updates for everyone using the service.
Ahead of its launch, Academy Bus has been alerting current customers to the new app through on-board notices on its motorcoaches and has been actively training drivers on the new technology.
