NEORide and Masabi announced the launch of Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) for Laketran, the transit agency serving Lake County, Ohio, and METRO, the transit agency located in and serving Summit County.

Both agencies are part of EZfare. The announcement follows PARTA’s recent launch as the first of 11 agencies across the network to go live with ABT powered by Masabi.

What This Means for Laketran and METRO Riders

Laketran and METRO riders can scan the EZfare app when boarding the bus or use the new EZfare smart cards to Tap & Ride.

Riders will be able to use the app and card to ride on all transit systems launching EZfare’s ABT. 

Laketran fares will not exceed $4 per day, while METRO fares will be capped at $2.50 daily. When using the EZfare app and smart cards, the system enables payments and transfers across all cooperating agencies, according to each agency's individual fare rules.

The launch of ABT has been made possible by Masabi’s Fare Payments-as-a-Service (FPaaS) approach. This reduces the total cost of fare collection as the costs are shared between all agencies on the platform through reduced build, update, and maintenance costs.

“By upgrading to ABT, both METRO and Laketran are creating an effortless and convenient transit experience for their customers,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “Building on Masabi’s presence in Ohio, our ticketing technology allows both these agencies to quickly provide their customers with affordable and equitable fares, no matter how much or little they travel - making transit fairer and faster for all.”