The public transportation industry is gathering in Chicago for APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026, bringing transit agencies, manufacturers, technology providers, operators, and other industry partners together at McCormick Place.

APTA TRANSform, presented by HNTB, serves as the American Public Transportation Association’s flagship event for public transportation professionals, with educational sessions covering topics ranging from transformative technology and funding to safety and security, workforce development, and major infrastructure projects. The EXPO exhibit hall, meanwhile, gives suppliers and manufacturers an opportunity to showcase new vehicles, products, and technologies.

The 2026 program runs through October 7, with the EXPO floor open October 5-7.

METRO is following the announcements coming from the show floor. Check back as we update this roundup with more news from APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026.

Masabi Launches All-in-One Passenger App

Masabi launched Passenger at APTA TRANSform 2026, bringing journey planning, fare payments, concessions, and real-time travel information together in a single agency-branded app.

Built on Masabi’s Justride platform, Passenger is designed to give transit agencies a direct digital connection with riders while reducing the need for passengers to move between different apps and channels. Riders can plan routes, find nearby stops, check live departures and service alerts, purchase tickets or passes, and manage their accounts within the same app.

The platform supports mobile ticketing and account-based ticketing, including full and concessionary fare products, Open Payments trip history, and account management. Where enabled by an agency, fare capping can automatically provide riders with the best available fare. Concession eligibility verification can also take place within the app rather than requiring a separate customer service or manual process.

“Transit riders increasingly expect the same simple, connected digital experience they receive in every other part of their lives,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “With Passenger, agencies can bring the entire journey together in an app carrying their own brand, creating a simpler experience for riders while gaining a much clearer understanding of how people want to move across their network.”

Masabi said Passenger already serves more than 2 million riders per month in the U.K. Agencies can choose to offer ticketing through Passenger, a third-party app, their own bespoke app, or multiple rider experiences depending on their network and customer needs.

BENTELER Mobility Introduces Integrated Mobility Platform to U.S. Transit Market

BENTELER Mobility is at APTA TRANSform & EXPO to introduce its integrated mobility ecosystem to the U.S. transit market, combining transit planning, on-demand service optimization, autonomous vehicles, and financing.

The modular offering brings together ioki, BENTELER’s AI-powered transit analytics and operating platform; HOLON, its purpose-built autonomous shuttle; and BENTELER Mobility Financing. Agencies can deploy the full ecosystem or select individual components to work alongside existing fleets, technology, and operating partners.

Using ioki’s digital-twin modeling, agencies can analyze demand, ridership, and operating costs before making service changes. The technology can be used to evaluate scenarios such as redesigning fixed routes or determining where on-demand and autonomous services could improve service or reduce costs. At APTA, BENTELER is demonstrating the technology with a digital twin of Chicago’s transportation network.

The company is also introducing HOLON to the U.S. transit market. The ADA-accessible autonomous shuttle is designed to carry up to 15 passengers and includes automatic wheelchair securement. BENTELER envisions the shuttle operating as part of a broader transit network alongside fixed-route and on-demand transportation rather than as a standalone autonomous service.

BENTELER’s financing model addresses another potential barrier to adoption by allowing vehicles, technology, and deployment support to be structured over a multiyear term rather than requiring the full capital investment upfront. The company said its ioki platform already supports more than 200 transit services in Europe and has served more than 10 million passengers.

BENTELER Mobility is exhibiting at Booth 2708.

WeDriveU Extends Pace Paratransit and On-Demand Contracts

WeDriveU announced two contract extensions with Pace Suburban Bus Service that will continue its paratransit and on-demand operations in Cook County, Illinois, through 2029. The company currently operates three contracts serving approximately 800,000 annual Pace riders.

The renewed South Cook County contract began in August, while the City of Chicago renewal begins in 2027, extending a decade-long partnership. WeDriveU oversees operations and safety management, staffing, training, dispatching and scheduling, and fleet maintenance for more than 400 vehicles across Illinois.

As part of its work with Pace, WeDriveU is supporting service modernization efforts that include onboard dash cameras equipped with AI-powered telematics and video intended to improve operator safety and efficiency.

“Our partnership with WeDriveU supports Pace’s commitment to providing safe, reliable, and accessible service,” said Melinda Metzger, executive director of Pace. “This contract extension allows us to build on a decade of collaboration while continuing to strengthen the service our riders depend on.”

The extensions come as Pace begins operating under the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority framework. Pace Paratransit provides scheduled transportation for eligible riders with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from using CTA or Pace fixed-route services, while Pace On Demand provides shared rides within designated travel zones.

WeDriveU is exhibiting at Booth 3020 during APTA TRANSform & EXPO.

March Networks and VIVOTEK Showcase Connected Transit Security

March Networks and VIVOTEK are showcasing a combined approach to transit security that connects video, artificial intelligence, and operational data across buses, rail vehicles, stations, and depots.

The companies’ “Connected Intelligence: On the Move” demonstrations include Attribute Search for investigations, AI cameras capable of monitoring distracted driving and fatigue, and a Sleep Mode designed to capture incidents while vehicles are parked and powered down.

Attribute Search allows investigators to search recorded video using visual characteristics such as clothing color and vehicle type, potentially reducing the amount of footage teams must manually review. Other AI capabilities can support passenger counting, occupancy analysis, object and zone detection, tampering alerts, vehicle empty checks, and driver fatigue and distraction detection.

The combined portfolio also includes mobile video recorders and cameras, centralized video management, cloud and evidence management, and tools that connect video with GPS, telematics, access control, and other security systems.

March Networks said its technology is already deployed across large North American transit operations, including the Capital District Transportation Authority in Albany, New York. VIVOTEK, meanwhile, deploys more than 100,000 IP cameras annually for onboard transportation applications, according to the companies.

APTA attendees can find March Networks at Booth 3220 and VIVOTEK at Booth 3858

Ballard Launches Fleet360 Fuel Cell Lifecycle Program

Ballard Power Systems launched Ballard Fleet360, a new lifecycle program designed to give transit operators additional support in managing fuel cell performance, maintenance, and long-term costs.

Available with new FCmove-HD+ module sales in North America, Fleet360 combines fuel cell data, technical support, parts assurance, technician training, and refurbishment options. Its FCcare+ coverage package includes a fuel cell module performance guarantee for power output for up to 250,000 miles of fuel cell operation.

At the center of the program is FCpulse, Ballard’s digital platform for monitoring fuel cell health, performance, and service-part trends. The platform includes a state-of-health dashboard designed to help maintenance teams identify modules requiring attention and plan workshop resources, while quarterly reports provide information for service and lifecycle planning.

Ballard is also pairing the digital tools with its Remote Operations Centre in Vancouver, expanded field service capabilities, U.S. parts inventory in Bend, Oregon, Ballard Academy technician training, and Core+ refurbishment services.

“Transit operators want confidence in how their fuel cells perform today and as their fleets age,” said Ralph Robinett, chief operating officer of Ballard. “With Fleet360, we are backing our technology with a defined performance guarantee, supported by the information, parts and technical support maintenance teams need.”

The program builds on Ballard’s experience with more than 3,000 fuel cell engines in operation and 186 million miles of service. The company has deployed nearly 330 fuel cell buses in North America, including more than 225 in California and more than 30 in Nevada.