The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) selected INIT Innovations in Transportation Inc. to implement an account-based and contactless fare system for the seven-city region the agency services. The contract calls for a back-office revenue management system, contactless fare validators, and a mobile app from Hansecom, a wholly owned subsidiary of the INIT Group.

INIT will equip STA buses with 354 contactless fare validators and install another 33 fare validators at locations throughout the region. Once fully installed, the new fare system will enable all-door boarding and revolutionize Spokane’s transit customer experience by providing real-time account-management and fare processing, as well as the opportunity for customers to instantly add value to their account and use mobile devices to pay fares.

The smart fare system will be integrated with STA’s Universal Transit Access Pass programs, which already serve the region’s colleges and universities.

INIT’s back-office revenue management system, MOBILEvario, will serve as the core intelligence for the new account-based system, automating reconciliations, and processing fare transactions in real-time. INIT’s open architecture design will allow STA to integrate both new and existing partners easily. This model is demonstrated in all of INIT’s fare projects, including the next gen ORCA fare system being implemented in the Central Puget Sound Region of Washington.

Roll out of the core system will follow an aggressive timeline and is being executed from INIT’s Seattle office to leverage the expertise of their local engineering and project teams.