INIT wins region-wide electronic fare management system contract
The contract between INIT and Fla.'s Regional Working Group, which consists of eight county transit agencies, will involve the deployment of an integrated fare system using account-based smart cards and mobile ticketing.
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), the lead procuring agency of the local Regional Working Group (RWG) in Tampa, Fla., awarded INIT Innovations in Transportation Inc. the contract for a region-wide electronic fare management system.
The RWG consists of eight county transit agencies from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, Hernando, Manatee, Pasco, Polk and Sarasota. Additional project partners include the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) and the Florida Department of Transportation, who have come together to procure the state-of-the–art e-fare system.
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The contract between INIT and the RWG will involve the deployment of an integrated fare system using account-based smart cards and mobile ticketing. INIT’s passenger terminals, PROXmobil3, will be installed on more than 600 buses for the validation of the new fare media.
“The Regional Working Group is excited to bring this innovative system to our riders,” said Jeff Seward, HART CFO. “It will move our region into the future of transit fare collection and allow our riders an unparalleled, flexible rider experience. The project will provide great value to our region, improve on time performance, and reduce costs.”
INIT will also supply a back-end clearing and processing system (MOBILEvario) to facilitate the management of the RWG’s individual customer accounts, setting of fare rules, revenue processing and statistical evaluation reporting. MOBLEvario will benefit the RWG by allowing them to provide a seamless fare structure across eight counties while ensuring the secure administration of each agency’s data.
Also included in the project are Interactive voice response applications and new enhanced Web portals to allow customers to check their balances, register their cards and load values, as well as manage mobile payment applications using their smartphones.
Once completed, this regional fare system will be a major shift on how the RWG provides fare options for their riders. The RWG’s partnership with INIT will allow them to provide passengers with a more convenient payment experience and attract new riders who will be able to travel across a wider service area covering approximately 4,100 square miles.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
