Grand Rapids, Mich.’s The Rapid awarded INIT, Innovations in Transportation Inc., a contract for the implementation of an electronic fare collection system.

The contract between INIT and The Rapid calls for the execution of an account-based smart card and mobile ticketing solution which will improve The Rapid’s service offerings on its fixed-route lines. Vehicles will be equipped with INIT’s onboard ticket readers/validators to support multiple forms of payment including smart cards. Mobile tickets and EMV credit card payments will be added over time.

“We are excited to offer this new technology to our passengers. It will make riding The Rapid more convenient, make boarding quicker, and allow for better fare analytics,” said Peter Varga, The Rapid’s CEO.

To manage the back-end processing and clearing of revenues, The Rapid will utilize INIT’s MOBILEvario software solution. This all-inclusive clearing-house system will provide The Rapid with a powerful online fare validation server and management tool that will deliver the seamless administration of customer relations, setting of fare rules, revenue processing and statistical evaluation reporting.

As part of the project, integration with The Rapid‘s existing third party vendors including current providers of their sales outlet terminals, platform validators, fareboxes and bus-based AVL mobile data terminals will be performed by INIT.