Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has selected INIT Innovations in Transportation Inc. for the design, delivery and installation of their Next Generation Fare System (NGFS). The contract includes the setup of a mobile ticketing app from Bytemark and an account-based electronic fare and back-office revenue management system from INIT.

INIT will implement EMV-capable smart fare validators on approximately 270 vehicles. Additionally, eight full-service INIT Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) for acceptance of cash, credit or debit payments will be installed. The new fare structure will be in service across MTA’s fixed-route buses and AccessRide paratransit vans.

MTA’s future plans include the installation of INIT TVM’s with built-in security cameras and proximity validators for Gray Line Buses and Music City Star Trains operated by the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA).

Nashville passengers will benefit from more convenient fare options, faster boardings, and the ability to view or manage their account transactions and balances at any time.

“By placing the option to purchase or reload your fare in the palm of your hand, using public transit to get around Nashville will become that much more of a logical and convenient choice,” Nashville MTA CEO, Steve Bland, said. “This exciting new innovation is a big step for Nashville and will work to help our riders move smarter in 2018 by making transit easier to use.”

The project will be implemented using an open architecture design meaning MTA will be able to integrate both new and existing partners easily. For example, the INIT EFM system will incorporate MTA’s current fare box providers for a fully integrated solution. This model is demonstrated in all of their EFM projects, including those in Tampa, Fla. (RWG), the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area (TriMet), Honolulu, Hawaii (HART) and Grand Rapids, Mich. (The Rapid).

INIT’s back-office processing software, MOBILEvario, serves as the core intelligence for MTA’s new account-based system. It processes fare transactions in real-time, recognizes and processes revenues and automates reconciliations.

The full NGFS roll out to the public will occur over the course of 2019 and early 2020.