Monroe Transit Partners With Modeshift to Offer Contactless Fare Collection System, MTSPay

MTSPay Will Improve the Safety of Monroe’s Public Transit Commuters and Staff as the Pandemic Fuels Demand for Touchless Options

MONROE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monroe Transit, the nation’s oldest publicly owned transportation authority, is launching a contactless fare collection system called MTSPay. The new system will improve the safety and efficiency of its public transit and move the city into the future of urban mobility.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Monroe Transit’s ridership decreased by 60 percent. To improve public safety, provide an enhanced customer experience, and encourage riders to come back onboard, it partnered with Modeshift, a leading contactless fare collection provider, to offer contactless payment options and trip planning tools for riders.

Cities that have deployed Modeshift's contactless fare collection system have seen adoption rates increase by upwards of 110 percent, showing that consumer preferences have shifted to prefer touchless payments along with a user-friendly mobile experience.

“The pandemic has increased the need for digital transformation on public transit, and commuters are ready for this change to make their journeys easier and safer during the pandemic,” said Miroslav Katsarov, CEO of Modeshift. “We’re pleased to partner with Monroe Transit to offer a contactless transit experience that anyone can use, with several options to pay for tickets and plan your journey.”

Using Modeshift’s technology, Monroe Transit System users can purchase tickets through the new MTSPay app and website, which generates a unique QR code for each fare. Users can redeem this fare by scanning the QR code at electronic validators installed on 19 buses across the city.

“We’re excited to provide a safer experience for riders and staff while improving the customer experience for booking and managing trips,” said Marc Keenan, General Manager at Monroe Transit System. “Using Modeshift’s technology, users will experience an intelligent transport system that makes booking and planning trips far easier.”

Features of MTSPay include:

• The MTSPay mobile application, where users can plan their trip, find real-time information on their route and purchase tickets in advance
• The MTSPay web portal for trip planning, fare purchases and reloading user accounts
• Two point of sale locations equipped to sell NFC smart cards and paper tickets

Visit https://modeshift.com/ for more information.

About Modeshift

Modeshift, Inc. is a technology company with the mission to enable small and middle size transit agencies to provide intelligent transportation services. Our core product is Account-based Fare Collection System, based on the Microsoft Azure cloud and delivered as a service (Software as a Service – SaaS).

Modeshift also provides other subsystems which complete the stack of hardware and software needed to operate a modern transit system such as Mobile ticketing, AVL/CAD and real-time passenger information.