SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Starting today, Big Blue Bus riders can purchase Single Ride passes with Transit, the popular mobile application used by tens of thousands of Big Blue Bus riders every month to plan their trip, track their ride, make multimodal connections - and now, pay for their trip.
With the debut of integrated ticketing, the result of collaboration between Big Blue Bus, Transit, and Token Transit, riders can now pay for Big Blue Bus where they're already planning trips and tracking rides.
To purchase a ticket with Transit, riders can tap "buy ticket" next to the Big Blue Bus logo at the bottom of their screen inside the app. Transit guides users through a step-by-step process to enter payment information and purchase a Single Ride pass, which activates immediately upon purchase and can then be shown to a bus operator for validation. The ticket remains activated for 30 minutes after purchase.
Single Ride passes are just the start: all pass types will be available for purchase through Transit in winter 2020.
With Transit, riders see nearby options and departure times in big text and bright colors. Users can easily navigate Southern California, aided by accurate real-time bus ETAs and trip planning, plus step-by-step navigation and crowdsourced real-time information with Transit's GO feature. Transit brings multimodal options from different operators together into one app, including Big Blue Bus, Metro, DASH, bikeshare and scooters, as well as Uber and Lyft. This ease-of-use has made Transit a hit with riders, and the app has millions of active users in more than 200 cities worldwide.
"Many Big Blue Bus customers already use Transit to plan trips and get real-time bus arrival information. Offering Single Ride passes in the app was a logical next step toward improving the ease of use and accessibility of our system," said Ed King, Director of Transit Services at Big Blue Bus. "Big Blue Bus is committed to giving customers more comfort, control, and choice in their travel experience."
"Hundreds of thousands of people across Southern California already open Transit every month to plan their trip, track their ride and make connections with ridehail, bikeshare and scooters. Adding Big Blue Bus Single Ride passes is a natural next step," said David Block-Schachter, Chief Business Officer at Transit. "By making it easy for riders to purchase tickets in their favorite app, Big Blue Bus is setting the tone for other transit agencies across the nation."
"Token Transit is excited to launch its first integrated trip planning and fare payment experience with Transit and Big Blue Bus. Giving riders the convenience of planning and paying for their trip in one app makes public transit much more accessible and we look forward to bringing this modern convenience to all of our 80-plus transit agency partners in the coming months," said Morgan Conbere, founder and CEO at Token Transit.
Today's announcement marks the first collaboration between Transit and Token Transit, the mobile ticketing provider for Big Blue Bus. It is also the latest multimodal deployment for Transit, which enables riders to pay for different mobility services across North America with a single account, including Big Blue Bus, RTD in Denver, Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C., Metro in Cincinnati, Divvy bikeshare in Chicago, Bike Share Toronto, and St. Catharines Transit in Ontario, Canada.
Transit is available to download for iPhone and Android at www.transitapp.com.
Visuals can be found at: https://transi.app.link/BBB-press
For a press kit, including additional visuals and Transit's logo, visit www.transitapp.com/press.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jennie Campos
Community Engagement Officer
Big Blue Bus
310-458-1975 ext. 5541
jennie.campos@smgov.net
Stephen Miller
Communications Lead
Transit
617-440-4690 (voice or text)
media@transitapp.com
Sam Daly
Head of Operations
Token Transit
415-918-6770
sdaly@tokentransit.com
About Big Blue Bus
Big Blue Bus operates a fleet of 195 vehicles transporting more than 44,000 customers daily across a 58-square mile service area. Nationally recognized for its long-standing commitment to a cleaner environment, the entire fleet operates on alternative fuels, including renewable natural gas (RNG), a form of liquefied and compressed natural gas (LNG/CNG), which helps cut emissions by up to 90 percent. Serving Santa Monica and the Los Angeles area since 1928, Big Blue Bus has won numerous awards for its marketing, sustainability, customer service, safety, and efficiency.
About Transit
Transit solves the urban commute in more than 200 cities worldwide. Users can easily navigate public transit with accurate real-time predictions, simple trip planning, and step-by-step navigation. The app also integrates other transport modes - bikesharing, carsharing and ridehail - so users can determine the best way to get from A to B. The company is based in Montréal, QC. Learn more by visiting www.transitapp.com.
About Token Transit
Token Transit lets riders pay for transportation. Using Token Transit, riders can purchase transit passes in the Token Transit app or a variety of trip planning mobile apps. Public transit agencies and mobility operators are using Token Transit payments to boost ridership, decrease costs, and improve service. Founded in San Francisco with the mission to improve access to multimodal transportation options across the United States, the company is helping 80+ public transit agencies and mobility operators provide an easy and convenient rider experience. For more information visit: www.tokentransit.com.
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