California and INIT sign open loop fare payment agreements


The  Cal-ITP project aims to “make the transition to contactless fare collection and GTFS Realtime compliance as easy and cost-effective as possible.” The agreements mean that INIT’s validator, PROXmobile3, and back-office software, MOBILEvario, will now be available to help the State’s more than 300 small to mid-size transit agencies modernize their fare collection and trip planning systems.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. / SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 30, 2022  

The California Department of General Services (DGS), the procuring agency for the California Integrated Travel Project ( Cal-ITP ), has signed a Master Service Agreement with INIT as an open loop fare system provider.

The  Cal-ITP project aims to “make the transition to contactless fare collection and GTFS Realtime compliance as easy and cost-effective as possible.” The agreements mean that INIT’s validator, PROXmobile3, and back-office software, MOBILEvario, will now be available to help the State’s more than 300 small to mid-size transit agencies modernize their fare collection and trip planning systems.

Of the six vendors awarded, INIT was the only company awarded for both the payment acceptance devices and fare processing software. 

PROXmobile3 , INIT’s fare validator is EMV-capable and awarded with the Information Technology for Public Transport ( ITxPT ) Label. A rider simply taps the validator using a credit or debit card, mobile wallet, or smart wearable. Contactless payments make fare payments faster and more convenient, helping riders feel more confident about taking public transit.

INIT’s back-office software, MOBILEvario, is certified “ Visa ready for transit, ” which means it delivers the passenger experience that Visa has defined for open payments in public transit. It also serves as the core intelligence of a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) structure.

Cal-ITP plans

Further objectives by Cal-ITP include expanding the contactless payments technologies and travel planning to other states including Oregon and Washington. INIT has previously implemented open loop payments in both states, including rider benefits of best-price fares and virtual transit cards used in riders' mobile wallets in both these states. 

The agreements signed by INIT and DGS on behalf of Cal-ITP prove INIT’s strengths not only as a contactless, open loop payments and back-office system provider, but also an experienced system integrator.

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