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USA: St Louis public transport operator Metro Transit has launched an account-based ticketing system supplied by Masabi.
This builds on a mobile ticketing platform deployed in June 2025. Payment can be made using the Ride On app, Transit app or Ride On smart card, although the system does not currently support tap to pay with debit or credit cards.
The ABT roll-out began on July 6, with passengers at an initial 13 MetroLink light rail stops able to tap-in with a smart card or scan an app barcode at the fare gates. This will be expanded to the full network over the coming weeks. Bus passengers use onboard validators when boarding.
The system uses flat fares, capped at $5 a day or $78 a month to offer the value of a period ticket without requiring payment upfront.
People with a registered Ride On smart card can tap their card at any ticket vending machine to identify their account, with the machine presenting the fare products they are eligible for. This ensures that riders entitled to reduced fares can quickly and easily access the right products, with the correct discounts automatically applied to their accounts. Cash is still accepted on buses and at light rail ticket machines.
Masabi CEO Brian Zanghi said ‘account-based ticketing removes complexity for both riders and the agency, delivering the flexibility to offer fair, equitable pricing across every channel.’
‘This is more than an update. It’s a transformation of how the bi-state region experiences transit’, said Taulby Roach, President & CEO of Metro Transit operator Bi-State Development, on July 14. ‘This investment in new fare technology, new security gates and infrastructure upgrades strengthens public confidence in Metro Transit and positions our region for the growth that a safe, reliable transit system makes possible.’
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