by
Mckenzie Asplund | Apr 29, 2021
New "Mobility-as-a-Service" experience in Transit app for RTC of Southern Nevada in collaboration with BCycle, Bicycle Transit Systems
Move over, flying cars: the future of transportation is already here — and it makes “going green” the easy choice. Today, Las Vegas becomes the first city in the United States to integrate its bikeshare and transit systems into a single account and app experience. The new offering, available in the Transit app, enables riders to plan a multimodal trip, purchase a transit pass, and unlock a bike with just a few taps. It’s now available for RTC riders, 1 in 5 of whom already use the Transit app every day.
By merging transit and bikeshare into one experience with Transit, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is making it easier than ever for people to get around Las Vegas without having to drive. Bikeshare has seen increased popularity during the pandemic, and as the manager of both the bikeshare and transit systems, the RTC is positioned to bring the services together, creating a combined option that introduces new audiences to bikeshare.
Nevadans already use Transit for trips on the region’s public transit network, thanks to real-time transit countdowns, bus crowding information, and transit passes in the app. RTC riders have paid for more than 65,000 trips with Transit since the RTC launched ticketing in the app in January 2020. Now, RTC riders can also buy bikeshare passes and unlock bikes with their Transit account for RTC Bike Share's 21-station, 150-bike system.
With just a few taps, users can enter their payment information once to purchase and activate any transit or bikeshare pass type with Transit. Previously, the services were not connected, requiring users to enter payment information into separate accounts and download multiple apps.
The technology behind this first-of-its-type integration in the U.S. is the result of collaboration led by the RTC between Transit, bikeshare operator Bicycle Transit Systems, and BCycle, which provides bikeshare hardware and technology. It builds upon the existing integration of RTC’s public transit fare products in Transit using the Justride SDK from Masabi, the company that powers mobile ticketing for the agency.
In addition to RTC of Southern Nevada, riders can use their Transit account to purchase fares for more than 30 transit systems across the U.S. and Canada, including AC Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area, RTD in Denver, Big Blue Bus in Santa Monica, Metro in Cincinnati, and the ARTM in Montreal. The app also provides bikeshare payments and unlocking for six systems, including BIXI in Montreal and MoGo in Detroit.
“We are proud to be the first transit agency in the United States to fully integrate both bike share and transit passes in a single app,” said MJ Maynard, RTC Chief Executive Officer. “Providing this additional multimodal option is just another way we are meeting our community’s evolving transportation needs.”
“This collaboration is the result of a public transit agency deciding to forge a new path for the future of transportation,” said Jake Sion, Chief Operating Officer at Transit. “Nevadans are getting mobility at the press of a button in Transit. What happened in Vegas shouldn't stay there: we’re already cooking up plans with our public transit partners across the country to integrate bikeshare, scooters, and on-demand services into their own transit networks."
“Our goal is to change the world by getting more people on bikes,” said Morgan Ramaker, Executive Director of BCycle. “To do that, we’re working to remove barriers to riding. This collaboration will make it easier than ever for Transit riders to add bikes to their options for alternative transportation.”
“The mission of Bicycle Transit Systems is to help communities become greener, healthier and more connected,” adds Bicycle Transit Systems CEO Alison Cohen. "This partnership will allow Las Vegas residents and visitors to join in that effort by making bike share a key part of their multi-modal journeys throughout the city."
“While there has been much talk around the potential of MaaS, cities like Las Vegas are already deploying highly innovative mobility solutions that give quick and simple access to a range of modes,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi. “We are delighted to see solutions supported by Justride being developed to enhance the discoverability and usability of bikeshare schemes, which will have a positive impact on health, the community, and the environment.”
About the RTC: The RTC is the transit authority, designated metropolitan planning organization, regional traffic management agency and administrator of the Southern Nevada Strong comprehensive regional plan for the Las Vegas valley. The RTC’s vision is to provide a safe, convenient and effective regional transportation system that enhances mobility and air quality for citizens and visitors. The RTC encourages residents and visitors to use a variety of transportation choices to help reduce traffic congestion, clean the air and improve the quality of life in Southern Nevada. For more information about the RTC and its major initiatives or to download its transit app rideRTC, visit rtcsnv.com and stay informed by subscribing to our blog.
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, step-by-step navigation and quick, easy payments. The app also integrates additional transport modes — bikeshare, scooters, carshare and ridehail — so users can mix-and-match their options with public transit to 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 BCycle: Headquartered in Waterloo, WI, BCycle LLC develops and delivers best-in-class bike share systems and is committed to providing an environmentally sustainable transportation alternative for cities. BCycle believes that bike share is the bicycle’s role in public transit and is on a mission to change the world by getting more people on bikes. BCycle, a fully owned subsidiary of Trek Bicycle, partners with organizations across the country to deliver community-based bike share. For more information, visit www.bcycle.com.
About Bicycle Transit Systems: Bicycle Transit Systems is a national company that specializes in bike share launch, operations, and management. Comprising the most experienced bike share operations team in the industry, Bicycle Transit Systems manages the operational elements of RTC Bike Share, including bike and station maintenance, marketing, and customer service. For more information, visit www.bicycletransit.com.
About Masabi: Masabi is bringing Fare Payments-as-a-Service — a better way of delivering fare payments — to public transit agencies and authorities of all sizes around the globe. This enables the delivery of the latest fare payment innovations quickly, using a platform which is constantly updating and adding new features. Not only does this improve the journey experience for passengers, but it helps agencies keep up with the pace of technology change, while reducing the total cost of fare collection. Justride, named Ticketing Technology of the Year 2019 and 2020, is used by more than 100 public transit agencies and operators of all sizes across 10 countries. Masabi has offices in New York, Denver, London, and Cluj, and investors include Mastercard, Shell, and Keolis. For more information, visit www.masabi.com.