FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Susan Ewing, Brand Marketing & Communications, [email protected]
Subject Matter Expert: Stephanie Schrauth, Vice President, Product Strategy & Marketing, [email protected]


CAPITAL METRO AND BYTEMARK EXPAND PARTNERSHIP FOR COMPREHENSIVE FARE COLLECTION SYSTEM UPGRADES
Bytemark Connect will offer solutions to enhance the passenger experience for Austin-area riders

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, JULY 23 — Bytemark, an innovator in the Mobility as a Service space, is expanding its partnership with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro). Bytemark will upgrade Capital Metro’s existing account-based fare payment system to one that will feature tap-and-go contactless payments plus a host of other functionality aiming to provide fast, easy, and safe payment solutions.

Bytemark will add functionality from Bytemark Connect, the account-based fare payments suite from its Plan, Book & Pay™ platform, Bytemark Bridge. The innovations include new ways to purchase and pay for fares, such as a tap-and-go payment option and adding reload opportunities in local retailers. Additionally, it will include new features such as stored value accounts.

With the changes, Capital Metro passengers will receive more ways to pay, faster boarding, and a central way to manage all fare media, reshaping the way they travel. The simple, straightforward operation will allow Capital Metro to troubleshoot customer problems faster. 

“The team members at Capital Metro are leaders and innovators and our valued longtime partners — Bytemark is eager to apply our innovations and embark on this project that will deliver greater ease of use for Capital Metro and its passengers,” said Bytemark Chief Executive Officer Eric Reese. “These upgrades will enhance the experiences of passengers across central Texas and help achieve the goal of returning riders safely, all the while improving the customer experience and making it easier to ride.”

“We are excited to expand our relationship with Bytemark to bring our customers more user-friendly fare options,” said Capital Metro Chief Customer Officer Dottie Watkins. “This technology will give us the tools to allow customers faster and easier options to pay fares, including touchless payment options, even for those customers without credit cards. Our focus at Capital Metro has always been on the safety and ease of our customers while using our services, and this new technology will help achieve that.” 

Flexibility is one of the cornerstones of MaaS, and the new solutions provided by Bytemark offer personalization and optimization of the travel experience.

They also build on Capital Metro’s recently introduced in-app stored value wallet, which allows users to add funds for ticket purchases. One upgrade later this year will include a cash retail network integration, letting riders pay for tickets or load their stored wallets with cash at participating retailers.

Upgrades to Capital Metro’s existing fare collection system include the ability to manage the in-app stored value wallets on the agency’s existing customer website and physical, reloadable account-based smart cards, which will replace the current smart card system that offers limited-use cards pre-loaded with a cash value.

Bytemark will offer riders web-based or in-app smart card management and the ability to create, manage, and use a barcode-based virtual card in the app. 

Expansion will focus on tap-and-go payments. Other possibilities include trip planner enhancements or integrations and first- and last-mile mobility providers.

The new upgrades offer many benefits for riders. They will save time and gain more fare payment options. By using contactless payments, passengers reduce their interactions with drivers, an important consideration during the current COVID-19 pandemic as everyone continues to practice social distancing. The upgrades also support the use of cash when it is easier for passengers.

Capital Metro’s continued collaboration with Bytemark builds on a valued partnership that began in 2013.

“We are excited to provide Capital Metro, the riders, and the community with a solution that increases access to transportation as well as a cutting-edge solution that makes it easier for all to ride, safely,” Reese said.

Capital Metro serves Austin, the fourth-biggest city in Texas, and the surrounding areas. Its fleet includes 368 MetroBuses and 55 MetroRapid vehicles, 10 diesel electric trains, 257 vanpools, and 108 paratransit vehicles.

About Bytemark
Founded in 2011, Bytemark provides comprehensive Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Payments as a Service (PaaS) solutions to cities and agencies around the globe. Bytemark helps partners deliver a seamless and enjoyable travel experience for their riders. The company’s core offerings include tools for travel planning, parking management, fare payments, and more. Bytemark holds patents for distributing electronic tickets with visual display as well as electronic ticket validation using proximity detection. Learn more at Bytemark.co.

About Capital Metro
Capital Metro connects people, jobs, and communities by providing Central Texans with safe, high-quality, and sustainable transportation alternatives. The agency provides more than 30 million rides annually on its buses, trains, paratransit, and vanpool vehicles and serves a population of more than 1.2 million in its 543-square-mile service area. Capital Metro is committed to improving regional mobility and, through Project Connect, will transform how people travel throughout Central Texas. With our focus on providing a first-class customer experience, Capital Metro has invested in services like the High-Frequency Network, which moves more people, more reliably. Visit capmetro.org for more information and to view our Performance Dashboards to keep track of our operations, service reliability, and finances.
 

Contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]