Macon County Transit (MCT) Implements QRyde Single Electronic Payment System
Franklin, NC: Macon County Transit (MCT) has implemented a single electronic payment system using QRyde technology for demand response riders using MCT. The new payment system was implemented on Jul 1, 2019. Transit riders do not need to carry cash to pay for rides on the vehicle anymore. Riders can purchase and recharge a QR-code based electronic card from MCT’s office or when boarding one of the vehicles. Ride payment can be done electronically by validating the card on driver’s android tablets. Riders can utilize the card for payment for rides within the county and out-of-county. The system address the needs of its unbanked and under-banked riders who may not have a bank account but can utilize an electronic payment card for their rides. Roughly half of Macon’s fare collection for transit riders has switched over to the electronic system since its inception in July.
“We are very excited to offer this new technology to our customers”, said Kim Angel, Transit Director. “This gives our riders an opportunity to utilize our service without worrying about having exact change when they board the vehicle. They also have the ability to place as much or as little cash on the card as they choose and can “re-load” cash on the card anytime they choose.”
This new system allows MCT to more accurately track fare payments, especially when a customer is eligible for services under different funding sources. The new technology reduces risk and liability for the Transit Operator. They no longer carry paper “passes” that had cash value. With the new system, the cards they carry have no value until a customer purchases one and “loads” cash.
The electronic payment card using QRyde technology can be extended to other transit agencies across the region in North Carolina and beyond to provide a seamless payment experience to riders of transit. Transit agencies in the region can easily adopt QRyde’s SaaS platform and provide an electronic payment method to its constituents without investing in expensive commercial fare collection systems. To access these services an agency would need.
- Web access to manage riders and electronic cards on the QRyde platform
- A printer to print cards for riders
- QRyde driver apps to validate cards, issue new cards or recharge existing cards
QRyde provides technology for a complete back-office accounting system and reduces the overall cost of transportation.