TriMet Selects GlobeSherpa to Develop Next Generation Mobile Apps

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobeSherpa, a leading provider of secure mobile ticketing and payment software, has been selected by TriMet to design, build, test, and deploy new mobile applications as part of an electronic fare payment system (eFare) for transit agencies serving the Greater Portland, OR region. The eFare project will revolutionize the way transit customers in the region pay their fares. Designed to incorporate leading edge electronic payment technologies to make travel on transit more convenient for customers, the system will provide the region's transit agencies with a more efficient and secure fare collection platform.

TriMet chose GlobeSherpa through a competitive process to create an account-based mobile fare management system set to launch 2016. As part of the project, GlobeSherpa will work with INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. to deliver the following features:

• An account management mobile app for riders to manage their smartcards
• A contactless Inspector Application for fare enforcement personnel to inspect smartcards and contactless bank cards
• A tap and pay feature of the account management mobile app that lets riders use their NFC and/or BLE enabled handset as a virtual card to pay their fare and access the system.

"TriMet is pleased to expand its partnership with GlobeSherpa to provide our riders the next generation of fare payment technologies," said Chris Tucker, Director of Revenue Operations at TriMet. "We have seen an overwhelmingly positive response to mobile ticketing over the last year and we expect the eFare mobile project to deliver additional value to transit riders across the region."

TriMet partnered with GlobeSherpa to design, build, test, and deploy TriMet Tickets, the nation's first mobile ticketing solution for use on buses, light-rail, commuter rail, and streetcars. Since its launch in September 2013, the TriMet Tickets app has been downloaded more than 121,000 times with nearly 2 million tickets sold to date.

"We believe mobile is the future of transit," said Nat Parker, CEO of GlobeSherpa. "TriMet and its partner agencies are demonstrating that leading the way and embracing these new technologies can have a profound impact on improving the rider experience."

GlobeSherpa's award-winning platform includes a Rider Application and eCommerce Website for fast purchase and easy use of mobile tickets by transit riders; a Fare Inspector Application designed to quickly authenticate and verify tickets; and a sophisticated Transaction and Operations Management System (TOMS) back-office analytics software that allows transit operations staff to manage the system through an easy-to-use, yet robust, cloud-based dashboard.

GlobeSherpa is enhancing its platform to incorporate easy-to-use trip planning functionality and next generation technologies including Near Field Communications (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for fast and easy fare validation and delivery of contextually relevant merchant deals, coupons, and advertising. GlobeSherpa is partnering with industry leading systems integrators to implement mobile solutions to transit systems across North America and Europe.

For more information about the eFare project please visit http://trimet.org/efare/

About GlobeSherpa

GlobeSherpa provides a secure, mobile ticketing platform for transit systems interested in moving to open payments, open data, and mobile fare collection with minimal infrastructure investment. GlobeSherpa is developing next generation mobile technologies using Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC and integrating those with our robust back-office business intelligence software to reduce the cost of fare collections and improve operations for transit. For more information about GlobeSherpa, please visit http://www.globesherpa.com.

About INIT

INIT is the system integrator for TriMet's new eFare system, and the worldwide leading supplier of integrated ITS and fare collection systems for buses and trains. For more than 30 years, INIT has been assisting transport companies in making public transport more attractive, faster and more efficient.

Press Release Contact Information:
Mac Brown
Director of Communications
GlobeSherpa
[email protected]

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SOURCE GlobeSherpa