CLEVELAND — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on April 19, 2022.
A new mobile ticketing system has been activated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA).
Officials gathered at Public Square in Cleveland to kick off the launch of the brand new system in partnership with NEORide, Transit and Masabi.
The new mobile system, Ezfare, will allow riders to purchase tickets in the Transit app, making the process easier for riders traveling in Northeast Ohio.
“The collaboration of GCRTA with Transit App to provide EZfare allows for trip booking and fare payment all in one location,” said GCRTA Board President, Rev. Charles P. Lucas, Pastor Emeritus, St. James AME Church. “For GCRTA riders, it provides a single solution that gives real-time bus and rail information, trip planning and fare payment.”
Transit replaces the old GCRTA’s RTA CLE app. The partnership between GCRTA and Ezfare will allow for purchasing fares, real-time planning and vehicle tracking.
“By joining EZfare and making fares available in their official app, GCRTA and Transit are making riding in Cleveland even greater,” said David Block-Schachter, chief business officer at Transit. “Thanks to our longstanding partnership with EZfare, Masabi, and GCRTA, we’re excited to add another seamless connection for Transit app users in Cleveland, and across the state of Ohio."
The partnership will allow for regional connectivity and ease of access for Northeast Ohio riders. GCRTA riders will be able to purchase fare media for other transit systems in NEO such as Laketran, PARTA, SARTA, METRO and Medina County Public Transit (MCPT).
Users of the app will have access to other features, such as a free subscription to Transit Royale. Riders can also use their Transit account to pay for ride fares in 65 cities across the United States and Canada, including Columbus and Dayton, Ohio.
“The reality of modern transit is that we need to create offerings which reflect our customers’ needs. Regional travel can quickly lose its allure when several tickets and passes across multiple agencies are involved – Transit with EZfare solves this, consolidating unnecessary extra steps into one ticket in the Transit app to travel across Northeast Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky,” said GCRTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer India Birdsong. “We are thrilled to use technology to improve customer experience and fare equity as we continue our efforts to connect the community.”
The new app will allow riders to purchase single rides, all-day, seven-day or monthly passes from their fingertips.
Riders who wish to use cash can still purchase tickets at GCRTA’s Customer Service Center in Tower City or at retail occasions listed HERE.
GCRTA already has future plans to eventually introduce account-based ticketing, smartcards and fare capping, which will allow riders to not pay more than the price of a daily or monthly pass no matter how many trips the rider makes throughout a given day or period of time.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on Sept. 30, 2021.