Summary - Transit Ticketing and Fare Collection in the US 2024

Global Mass Transit's research on 100 cities in the US reveals that AFC market size is expected to increase to USD3.5 billion by 2029. Focus is on deployment of contactless open loop payments and account-based ticketing. Majority of the transit agencies and operators are planning to install mobile ticketing (including NFC-based, e-wallets and QR code-based), followed by bank cards. As advanced technologies are introduced to support integration and interoperability, transit agencies are also laying emphasis on prioritizing equity, accessibility and inclusivity in transit.

The integration of transit payments with segments such as financial services, automotive, identity, shared transportation, mobile, parking, EV charging, and transportation information is transforming the ticketing industry landscape. Moreover, new transportation business models including Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), on-demand mobility, and shared mobility including ride-sharing and car-sharing, ride-hailing, micro-mobility, and bike-sharing will also have a significant impact on the automated fare collection (AFC) systems industry. Technology-centred MaaS is expected to resolve urban mobility issues by integrating mobility service providers (MSPs), trip planning apps and payments.

Deployment of contactless payments will require transit agencies to explore best practices in stakeholder management, project delivery, financing models, integration of mobile payments and wallets with the existing infrastructure, digitalisation in public transport, effective collection and analysis of data, and data privacy, cybersecurity and so on. All stakeholders including transit agencies, operators, governments, private service providers, MSPs, technology providers and OEMs will have to come together to discuss these.

In light of the opportunities in the AFC market and the emerging technologies, Global Mass Transit is organizing the fourth annual conference on ‘Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection in the US’ on November 13-14 at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

The mission of this conference is to discuss the experience so far and plans of transit agencies to deploy contactless payments systems and account-based ticketing (ABT), highlight key emerging trends, review case studies, showcase technological solutions, and discuss the role of transit ticketing in Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).

The conference will bring together experts from leading transit agencies and operators, state/local governments, system integrators, technology and service provider firms, smartcard companies, technology and equipment manufacturers, mobile ticketing vendors, credit card companies, data architecture and IT firms, fare collection system suppliers, dynamic multiservice journey planners, taxi fleet operators, ride-hailing and ride-sharing service providers, micro-mobility providers, ticketing infrastructure providers, industry consultants, research and development organisations, financiers, technical institutes, etc.

Experience so far in account-based ticketing (ABT) and open-loop payment systems
Changing mobility behaviour and impact on transit ticketing
Key emerging mobility trends, technologies and business models
Future plans, opportunities and market outlook
Integration and interoperability across regions, new mobility solutions, value-added services
Role of account-based ticketing (ABT) and open payments in the growth of MaaS
Open ecosystem approach to MaaS
Best practices in procurement, financing and deployment
Cooperation among different stakeholders
EMV payments in transit: Partnerships between transit agencies and financial services companies
Data generation, data sharing, data analysis and privacy
Potential and benefits of data generated by the use of advanced ticketing systems
Prioritizing equity, accessibility and inclusion in transit through fare systems
Cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and sustainability of integrated mobility services