contrast to the hardware based systems that have long dominated mass transit (think here of physical cards or transit passes and the physical machines that read those cards). These digital platforms - which are capable of spanning and connecting multiple modes of transportation that typically exist in fragmented silos - are the key to understanding ridership patterns and the flow of people and then making informed decisions off of that data, like the ones outlined above. This type of digital ticketing system can also provide a safer and more pleasant ticket buying experience. Customers can purchase passes from an app on their phone or online from the safety and comfort of their desktop computer if they're purchasing in advance. In a time when COVID-19 seems to be lurking around every corner, these purchasing scenarios are far preferable to visiting a crowded ticket office or having to use the touchscreen of a ticket vending machine. The bottom line? Transit agencies need to start providing a vastly different kind of experience if they hope to win back customers. This focus on customer experience might not have been necessary in the past, but now in a world that has been turned upside down by COVID-19, it is essential to their survival. The COVID-19 crisis won't last forever, but customer expectations will permanently be altered by it. As a result, the need to use data in an intelligent manner will persist long after the virus has dissipated. Those transit agencies and operators who can harness real-time data and use it to guide their operations will be able to successfully navigate this crisis and attract ridership. A RIDER alert platform making better use of data to better inform customers. Paulo Ferreira dos Santos is the CEO of Ubirider, the developer of the Pick independent digital transportation platform. For more information, visit www.MassTransitmag.com/10066174 APRIL/MAY 2020 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit | 41http://www.ARBOCsv.com http://www.MassTransitmag.com/10066174 http://www.MassTransitmag.com