Mass Transit At the Show 2023 - 12

Guest Opinion
In Public Transit, Innovation
is for the End User
Innovation can be challenging and frustrating, but it is
a necessary tool to ensure greater mobility for all.
By Ga r y Ro s e n f e l d , c o n t r i b u t o r
Innovation
is not just
about change,
but more about
making people's
lives better.
ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE TOOLS any public
service organization can use is research. It can serve
as the basis for new ideas and innovation, as well
confirming the needs for the same new ideas and
innovation. In 2019, the Memphis Area Transit Authority
(MATA) decided to lean into innovation to
maximize the efficiency of our services. However,
before jumping in head first, the agency leadership
wanted to learn more about the perceptions of the
communities within our service area and how they
felt about MATA, its services and what the mobility
challenges were in those communities.
Would they be open to change after so many years
of traditional services? Not only did those findings
confirm that we were on the right track, but they also
indicated that our riders would warmly welcome
innovation with support where needed. As it turned
out, it was not a bad thing.
Innovation is not just about change, but more about
making people's lives better. Digitizing key processes
without compromising customer service and the
human touch allows us to maintain our values, but
also track data around our vehicles, trips taken and
overall rider experience. Innovation helps us to plan
and bolster our services and effectiveness. In the
end, the rider wins.
We took the feedback to heart and implemented
several services, including the GO901 mobile app,
which allows riders to purchase tickets and track
rides from their devices. Recently, we added another
innovative option for our riders, our GO901 Smart
Card and Ticket Vending Machines.
For the first time, riders no longer must rely on cash
to pay for rides onboard our vehicles. All they need
is their GO901 Smart Card or GO901 Mobile App
to scan our validators. They can also use the ticket
vending machines in our transit centers to secure
reusable cards and purchase ride passes as needed.
The GO901 Smart Card allows for a number of
About the author
Gary Rosenfeld is chief
executive officer of
Memphis Area Transit
Authority.
vital benefits, saves the rider time with the " tap and
go " card feature or a quick scan of their app, eliminates
any safety risks of having to carry cash and
keeps their payments and transactions in one place
via a personalized account and card. In just three
weeks, more than 5,400 existing riders have secured
12 Mass Transit | OCTOBER 2023 APTA EXPO ISSUE
MATA's GO901 Smart Card and Ticket Vending
Machines allow riders to secure reusable cards
and purchase ride passes as needed.
Photo: MATA
GO901 Smart Cards and we are receiving positive
feedback from riders about moving into the future
with a smoother process. Using ticket purchases,
trip destination data and other trends analysis, we
will boost our intelligence to make better informed
decisions regarding public transit and mobility in
the mid-South.
The GO901 Smart Card and Ticket Vending Machine
launch is only the first phase of strategy to
achieve our goal to ensure public transit is not a last
resort, but a necessary component to create a vibrant
and forward-moving community.
Phase II of the rollout will encompass leaning
on the corporate community to expand our latest
offerings. Beginning in 2024, we will partner with
Mass Transit At the Show 2023

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