Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) recently announced that its Ventra mobile application, launched with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), recently hit a milestone of more than two million downloads with users purchasing approximately $250 million in fares.
Launched in November 2015 by Cubic, the app was developed for use with the CTA, suburban bus operator Pace and the commuter rail system Metra. The free app allows users to plan, manage, and pay for their travel with the three transit systems directly from their mobile devices. Customers can also add transit value, set up autoload features, take advantage of discounts, and check their account balances.
The app was released following the launch of the Cubic-developed Ventra fare payment system, which supports both account-based processing through agency-issued smart cards, open payments with bank cards, or mobile payment platforms such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
“The fact that the Ventra app has been downloaded more than two million times in less than two years demonstrates why CTA is leveraging technology to improve the transit experience for our customers,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr., said. “By making transit easier to pay for and more convenient to use, we help encourage people to take advantage of great public transit in the Chicago area.”
The Ventra app was awarded the 2016 Innovation award from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and is currently available for download on Apple and Android smartphones.