Title
Transit Mobile Payment Application Consulting Services
Action
Action:
Approve a contract in the amount of $160,000 with Aria Transport Services for Transit Mobile Payment Application consulting services.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
John Lewis, CATS
Explanation
* CATS is contracting with Aria Transport Services to develop a Transit Mobile Payment Application (Mobile App) that would allow transit riders the flexibility to purchase transit fare on their phones and maintain cash balances on individual customer accounts for future use.
* This will be the first transit Mobile Payment App in North America that provides a cash wallet feature for transit customers that do not currently have active bank accounts.
* More than one in four residents in Mecklenburg County do not have access to traditional banking services.
* Implementation of the Mobile App will be a two-phased process.
* Phase 1 involves application development; allowing for mobile payment and the development of individual accounts that will enable customers to use and accrue cash balances for future transit fare.
* Phase 2 of the Mobile App would allow the use of cash balances with Transportation Network Companies (e.g. Uber, LYFT, etc.) when combined with a CATS trip.
* This capability would help riders more easily connect to transportation for the first or last mile of a commute where CATS routes do not serve.
* CATS anticipates launching Phase 1 of the Mobile App in early summer 2017.
Background
* CATS acquired consulting services from Aria Transportation Services in December of 2016 to assist with the design of a pilot Mobile Payment Application.
* Aria was selected using an informal procurement process to initiate Mobile App project design.
* The $160,000 contract will continue the engagement with Aria to assist with the design of Phases 1 and 2 of the Mobile App project.
* The contract will also include consultation services for the development of a Request for Proposal to implement Phas...
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