Accelerating Innovation Mobility (AIM) Demonstration Program
The Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) Demonstration Program is a program managed by the Federal Tranist Administration to support projects that can accelerate the development, implementation and adoption of innovative technologies, practices, and service models to improve mobility and enhance the rider experience, with a focus on innovative service delivery models, creative financing, novel partnerships, and integrated payment solutions. RTD was one of 25 transit agencies nationally to receive an award as part of this program. RTD has joined up with many mobility partners in the Denver Region to offer an enhanced trip planning and fare payment solution.
Project Overview
Public transit riders across the country are keen users of mobile apps with intuitive interfaces and seamless integrations. As the mobility landscape continues to change, the onus is now on public agencies to offer tools to improve rider experience that are polished and powerful.
RTD’s integrated fare payment project solves this by offering one transaction flow for purchasing tickets for multiple agencies and modes. Riders will enter a destination, compare their transit options, elect to ride RTD and Bustang as segments of their trip, and buy a fare from each agency in one flow. In addition to being easier, this removes the necessity and risk of entering payment details into multiple apps. Once the flow is complete, the fares will be accessible in the Transit app for activation and validation.
RTD has also partnered with other public agencies and mobility operators in the Denver Region, including the Lone Tree Link, Boulder BCycle, and Lyft scooters. Enhancements are being made within the Transit App to streamline trip planning and reducing friction that a rider experiences when using these two modes together.
Project Status
RTD and its partners have been working diligently to deliver each of these integrations to customers. RTD expects all integrations to be launched by the first quarter of 2024. In total, customers will be able to take advantage of four new integrations within the Transit app.
- Bustang: Customers will be able to plan and purchase tickets for a trip that involves both RTD and Bustang in one transaction flow.
- Lone Tree Link: Customers will be able to plan trips between RTD and the Lone Tree Link, with a deep-link being provided for booking and payment within the Lone Tree Link app.
- Lyft: Customers will be able to plan trips between RTD and Lyft scooters, with a deep-link being provided for booking and payment within the Lone Tree Link app.
- Boulder BCycle: Customers will be able to plan trips between RTD and Boulder BCycle, and will be able to unlock BCycle bikes from within the Transit app.
Project Partners
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including RTD. The FTA sponsored this project.
RTD is the primary public transportation provider in the Denver region. The agency operates bus and rail services and provided over 100 million rides in 2019. RTD will lead the implementation of this project and coordinate with other key partners to achieve the project’s goals.
The Colorado Department of Transportation provides intercity bus service throughout the State of Colorado. These services, known as Bustang and Outrider, connect residents to other cities along the Front Range and throughout rural Colorado.
Transit is a private provider of industry leading trip planning software for the iOS and Android mobile operating systems. The team at Transit will be responsible for integrating Bustang and Outrider services into their trip planning software as well as designing and implement a single transaction experience for customers.
Masabi is a private provider of industry leading ticketing software to transit agencies. Masabi’s Justride ticketing platform will power the integrated payments, ticket provisioning, and fare settlement and tracking aspects of the project.
Via is a mobility technology company that offers a suite of tools and services including the Link on Demand mobile application that powers Lone Tree’s on-demand transit.
Denver South Transportation Management Association, funders of the Lone Tree Link on Demand micotransit service, are providing a cash contribution to the project to better connect their constituents with RTD light rail services, Bustang, and beyond. Their existing partnership with Via will help ensure the integration is completed smoothly.
The City of Lone Tree operates the Link on Demand, which provides on-demand transit service to customers within the City of Lone Tree.
Boulder BCycle is a local bike-share organization in the City of Boulder that provides customers with an environmentally friendly, affordable transportation option.
Lyft is one of the two licensed micromobility operators within the City of Denver, and provides bike and scooter-share services to customers.