Ventra Mobile App: Chicago s Story for Regional Payment. Michael Gwinn Chicago Transit Authority Director, Revenue and Fare Systems Chicago, IL

Transcription

1 Ventra Mobile App: Chicago s Story for Regional Payment Michael Gwinn Chicago Transit Authority Director, Revenue and Fare Systems Chicago, IL

2 Ventra update Ventra lessons learned Ventra mobile app Observations and plans for expansion 2

3 Overview: Chicagoland Transit Chicago Transit Authority (CTA): Provides bus and rail service in Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs Pace Suburban Bus: Provides fixed bus route, paratransit, and vanpool services in 284 municipalities Metra: Provides commuter rail service at 241 stations along 11 lines 3

4 CTA Fare System Evolution 1950 (Bus) 1952 ( L ) (Chicago Card) 2004 (Chicago Card Plus)

5 What is Ventra? 5

6 Ventra Components Fare collection system Fare media procurement Customer account system Retail network Cash collection (not including bus) Gate and device maintenance Data collection and reporting Customer communication Customer service Regional integration - Pace, RTA, Metra 6

7 Why Make The Switch? Legacy equipment nearing end of useful life Proprietary system Chip supply dwindling High capital costs to replace system - $140 M Readers, Vending Machines, Network devices, etc. Focus on core mission of CTA: moving people, not money Future-proof system Enhance customer convenience Ability to store all kinds of fare products on one card State legislation 7

8 Ventra Timeline August, 2009 Step 1 RFP issued April, 2010 RFC issued November, 2010 Step 2 RFP issued November, 2011 Contract awarded to Cubic Transportation Systems Chicago, Inc. September, 2013 Go Live Stabilization period July 1, 2014 Legacy decommissioned October, 2014 Mobile App announced November, 2015 App launch 8

9 Implementation Challenges: First-of-its-kind system Unproved technology Unknown customer reaction Incredibly complex Multiple internal, external groups needed to be integrated into planning process Special Fare Programs Need to turn it all on at once 9

10 Communications Challenge: How to communicate the new, improved cutting edge system that will essentially change nothing about how people board a bus or train? 10

11 Ventra: Lessons Learned Focus on customer experience first and foremost Impossible to over-communicate with customers An account-based system is different Treat Special Fare Programs as their own major project Take advantage of data to guide deployment process Begin internal conversations early about data use Test, test, test Launch when ready Account-based transition is worth it 11

12 Ventra: Where are we now? November, 2015 December, 2015 January, 2016 February, 2016 Ridership 36,737,247 35,520,235 34,523,568 35,667,619 Revenue $45,472,546 $48,179,743 $48,622,567 $47,333,991 # Accounts 5.57 M 5.68 M 5.77 M 5.84 M Over $1.2 billion settled via Ventra since launch 2 million accounts active in the last 90 days 1.56 million full fare accounts 429 thousand transit-only cards 23 thousand third-party bankcards 12

13 Ventra Mobile App Integrates regional transit systems Unlocks the system Puts a Ventra Vending Machine in your pocket Especially of value for bus customers who don t have access to Ventra Vending Machines at bus stops Metra Mobile Ticketing Establishes universal fare payment system Purchase any Metra ticket on your cellphone Transit Tracker Bus and Train Tracker integration Real-time Metra information 13

14 Ventra App Launch: Highly Anticipated 14

15 Ventra App Launch: Well Received Ventra App Proves Popular With Transit Riders On Public Debut November 20, :41 AM By Bob Roberts the response was overwhelmingly positive, a sharp change from the problems that plagued the introduction of the Ventra card for months. CTA, Metra, Pace debut new Ventra app WRITTEN BY TINA SFONDELES POSTED: 11/19/2015, 02:44PM Riley Mundt takes the train from Crystal Lake to get to classes at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She s looking forward to having her monthly pass on her phone. All my friends keep telling me to [download] it. They tell me it s really cool, said Mundt,

16 Ventra In App-tion 16

17 25,000 downloads the first day, over 415,000 to date 17

18 Over $28.5 million in sales since launch, 1.1 million orders 18

19 Leading to more frequent web usage and now dominant means of account management 2,500,000 Customer Visits via Ventra Website 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 Desktop Mobile Web App Tablet 500,000 0 October, 2015 November, 2015 December, 2015 January, 2016 February,

20 Ventra: Mobile Observations Customers expect mobile Customers want to pay a fare by phone Needs of transit providers and wants of customers must be balanced Transit is an untapped resource to drive adoption of mobile wallets Mobile industry must treat transit differently We are not retail 20

21 Ventra App Future Phases Integrated Trip Planning Door-to-door trip planning across all three transit agencies Advertising and Promotions Virtual Ventra Card 21

22 Ventra App and Expansion Account + Smartphone = anything Ventra app bridged the gated/gateless divide Customers want choices let s give them Trip Planning offers exciting opportunities Shared Use partnership? Promotions and advertising offer win-win(-win?) Up to the payments industry to unlock transit s potential via the phone s secure element 22

23 Thank you! 23