App receives Smart 50 Award
SAN ANTONIO (April 2, 2018) – VIA Metropolitan Transit’s VIA goMobile app has been recognized as among the most transformative smart projects at this year’s Smart 50 Awards, which annually recognize global smart cities projects and select the most innovative and influential work.
The Smart 50 Awards, in partnership with Smart Cities Connect, Smart Cities Connect Foundation, and US Ignite, honor municipal-scale projects that exemplify innovation and concrete influence in their community. Primary categories include governance, mobility, energy, citizen life, and networks. VIA was honored in the mobility category at an awards gala in Kansas City, Missouri, earlier this week.
The VIA goMobile app debuted in July 2017 as a free ticketing and trip-planning app for Apple and Android devices. It allows VIA customers to purchase fares using their smartphones, and activate them when they are ready to ride. The app improves access to public transportation services, expedites boarding, reduces the need for cash and transfer cards, and provides real-time information to help riders plan more easily and accurately.
The app was designed in partnership with moovel, a transit technology provider, and features local landmarks and iconography that become animated once the ticket is activated. Passengers simply show their phone screen to the operator when boarding. The implementation of the app signaled a major advancement in the way VIA customers connect to opportunity and to the places they live, work, play, and learn. It has changed the public transit experience in the region by putting convenient planning and purchasing power in the palms of passengers’ hands.
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About VIA Metropolitan Transit
VIA provides regional multimodal transportation options that connect our community to opportunity, support economic vitality, and enhance quality of life throughout our region. VIA, recognized by the Texas Transit Association in 2016 as the outstanding Metro Transit Authority of the year, serves 14 member cities and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, operating seven days a week on 92 routes. Last year, VIA provided nearly 40 million rides across the region. VIA’s AAA bond rating reflects the organization’s sound management and financial practices. Visit VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
CONTACT: Lorraine Pulido, Ph.D.
c 210-380-6895