Innovative app lets users manage the world's first account-based regional virtual transit fare card within Google Pay

moovel, Google Pay, INIT and TriMet power regional tap-and-pay functionality with stored value

Portland, Ore.-Transit riders in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region can now tap to ride with their Android devices thanks to the newly announced virtual Hop Fastpass™ transit card. The account-based regional virtual Hop Fastpass™ card is the first of its kind for a regional transit system, allowing riders to tap their phones, just as they would a “smart” (Near Field Communication) transit fare card.

The groundbreaking technology was developed by a team that included Google Pay, INIT, and moovel for customers of Portland-Vancouver transit agencies, including TriMet, which provides bus, light rail and commuter rail services in the Portland region; C-TRAN, which provides bus service between Clark County, Washington and the Portland area; and Portland Streetcar, the nation’s largest modern streetcar system.

“Public transit is and always will be central to how people get around cities,” said Nat Parker, CEO of moovel. “We’re proud to be working with Google Pay, INIT, TriMet, C-TRAN, and Portland Streetcar to offer new payment and digital wallet options that make boarding buses, trains and streetcars a seamless experience.”

The region’s three transit providers adopted a state-of-the-art electronic fare system called Hop Fastpass™ in 2017 using physical cards, and conducted a pilot of the Google Pay virtual Hop card in December. The virtual Hop card provides all of the benefits of a plastic Hop card for Google Pay customers using Android compatible phones. In addition to supporting advanced in-app mobile payments in coordination with INIT, the Hop Fastpass™ app features digital account management, including display of daily and monthly fare capping status and stored value balance, auto-load, and security features.

“At TriMet, we are focused on making transit as convenient and easy as possible for our customers,” said TriMet Director of Revenue & Electronic Fare Operations Rhyan Schaub. “The virtual Hop card offers the same benefits and quick ‘tap-and-go’ experience as the plastic cards, including cost-savings and only paying for the rides they take.”

TriMet and moovel have partnered on a variety of technology initiatives, including the first of its kind award-winning TriMet Tickets mobile app.

The Hop Fastpass™ virtual card is available for download through the Google Play store. For more information, visit myhopcard.com