City Go Pay Platform and App Coming Soon!
Mockup of City Go Smartcard
Paying for bus passes, parking, and other transit options in Boise and the Treasure Valley is about to get easier thanks to the City Go Pay platform. The platform, which officially launches in September 2021, centralizes transit passes and services into a single payment platform, making it easy and convenient for community members, commuters, and visitors to get around Boise and the Treasure Valley.
The City Go Pay platform emerged from a partnership between Cubic Corporation and Valley Regional Transit (VRT). The system is powered by Cubic’s Umo Pass app, which is a cloud-based, software-as-a-service system that is built for real-time fare payment processing. The app easily integrates payment and trip planning through the City Go pay platform, centralizing all Valley Regional Transit buses, local shuttles, and select parking garages. Valley Regional Transit is also working on adding more transportation options – such as vanpool, bikeshare, scooters, and other public and private mobility partnerships – after the initial launch.
“The City Go Pay platform and Umo Pass app modernize transit payments and helps create a foundation for a more sustainable and interconnected transit system similar to other major cities.”
Simplified Payment and Trip Planning
When the Umo Pass app is available, transit riders, commuters, and visitors can easily download it on their smartphones. Once downloaded, users will load money - or stored value - onto their accounts to pay for various fares and services in a convenient "one-stop-shop." New physical City Go Pay smartcards will also sync with each user's app account, ensuring stored value works seamlessly on their app or smartcard.
The app also centralizes bus and shuttle schedules in one place, making it easier for users to plan trips to, from, and around Boise and beyond with a few clicks. Whether you’re headed into Boise from Meridian or taking the bus from the Airport to downtown, all you have to do is tap the app, find the route or service you want, and go.
Streamlined Service, More Options
The City Go Pay platform and smartcard are similar to all-in-one transportation pass systems in other metropolitan cities like Seattle and San Francisco. Like ORCA or Clipper cards, people will use their smartcard or app to easily pay bus fare and tap and board on buses. After the app is launched, people will also be able to use the same card or app to access the unique array of transit options throughout the Treasure Valley, with many more to come.
Corporate and Individual City Go members will also be able to access and pay for discounted fares and services, making it even easier and convenient to get to work or around downtown.
Ultimately, as Boise and the Treasure Valley continue to grow, the City Go Pay platform and smartcard help make commutes and leisurely trips easier and more convenient for employers, individuals, and visitors. And with more people using more public transit, we’ll all benefit with less traffic, less congestion, and more clean air.
Stay tuned for more details this September!