Pittsburgh Regional Transit is starting a two-year process to update and simplify its fare payment system.

Over the next two years, most transit riders will have to change their ConnectCard for a new card. That new card will work with all aspects of a rider’s transit account, including vending machines and mobile payment scanners on transit vehicles.

Jeffrey Devlin, the agency’s chief innovation officer, outlined how the new system will work for the authority board’s technology committee Thursday. Essentially, the new system will take advantage of the flexibility of the Masabi Ready2Ride validators that handle the pay-by-phone app that debuted in August 2021.

The first step in the process will be replacing 76 fare vending machines located at prominent bus and light rail stations. The committee recommended the full board approve an $8.85 million contract with Parkeon Inc. for its Flowbird system when it meets next week, but committee chairwoman Jennifer Liptak said there will be additional contracts in the near future. 

“This is the first step in a very long process,” Liptak said.

Other parts of the project will involve replacing ConnectCards, which should begin by the end of the year, and installing new cash-only fare boxes on 720 buses and 80 light rail trains. The agency promises a “robust” advertising campaign to make sure riders know about the changes.

CEO Katharine Eagan Kelleman said the agency will see what it can do to keep senior citizens from having to replace their free-ride cards.

Devlin said the current fare boxes are more than 14 years old and “have reached the end of their useful life.” The system also uses proprietary technology, so PRT couldn’t add equipment from another company and often had to wait behind other customers for updates.

Changing fare boxes and issuing new versions of the ConnectCard will allow the agency to use the  flexibility of the Masabi system.

“We’re now ready to expand the Masabi system and use it to its full advantage,” Devlin said. “It’s not a fast change.”

Devlin didn’t have an expected cost for the entire project, but he said the new vending machines are expected to be the most expensive element.

Riders should see a series of benefits from the changes.

Now, for example, riders who have a ConnectCard and also use the mobile payment app have two separate transit accounts. Also, the ConnectCard system often takes a couple of days to add money to a rider’s account.

Cards with the Masabi system add money to the account instantly and can be used with new vending machines, third-party vendors such as convenience stores that sell transit products and to pay fares. Riders won’t need a second account.

The new system also will make it easier for the agency to implement fare capping for cash riders in the future. Right now, riders who pay in cash have to pay two full fares if they need to transfer to another transit vehicle to reach their destination while riders who use ConnectCards or the mobile app can transfer for free within three hours.

Laura Wiens, executive director of Pittsburghers for Public Transit, said her agency would be happy with it changes. PPT has been pushing for fare capping for several years.

“We’re supportive of that,” she said. “The current system hasn’t been able to provide the fare  products we need.”

Devlin said the vending machines are the first step because it could take as long as a year to have them built and delivered.

“It’s a long rollout, but we think it will be beneficial to a lot of people,” Kelleman said. “The goal at the end is to make it as easy as possible for riders to use our system.”