BARTA Special Services Launches Pilot Program with Modeshift to Enhance Accessible Transit with Contactless Fare Options

The Pilot Program Brings Shared Ride Customers the Convenience of BARTA Go Mobile Cards, Mobile Payments and Cashless Options

READING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA), managed by South Central Transit Authority (SCTA), is partnering with Modeshift to pilot a new fare collection system for BARTA Special Services, its shared-ride transportation service for seniors and individuals with disabilities across Berks County. The pilot extends the success of the “BARTA Go Mobile” brand—currently being used across BARTA’s fixed-route service—and now being offered to the shared ride service, giving Special Services customers the same flexibility and convenience.

BARTA Special Services provides critical door-to-door transportation for those unable to use fixed-route buses, helping residents get to medical appointments, work, shopping and community destinations. With the new pilot, customers can now pay for trips using a mobile phone or a BARTA Go Mobile card, not just cash. Existing BARTA Go Mobile cards will work across both fixed-route and shared-ride services, while new on-vehicle payment systems and e-wallet functionality simplify transactions and create a unified customer experience.

“The pilot is about providing access and convenience for our Special Services customers to pay for their trips and not worry about carrying cash when accessing the transportation they depend on,” said Greg Downing, Executive Director of SCTA. “By aligning the technology between our fixed-route and shared-ride services, we’re creating one seamless experience under the BARTA Go Mobile brand.”

Key Features of the BARTA Special Services Pilot Include:

• BARTA Go Mobile App: Special Services customers can now use the BARTA Go Mobile app for Apple or Android devices, enabling fare payment, with QR-code ride validation directly from their smartphones. Customers can add funds and manage their account all through the app.
  • iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/barta-go-mobile/id1517772539
  • Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.modeshift.sctabarta
    
    
• BARTA Go Mobile Smart Cards: Reloadable BARTA Go Mobile cards are linked to an e-wallet, allowing customers to add funds to use for their shared ride trips. An online web portal allows them to add funds whenever their account is low. Because of the digital platform, the new payment system allows family members and caregivers the option to manage accounts for their loved ones. Visit https://portal.bartabus.com/ for more information.
  
  
• Seamless Rider Experience: Consistent branding under BARTA Go Mobile creates one unified system for all BARTA customers across both transit modes.

The new payment system builds on the success of Modeshift’s 360-degree fare collection platform, which has already modernized SCTA’s fixed-route services across Berks and Lancaster counties. Since its launch in 2021, the platform has delivered account-based fare collection, mobile ticketing, real-time passenger information and contactless validation.

“This pilot with BARTA is a natural evolution of our partnership with SCTA, and we’re proud to see our platform expanding into shared ride services,” said Miroslav Katsarov, CEO of Modeshift. “It shows how flexible and customizable our system is, meeting the needs of agencies across modes while keeping things simple for riders.”

The pilot reflects a broader movement among small and mid-sized transit agencies to adopt modern, account-based fare collection systems without the complexity of lengthy technology projects. For BARTA customers, it means greater convenience and equity, particularly for seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on Special Services.

To learn more visit www.bartabus.com and www.modeshift.com.

About SCTA

South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) operates public transportation services in Berks County, PA through Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) and in Lancaster County, PA through Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA). The public transportation service operated in both counties includes fixed-route bus service and complementary shared ride, paratransit service. In addition to operating service, SCTA maintains seven (7) facilities between Berks and Lancaster Counties that support the administration, maintenance and storage of vehicles.

About Modeshift

Modeshift, Inc. helps transit agencies modernize fare collection and rider-facing technology to improve efficiency, increase ridership and deliver sustainable, future-ready service. At the core is Modeshift’s 360-degree Account-based Fare Collection System, built on Microsoft Azure and delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS). The platform combines hardware, software and data analytics into one complete stack, including mobile ticketing, CAD/AVL and real-time passenger information. With deployment up to 5x faster than competitors, Modeshift makes it simple for agencies to implement everything they need, from contactless payments and cash options to TVMs, fareboxes and real-time data, all integrated into a single platform.