INDIANAPOLIS (November 6, 2019) – IndyGo has extended the free fare period for the Red Line through November 30th as the agency works to fully test and implement its fare system.
At the September Board meeting, IndyGo’s Board of Directors authorized the extension of free fares due to the delayed delivery of MyKey fare system components, including the mobile app and ticket vending machines. In October, additional challenges with the MyKey system and vendor-promised delivery dates caused the Board to authorize IndyGo staff to extend the free fare period at their discretion.
To minimize losses in fare revenue, IndyGo worked with its vendor, Flowbird, to develop a temporary fare collection solution for Red Line stations when it became apparent that the MyKey system would not be ready by the end of the free fare period. The temporary fare solution will allow riders to purchase Two-Hour Transfer tickets as well as day and week passes with both cash and credit card. These time-stamped paper tickets will be verified by Fare Inspectors onboard the Red Line. Tickets vended by these machines will also be accepted on local routes. The temporary fare solution is separate from the MyKey fare system.
“IndyGo is committed to providing a customer experience that is reliable and accessible for all riders,” said Bryan Luellen, Vice President of Public Affairs, “We are choosing to hold the launch of the MyKey fare system until we are confident that all components of the system are fully functional for our riders.”
IndyGo staff have tested the temporary solution on several machines and it is working as intended. Based on this test, IndyGo has instructed Flowbird to roll out the changes to all machines, which will be done over the next week. IndyGo will then conduct extensive testing to ensure the temporary solution is working as expected.
The extension of the free fare period will allow IndyGo to thoroughly test the temporary fare solution and educate riders on how to use the new ticket vending machines. With the temporary fare solution, IndyGo will be able to collect fares on the Red Line until the MyKey system is ready to launch.
Riders will be expected to produce proof of a valid Red Line fare beginning December 1st. Ticket vending machines will be available at each Red Line station as well as the Julia M. Carson Transit Center
