Las Vegas passengers can now pay for contactless fares using cash

Las Vegas’ transit authority, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), and ticketing specialists Masabi have announced that riders can now use cash to buy bus passes on the rideRTC mobile ticketing app by depositing funds into their account at nearly 350 locations across Las Vegas, and at thousands of locations throughout Nevada and nationwide.

RTC says passengers can visit any retail outlet signed up to InComm Payments’ Vanilla Direct cash-in payment platform to preload cash onto their rideRTC mobile app. Retailers can now add credit to riders’ accounts by accepting a cash payment and then scanning the barcode in the user’s rideRTC app. The passenger can then use the cash deposited to buy, store and display tickets in their in-app wallet and enjoy a safe and convenient mobile ticketing experience.

“As we transition towards a contactless and COVID-safe transit environment, it is essential that we don’t leave anyone behind,” said MJ Maynard, RTC CEO. “Our world-class mobile ticketing app rideRTC is now available to those who might not have access to a credit or debit card and provides them with a contactless way to ride.”

“Las Vegas, and the world-famous Strip in particular, is a heavily cash-based economy. So much so that we see more than 60 per cent of RTC passengers choosing to pay in cash on the bus for their ticket. This makes cash digitisation a key requirement in enabling all passengers – from key workers on the COVID-frontline to visitors passing through – to enjoy the benefits of mobile ticketing,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO at Masabi.

“Through our integration with InComm Payments, RTC passengers will be able to walk into a local retailer to add cash funds to their rideRTC app, ensuring a safe, contactless service and removing the need for the agency to handle cash and issue tickets.”

“We’re transforming the country’s major retailers into cash-fare load stations,” said Michael Herold, Vice President of Business Development for Tolling and Transit at InComm Payments. “This is convenient and time-saving for passenger while allowing retailers to better serve their customers and benefit from the additional foot traffic.”

RTC says this new service provides a safe way to pay for passenger across Las Vegas who have a phone but want or need to pay their fare using cash. According to the authority, it will help reduce the burden on the existing ticketing infrastructure and fare boxes by allowing passenger to add cash to their mobile account and then store it for later use, reducing cash handling costs and transaction fees for the agency.