New City Go Wallet, Mobility app and smart card make Treasure Valley Transit easier

Paying for transportation around Boise and the Treasure Valley is easier than ever before thanks to the City Go Wallet (Español) from Valley Regional Transit (VRT) and Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS). Cubic’s cloud-based technology powers the City Go Wallet, which centralizes and streamlines transit passes and service payments through the Umo Mobility app and the City Go Smartcard.

Community members, commuters, and visitors who prefer to use their phones for transit can download the Umo Mobility app in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. In addition to making transit passes and fares easier to purchase, the app features an all-in-one service that includes trip planning, real-time bus route information, and rideshare options through Lyft and Uber. The app will also integrate additional transit passes and services throughout the upcoming year, such as vanpool, shuttle service, parking, bikeshare, and scooters.

Similarly, individuals who prefer to use a reloadable smartcard can purchase one at any of Valley Regional Transit’s Customer Service windows in Boise, Meridian, or Caldwell. Once purchased, individuals can manage their accounts through the City Go Wallet website. Here, they can purchase additional passes, load stored value, and set up automatic reload of a set monetary amount. Individuals can also register their cards, ensuring that stored value is protected and transferrable to another card if lost or stolen.

“We’re incredibly excited. When we established City Go, we envisioned an integrated fare-payment system that would elevate transportation in Boise and beyond by making it easier for people to get to the places they want to go,” said Kaite Justice, Director of City Go. “Now, we have that system, and we cannot wait to see it improve connectivity across all communities in the Treasure Valley.”

The integrated fare payment system introduced a new feature known as “fare capping.” When a person uses the app or smartcard, fare capping ensures that a person never pays more per day than the cost of all-day fare or more per month than a monthly pass.

Whether a person uses the app or smartcard when boarding a bus, the system keeps track of each person’s ride throughout the day and month. Daily fare capping is activated once a person completes two trips in a single day, allowing that person to take any additional trips that day at no cost. Similarly, monthly fare capping is activated once a person uses the equivalent of a 31-day pass over a calendar month. Each day a person uses their pass after that, there are no additional costs for trips for the rest of the calendar month.

“Through our combined efforts, we’ve delivered a platform that not only enhances transportation access but also improves equity through improved accessibility and features like fare-capping,” said Arturo Santamaria, Program Manager for Cubic Transportation System. “And with the Cubic’s dedicated support, Boise and the Treasure Valley have laid the foundation for a world-class transportation system for their customers.”

About City Go

City Go is Boise’s first and only transportation management association. City Go works with public, private, and individual partners to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips downtown by providing more sustainable transportation options within the current infrastructure. City Go also educates community members through outreach to make it easier to bus, bike, and walk around downtown. City Go is a program of Valley Regional Transit (VRT), the regional public transportation authority for Ada and Canyon counties in Idaho.

About Cubic Corporation

Cubic is a technology-driven, market-leading provider of integrated solutions that increase situational understanding for transportation, defense C4ISR, and training customers worldwide to decrease urban congestion and improve the militaries’ effectiveness and operational readiness. Our teams innovate to make a positive difference in people’s lives. We simplify their daily journeys. We promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation.