Skip to main content

Flowbird helps Minneapolis go contactless 

Kerbside kiosks replaced with multi-use terminals to pay for transport and parking services
By Ben Spencer April 9, 2021 Read time: 2 mins
Flowbird says payments will be enabled on Metro Transit’s BRT system (© Robert Mullan | Dreamstime.com)

Flowbird has replaced kerbside kiosks in the US city of Minneapolis with 700 CWT touch multi-use terminals, enabling contactless payment technology for transport and parking services. 

Flowbird says the terminals offer citizens a range of payment options, including contactless credit or debit card, or a digital wallet such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. 

This enables payments for on-and-off street parking in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region and for off-board fare collection for Metro Transit’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system, the company adds. 

Flowbird's solar-powered terminals are equipped with full-colour touch displays that resemble the look and feel of a tablet. 

The kiosks wirelessly communicate to Flowbird’s analytics platform to help the city analyse urban mobility activity. 

Plans are also underway to deploy Flowbird's ticketing terminals across the city’s Orange line light rail system and its D-Line Bus Rapid Transit network over the next two years.

In 2016, Metro Transit procured the current Flowbird system for off-board fare collection on its A-Line BRT to help quicken boarding times at each station.

The terminals are managed using Flowbird’s cloud-based back office with bank card transactions processed through its ArchiPEL banking solution. 

Transaction and alert information is communicated to the central system in real-time for reporting and maintenance purposes. 
 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Masabi expands MaaS rollout in Japan
    September 13, 2021
    Tickets are available in the Japan Transit Planner and Norikae Annai apps
  • Init wins US electronic fare collection system
    April 6, 2016
    US public transportation company The Rapid recently awarded Init a contract for the implementation of an electronic fare collection system. The Rapid operates the public transit bus service for the metropolitan area of Grand Rapids, Michigan and beyond. The contract calls for the delivery of an account-based smart card and mobile ticketing solution which will improve The Rapid’s service offerings on its fixed-route lines. Public transport vehicles will be equipped with Init’s onboard ticket readers/valid
  • Isle of Wight invests in Flowbird’s solar-power parking
    July 10, 2019
    Island Roads has replaced around 40 parking terminals with solar-powered systems from Flowbird Urban Intelligence at a variety of locations across the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of the UK. Island Roads is responsible for the island’s highways network and associated services and selected the Flowbird Strada Rapide terminals in a bidding process. Flowbird says the machines are linked to its Smartfolio, allowing Island Roads to remotely monitor its estate while also providing parking and paymen
  • Estonia adopts digital transport model
    January 25, 2022
    Model is expected to incorporate continuously updated data for 130,000 road sections