Regional Account-Based Fare Integration Across Seven Agencies
The ORCA (One Regional Card for All) system in the Puget Sound region represents one of North America’s most ambitious fare modernisation programmes. Delivered by INIT, the next-generation platform unifies seven transit agencies under a single, account-based fare environment.
Covering buses, light rail, commuter rail, ferries and streetcar services, the system processes over 151 million passenger trips annually. With more than 82 million ORCA taps recorded in a single year and over 431,000 active customers, the platform demonstrates large-scale operational resilience.
Seattle’s designation as a host city for one of the world’s largest sporting events in 2026 reinforced Seattle Soundthe importance of efficiency and simplicity in mass transit. Visitors require intuitive, tap-and-go payment options. The ORCA modernisation delivers precisely that.
Highlights:
- 7 agencies integrated
- 151 million annual trips
- 82+ million ORCA taps
- Open payments rollout ahead of 2026
INIT implemented a scalable, open-architecture system supported by the MOBILEvario back-office platform. Customers can load value online, manage accounts digitally and store ORCA cards in mobile wallets such as Google Wallet. Expanded contactless tap-to-pay functionality is rolling out ahead of 2026, enabling payment directly with bank cards and smartphones.
The account-based model centralises fare calculation and revenue apportionment across agencies, simplifying multi-operator travel and ensuring equitable revenue sharing. Open APIs and modular architecture provide flexibility for future service expansion and integration.
The ORCA programme illustrates how regional cooperation, advanced fare technology and phased deployment can deliver a unified passenger experience across a complex transport ecosystem.