Evansville’s METS selects Matawan to modernize bus fare collection

12 March 2026

Matawan has signed a five-year agreement with the Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS) to fully modernize fare collection across the agency’s 29 buses and 21 routes serving over one million annual riders in Evansville, Indiana.

Our top priority was ensuring modernization didn’t mean exclusion. Matawan understood this immediately. Their ability to blend paying by bank credit card, debit card or mobile wallet with a system for digitizing cash fares will allow us to expand the ability to sell bus passes through a third-party vender in the future, if needed.

Todd Robertson, Director of Transportation and Services, City of Evansville

Bridging Legacy Technology with Future Mobility

The core of this transformative project is Matawan’s unique ability to integrate its cutting-edge ABT platform with the existing infrastructure. This capability allows METS to transition smoothly, while immediately gaining:

Inclusive Access: Existing fareboxes are retained, and physical cash top-ups are integrated via local retail partners – effectively digitizing cash for the unbanked – while simultaneously accepting standard EMV (credit/debit card) and mobile wallet payments.
Dynamic Fare Engine: Providing the flexibility to easily implement programs, such as popular “Free Ride Days,” without system overhaul, a feature often difficult for legacy systems to manage.
Fare Capping: Automatically ensuring riders never pay more than the daily or weekly pass price, regardless of how often they tap.

Matawan’s proven and innovative SaaS fare payment platform will enable METS to achieve their goals and improve the user experience. Our solution ensures that while we digitize and streamline operations, we don’t leave anyone behind. We are digitizing cash, ensuring every rider—whether they use a card, mobile wallet, or cash—benefits from flexible, fair, and data-driven mobility.

Ian Woodroofe, Managing Director, Matawan – North America.

This implementation positions Evansville at the forefront of regional US transit modernization, showcasing how small and mid-size transit agencies can modernize fare collection without the complexity or cost of enterprise systems.

Is your agency evaluating fare collection modernization? See how Matawan works for small and mid-size networks.

👉 Read the full coverage on Mass Transit Magazine.