VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — There’s a new way for Hampton Road Transit's VB Wave riders to navigate the Oceanfront this summer.
There’s now an app for that.
It’s referred to as “mobile ticketing.”
“It really is just a simpler way to ride,” said Alisa Crider with Hampton Roads Transit.
The app, called “Go HRT,” has been out for about three weeks and is available on all smartphone devices.
It’s with the goal of eliminating the step of going to a store to buy a pass or having cash on hand.
Riders are required to make an account before entering their credit or debit card information.
“We made sure that all people's personal information would be totally safe and it's actually hosted by PayPal, which many apps we're familiar with are today,” said Crider.
HRT plans to get word out to tourists and locals through an aggressive advertising campaign.
People will see ads on the 14 trolleys that currently roam the Oceanfront.
Many tourists didn’t even know the app existed.
"We went to the tourist information on the boardwalk and he advised us to go to Sunsations to buy a one day pass,” said Eric Rhodes.
The app currently serves HRT routes 30 and 31, which are seasonal.
The goal is to eventually expand the app to other routes that serve more cities.
The app is expected to relaunch with capabilities to operate with new bus features next year.