HRT launches e-Tide

Hampton Roads Transit in Norfolk, Va., launched an online ticket sales program that allows customers to buy round-trip tickets on The Tide from the comfort of home or on a smart phone. The e-Tide Day Pass is the first time HRT has offered a program that allows valid tickets to be sent directly to an individual's e-mail account. It promises to ease congestion at ticket vending machines at train platforms, especially during large public events when lines can delay travel. "It is the 21st century and we want to make sensible use of 21st century technology," said Philip Shucet, president and CEO of HRT. "Not everyone wants to carry around cash just to buy a cardboard ticket. If our e-Tide Day Pass is successful, we'll push online ticket sales out to the full suite of our transit services." The service is now only available for use on The Tide. It does not apply to other HRT services. By visiting gohrt.com and clicking on the e-Tide link, customers will be directed to TicketLeap.com, a website that hosts electronic ticket sales. Customers need only select the date of travel, the number of tickets needed and an e-mail address that will receive the tickets. Purchase is made by credit card. An email confirmation will be sent to a customer's home computer or smart phone. The electronic ticket contains confirmation codes, an individual's name and date of travel. Customers who buy tickets this way may be asked by fare enforcement offers to provide identification that matches the name on the e-ticket. Customers can use a smart phone or a paper printout from a home computer as proof of purchase.