Integrating smart transit tickets into mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) solutions holds the promise of allowing consumers to easily plan and pay for journeys that make use of a full range of public transportation, bike, taxi, rideshare and other mobility options, UK ticketing standards body ITSO explains in a white paper now available to download from the NFCW Knowledge Centre.... More
- Bengaluru metro to let passengers pay with their face
- Cleveland transit authority joins regional mobile ticketing service
- Cannes rolls out open loop contactless bus ticketing
- Uber to integrate train, coach and plane tickets into UK app
- Qatar to roll out contactless fare payments across metro, bus, tram and taxi services
Apple Pay users report double-charging issue on New York subway
Some NYC subway riders are accidentally getting double-charged because of Apple Pay — The Verge — “Some people have the Express Transit feature enabled, but are still using their MetroCard to pay for rides. While swiping their MetroCard, their iPhones are somehow coming into contact with the reader, either because they were holding it in their hands or through a pocket or purse, the MTA suspects.”
Caltrain to introduce mobile ticketing app
Caltrain launches new Caltrain mobile ticketing app — Caltrain — “On February 10, Caltrain will launch Caltrain Mobile, the rail agency’s official mobile ticketing application that allows riders to purchase and activate tickets from their smart phone devices… The app offers One-Way, Day Pass and Zone Upgrade digital tickets for adults and passengers who qualify for discounted fare.”
MTA to add new Omny contactless fare options
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is to add support for “all remaining fare options, including unlimited ride passes, reduced fares, student fares, and more” to its Omny contactless payments service from next year... More
Sao Paulo to roll out contactless payments across bus network
All buses in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo will accept payments via Mastercard and Visa contactless cards, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay by the end of this year, local business magazine Exame reports... More
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Uber adds Las Vegas transit tickets to mobile app
Uber has added support for transit tickets issued by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) to its mobile app, enabling users to buy passes from within the app and then use their smartphone to board Las Vegas bus services... More
Octopus lets iPhone users top up their cards via NFC
Public transportation users in Hong Kong can now use the NFC functionality in their Android or iOS device to top up their Octopus transit card, view their transaction history, check their balance and collect fare subsidies... More
Transport for NSW to pilot digital Opal card
Transport for NSW has announced plans to pilot a new digital version of its Opal transit card that will enable cardholders to “pay for all modes of transport — whether it be light rail, a bus, on demand service, taxi or Uber — with a single tap of their phone.”... More
Contactless payments expand to Miami bus services
Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works has rolled out support for contactless payments across its Metrobus fleet, making it possible for commuters to use contactless cards and NFC mobile phones to pay for both bus and rail fares across Miami, the sixth most densely populated city in the US... More
SEPTA to roll out NFC mobile ticketing in Philadelphia
SEPTA, the transportation authority for the Greater Philadelphia region in the US, is to add support for Google Pay and Apple Pay across its network of subway, rail, trolley and bus services from the “spring or early summer” of 2020. More
MTA reports 4m contactless ticketing transactions
MTA expands Omny to Penn Station — New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority — “The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced today that its cutting-edge Omny contactless fare payment system is now available at the 34 St-Penn Station intermodal complex, one of the busiest transit hubs in North America… The news comes hot on the heels of another major milestone: the recent surpassing of 4m taps, far exceeding even the most optimistic usage projections.”
NFC ticketing to go live on Washington DC trains and buses in 2020
Starting some time next year, you can tap into Metro with an IPhone — DCist — “The service will be available on Apple products first, but a Google spokesperson confirms that the company is also working with Metro to launch a mobile card for Android users in 2020… Once Apple turns on the service, it will be available to use at every station, on every bus, and in every parking garage on the system — anywhere SmarTrip can be used.”
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Osaka Metro begins Japan’s first face recognition ticketing pilot
Osaka Metro unveils ticket gate with facial recognition tech — The Japan Times — “The trial period, set to run through September next year, will be conducted at four stations: Dome-mae Chiyozaki, Morinomiya, Dobutsuen-mae and Daikokucho. Each station will have facial recognition gates developed by four different firms to compare their functionality… The subway operator aims to introduce the gates at all of its train stations by fiscal 2024, ahead of the 2025 World Expo in the city of Osaka.”
Garanti lets customers use its mobile banking app to top up their transit card
Istanbul travel card top-ups are fast, easy, and free with Garanti BBVA’s mobile app — BBVA — “To take advantage of this feature, customers simply need to register their card with the app. They can then add to the balance directly from their Garanti BBVA account, free of charge. Customers can also refill travel cards for friends and family.”
TransLink issues Compass Card key fobs
TransLink debuting keychain-sized ‘Compass Mini’ this week — CTV News Vancouver — “The launch of Compass Mini is a part of our commitment to enhance the customer experience,” CEO Kevin Desmond said in a news release. “Compass Wristbands have been a real hit and I’m sure customers will enjoy the convenience and practicality of the new Compass Mini.”
Zhengzhou Metro rolls out face scanning across its subway network
China’s subways embrace face-scan payments despite privacy concerns — AsiaOne — “Since the service began trials in September, nearly 200,000 commuters in Zhengzhou have elected to authorise face-scan payments using a local metro service app… While Zhengzhou is among dozens of Chinese cities to introduce such trials, it is the first to deploy the service across its entire subway network.”
Octopus triples its stored value card limit
Octopus stored value limit increases to HK$3,000 to meet consumers’ greater spending needs — Octopus — “Any customer who possesses a Smart Octopus issued before 1 October 2019 or an Octopus product issued before 1 December 2019 can upgrade the stored value limit from HK$1,000 (US$127.75) to HK$3,000 (US$383.26) via Octopus App or at any Octopus Service Point. Once the stored value limit has been upgraded, customers can also make payment of up to HK$3,000 for each transaction starting from 1 December at over 3,200 retail outlets.”
Apple Pay Express Mode rolls out across London
Streamlined for London — Apple — “Paying for journeys on Transport for London is easier with Express Mode for Apple Pay. You don’t need to authenticate your payment with Face ID or Touch ID. Simply tap your iPhone or Apple Watch on the yellow card reader and go.”
Transport for London tests Apple Pay Express Transit mode
Apple Pay’s Express Transit mode working in parts of London Underground — MacRumors — “Apple Pay’s Express Transit mode has been functional on at least some tube and bus routes in London since last Tuesday or so, according to multiple MacRumors readers… Express Transit mode eliminates the need for users to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode or even wake their device when they pay for rides with Apple Pay.”
JR East to pilot hands-free mobile ticketing
JR East eyes introduction of ‘walkthrough’ ticket gates — The Mainichi — “East Japan Railway Co is looking to introduce ‘walkthrough’ ticket gates at stations that will enable passengers to access gates via a specialized smartphone application. Under the envisaged system, millimeter waves will be emitted from an antenna placed on the ceiling above a gate that will open once data sent from the passenger’s smartphone application has been received.”