Mobile ticketing users to reach 1.9bn by 2023, catalysing urban mobility revolution — Juniper Research — “Users of mobile ticketing will total 1.9bn by 2023, up from 1.1bn in 2019. In comparison, the total number of digital ticketing users across mobile, online and wearable channels, will reach 2.2bn by 2023.”
- 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
MTS to roll out open loop ticketing on buses and trains in San Diego
MTS partners with Init for account-based fare system in San Diego — Init SE — “Init will deliver about 900 fare validators for use on MTS buses and at rail station platforms. The validators will accept closed-loop payments such as an MTS-branded smartcard and be capable of accepting open payments such as bank-issued debit/credit cards and mobile wallets using Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.”
Octopus lets Hong Kong commuters use NFC to link their transit card to their mobile phone
Octopus App enhanced with more customer-centric mobile services — Octopus — “Octopus users with compatible Android NFC devices can simply enter their Octopus number into the Octopus app and tap their Octopus onto the back of their mobile phones. Users with iOS devices (or Android devices without NFC) can enter the Octopus number into the Octopus app, then visit any of the 50 Octopus service points that are conveniently located all over Hong Kong to tap their Octopus within seven days to complete the registration and verification process.”
Sydney commuters can now use Fitbit wearables to pay for transit rides
Sydneysiders can now use Fitbit Pay to quickly and easily tap on & off at transit readers — Fitbit — “Following the contactless payment strategy rolled out by NSW Transport on Sydney’s ferry, light rail and train networks in November, Fitbit users can now use selected Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards loaded into their Fitbit Pay Wallet to pay for their trip… Fitbit users in Sydney with a Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Versa and its newest tracker, Fitbit Charge 3, can now leave their Opal cards at home and instead use Fitbit Pay on their Fitbit device to quickly and easily pay for public transport.”
Metrolinx to let commuters top up their Presto transit card with their NFC phone
New app will let Presto customers pay from their smartphones — Ottawa Sun — “Metrolinx, the Crown agency that oversees the Presto system, has just released a new beta version of an app that will eventually allow customers to avoid the line by loading their cards directly from their smartphones… Users will be able to load funds directly using their debit or credit card, check the remaining balance of their account and set up a notification system to alert them when their funds are too low or their passes near expiry… Android phones with near field communication (NFC) capabilities will be able to load their funds instantaneously by simply pressing their cards against the back of their smartphones.”
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Rambus to provide multimodal NFC ticketing solution to South Yorkshire’s bus, tram and train operators
South Yorkshire TravelMaster selects Rambus to deliver innovative e-commerce ticketing system — Rambus — PARTNER NEWS — “The solution will allow customers to purchase a range of flexible multi-operator tickets, valid on any bus, tram or train throughout South Yorkshire, online and in-advance through a retail portal on the TravelMaster website. These tickets can then be loaded onto a smart card via on-vehicle ticketing machines or through NFC-enabled and compatible smart phones.”
Vancouver commuters ‘queue down the block’ for TransLink transit ticketing wristbands
People already scalping TransLink’s Compass Wristbands online — CTV News — “People ended up queuing up down the block when the wearable technology went on sale at 7:30 am, and it only took about three hours for TransLink to sell out. ‘I’ve gotta say, this is a little more than we expected,’ spokesperson Jill Drews said. ‘But it’s great. We’re glad people love the wristbands’.”
TransLink pilots wearable transit ticketing payment bands
Introducing Compass Wristbands — TransLink — “To help improve customer convenience, we’re introducing Compass Wristbands — a Compass Card that you wear on your wrist! We’re offering a limited release of 1,000 adult wristbands and 1,000 concession wristbands starting December 3… Tap in and out when travelling on transit and reload online, at a Compass vending machine, by phone or in person. Just like a Compass Card, you’ll pay a $6 refundable fee when you pick up your wristband.”
Network West Midlands integrates its transit card with Google Pay
UK regional transportation operator Network West Midlands is piloting a new service that lets its Swift transit card holders store their cards in Google Pay, enabling Android NFC phone owners to tap on to West Midlands Metro trams without needing to first open an app or select their Swift card. More
Beijing to pilot face recognition payments at railway ticketing barriers
Facial recognition ticket gates to be introduced this year — Metro Report International — “The gates offer two operating modes. In the first, a passenger’s photo is stored on a physical ticket, and when the passenger touches in at the ticket gate this photo is compared with a live image… In the other mode, a live image is compared with a photo previously uploaded to a database, so no physical ticket is needed. This offers operators the ability to block specified people from entering the network.”
San Francisco transit operators to deploy NFC ticketing
Cubic chosen as preferred provider by Metropolitan Transportation Commission for contract to deliver next-gen fare payment system — Cubic — “The next-generation system will include new features including an integrated mobile app that will support a virtual Clipper card, enabling customers to access real-time information, top up their accounts, plan trips and tap their phones through faregates and on buses in much the same way as mobile payments can be made at retailers.”
Scottish railway operator pilots HCE for mobile ticketing
Rambus brings secure mobile ticketing to Scotland’s railway — Rambus — PARTNER NEWS — “Rambus’ HCE Ticket Wallet Service leverages technology proven in the payments industry to create a virtual smartcard that securely stores tickets on mobile devices. The solution integrates with existing software and station infrastructure, allowing transport operators to manage both smartcard and mobile tickets in a single system, reducing integration costs and deployment time.”
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EZ-Link turns loose change into transit card top-ups
Wirecard partners with EZ-Link and Cheers to establish a tailor-made contactless card solution in Singapore reducing the usage of loose change in the country — Wirecard — “Through this partnership, users are able to convert their loose change directly into stored value on EZ-Link cards and EZ-Charms — Singapore’s most widely used contactless solution for commute on buses and trains, as well as lifestyle purchases island-wide… When making purchases with cash at select Cheers outlets, consumers just need to inform the cashier to top-up their EZ-Link directly with the change they receive. This minimizes any inconvenience and time needed to count the coins. No transaction fees are required to use the service.”
TransLink reports fast uptake of contactless payments on Vancouver transit system
One millions taps — Tap to Pay hits a milestone — TransLink — “It’s been two months since we launched Tap to Pay and we are happy to share our customers have embraced this new payment option in a big way. To date, there have been 160,000 unique users who have tapped their contactless credit cards and mobile wallets… Customers can tap card readers with a contactless Visa or Mastercard credit card, or a device with an Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay wallet.”
Uber to let customers use Venmo to share costs with friends
Uber and Venmo partner to deliver a new payment experience — PayPal — “Uber customers in the United States ordering rides and food will soon be able to pay with their Venmo balance, linked bank account, credit card or debit card so they can easily split the cost with friends and family in the Venmo app, for no additional fee. Users can also share their purchases in their Venmo feed with custom emojis that are exclusive to the partnership, with Uber as the first company to have a branded emoji in the app.”
DART opens up its transit ticketing app to private transportation operators
Dallas transit embraces Uber, Lyft and other mobility options — GovTech.com — “Dallas transit riders can do much more than purchase bus or train tickets with the region’s GoPass app. Riders can now use it to book a ride with Uber or Lyft, and will soon be able to schedule other modes of getting around, such as renting a bike on one of the city’s five bike-share apps.”
Moscow Metro adds loyalty program to Troika transit ticketing card
Public transport users in Moscow can now earn loyalty rewards as they travel and transact around the Russian capital. Billed as “the largest loyalty program in Moscow,” the City scheme encompasses over 5,000 retail outlets and is available to more than nine million Troika transit card cardholders. More
Milan’s transit operator rolls out contactless and mobile payments across the metro network
Travel on the metro by paying with your contactless card — Azienda Trasporti Milanesi — “The service is currently available on the entire metro network and your journey must begin in a metro station. You can also travel on the surface network until the ticket expires… Look for the orange and grey ticket gate in all metro stations, the card reader is at the top.”
Sydney’s public transport operator integrates on-demand transit service into its ticketing system
First on-demand operator taps into Opal — iTnews — “Transport for NSW has expanded its OpalPay payment method to allow the first on-demand public transport operators to tap into the Opal card system… The payment method will now expand to on-demand public transport services operated by Transit Systems in Sydney’s Inner West. The on-demand service, which will launch new week, is the latest in a series of on-demand services now operating across Sydney and Newcastle.”
Beijing metro looks to biometrics to speed up payments at turnstiles
Beijing subways to get bio-ID system — China Daily — “Two bio-recognition technologies — facial recognition and palm touch — are being considered, said Zhang Huabing, head of enterprise development for Beijing Subway… Facial recognition technology can track passenger movements with cameras connected to online networks that recognize people when they enter a station, potentially allowing them to bypass traditional ticketing.”