The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) , responsible for New York City’s transit system, announced this week that transit riders will soon be able to tap and pay for their fare with their phones.
The is the next step in transforming the transit system, according to Transit Authority chairman Joseph J Lhota. The familiar way of travel for New Yorkers has long been the Metrocard, a reloadable plastic card that can be swiped to pay your fare. The system was implemented in the 1990’s and was often criticized for not being reliable. It has been almost 30 years since the Metrocard replaced tokens and now, by 2020, the transit agency expects to install the ‘new pay by phone’ technology in over 500 subway turnstiles and over 600 buses.
“It’s the next step in bringing us into the 21st century, which we need to do. It’s going to be transformative,” Lhota said at the official announcement on Oct 23.
The new payment system will be run using field communication technology and short range wireless connectivity. This is the technology used by Apple Pay and Google Wallet. Similarly, you will be able to pay using these methods through Android Pay, Samsung Pay, or contactless debit and credit cards.
The implementation of this new technology is all about ensuring a smooth flow of people in and out of the transit stations. There will be no need for queues when people need to reload their Metrocard. There will, however, still be turnstiles for those who do not have a debit or credit card for payment.
The MTA is following in the footsteps of the London Transit Commission, which already uses contactless tap and ride Smart Cards and Oyster Cards. Apple Pay and other platforms are also available as acceptable payment for the bus, the tube, London Overground, river bus and other transit services under the Transport for London Authority. The same applies in Australia where the system was introduced in late 2015.
Help make the Tube commute easier by topping up your Oyster card with our app + collect by touching in after 30 mins https://t.co/kdf9VzVfc3 pic.twitter.com/ClwIDJa4Zh
— Transport for London (@TfL) October 1, 2017
By 2023, the MTA hopes to phase out Metrocards as they did with tokens in 2003. The MTA is also hiring the same company that did the installations in London, Cubic Transportation Systems.
This is happening. This is now! #transportation #transit #mobilepayments #Mobilepay https://t.co/W7KOe0qLvd pic.twitter.com/fePvylF5P4
— Cubic Transportation (@CubicTS) August 5, 2016
The contract will cost an estimated $573 million for the new fare payment system and is expected to be completed in late 2020. As for now, temporary testing e-readers have already been spotted in the Lower Manhattan stations.
What do you think? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on this high-tech transit fare system.
