Vietnam Bus Operator Launches Contactless Open-Loop Payments in Small Rollout; Backers Hope Other Transport Modes Will Follow
A privately owned bus company serving Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, has launched contactless open-loop payments on board its new electronic buses, and reports say officials and bankers would like to see contactless EMV payments expanded to other modes of transport.
Moscow Metro Sees Modest Take-Up in Use of Face Pay So Far; Repeats Prediction that Up to 15% of Regular Riders Will Use Service
Moscow Metro has 45,000 users of its Face Pay service since launching its rollout of facial recognition fare-payments in mid-October, the transit agency said today, in releasing more details about how the service works.
Updated: U.S. Transit Agency Seeks to Reduce–Though Not Eliminate–Cash Acceptance with New Fare-Collection System
The Spokane Transit Authority in Washington state confirmed that it will launch its new fare-collection system next October, though only as a beta test to begin with, a spokesman told Mobility Payments.
Contactless Fare Payments Double for Moscow Metro, as Agency Focuses on New Payments Services
Moscow Metro said contactless fare payments have doubled this year, as the large transit agency continues to add acceptance points for a range of contactless bank card brands and NFC wallets.
More Cities in Finland Expected to Move to Open-Loop Fare Payments
A fourth city in Finland is beginning to roll out contactless open-loop payments, with “more in the pipeline,” according to one supplier on the project, making the Nordic country one of the latest hotspots for the technology.
Moscow Metro Expands Test of ‘Virtual Troika’ in Pays Wallets, as It Continues to Develop Digital-Payments Services
Moscow Metro is recruiting more users to test its “Virtual Troika” card in two NFC wallets, those supporting Google Pay and Samsung Pay, as one of the world’s largest subway operators continues to seek more ways for its customers to pay for rides.
Toronto Area Transit Agency Expands Contactless Pilot, but Canada’s Largest City Slow to Roll Out Open Loop
Canada’s largest city, Toronto, is continuing its move to open-loop payments, though is taking a slow approach–with transit authority Metrolinx not calling an end yet to a more than six-month pilot and then committing to pursuing a rollout in a “phased manner.”
Swedish Transit Agency Launches Express Mode Feature for Apple Pay, though Most Ticketing Still with Barcode-Based App
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Major Bus Operators in Hong Kong Now Accepting Open-Loop Payments–Adding More Competition for Octopus
Two more bus operators in Hong Kong on Saturday launched acceptance of open-loop contactless fare payments, with both also accepting QR code-based mobile ticketing–as the near ubiquitous closed-loop Octopus card continues to see more competition.
Indonesian Capital Seeks to Expand to Multimodal Fare Collection and MaaS
Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, whose metropolitan area is home to more than 30 million people, is notorious for its stifling traffic congestion. In response, the government metro and light-rail networks and now it is funding an expansion of the fare-collection system to enable more multimodal payments and to build a mobility-as-a-service platform.