China Begins to Accept Visa and Mastercard for Open Loop, though Transactions are Expected to be Small
Seeking to promote more commerce from foreigners to help boost its sluggish economy, China, among other things, has opened up the market to foreign-branded bank cards for use with open-loop payments.
That move began Friday on the giant subway, in Beijing, which became the first city in China (outside of Hong Kong)
Tip Sheet: Cubic Faces Major Test in Holding onto Sydney Fare Project; Rumors Say It May Partner with Another Major Vendor
With tenders due next month for Sydney’s much-anticipated Opal Next-Generation fare project, attention has turned to the fate of incumbent vendor Cubic Transportation Systems.
Cubic is not believed to be held in the highest regard by Transport for New South Wales, which is not an agency known for its loyalty to vendors. Sydney also is seen as wanting to take more control of its fare system, like Transport for London.
Open-Loop Payments: Are U.S. Transit Agencies Ready for the Costs?: A Discussion
A top official with Helsinki transport agency HSL made headlines over this past weekend, Aug. 31, when he was quoted as actually discouraging customers from using contactless open-loop payments when the agency launches the long-delayed service.
That’s according to Helsingin Sanomat, the main newspaper in the Finnish capital, which reported that the agency’s deputy CEO is instead steering riders toward HSL’s own mobile app because of higher costs for accepting debit and credit cards.
In-Depth: Possible Paperwork Error Holds Up Multimillion Euro Fare Project in Sweden
Did low-cost Czech vendor Mikroelektronika fail to adequately provide proof that it paid its taxes and fees for its tender in Sweden?
That seems to be the key issue holding up the awarding of a contract for a planned new open-loop fare system, including buying and installing 8,000 new validators
California Open-Loop Procurement Program Has Another Disappointing Quarter, with Low Orders and Adoption
Vendors with master service agreements under the California Integrated Travel Project, or Cal-ITP, received orders for validators of just under $70,000 combined, with gateway and inspection fees accounting for another $11,200.
The updated figures come from records obtained by Mobility Payments from the California Department of General Services.
Appeals Shake Up Procurement of New Fare System in Sweden’s No. 2 City
There may be a counter-appeal to a ruling last month by an administrative court in Sweden that nullified Czech Republic-based vendor Mikroelektronika’s expected award of a new fare system contract in Sweden’s No. 2 city, Gothenburg.
Mikroelektronika has likely filed the new appeal, disputing the Swedish court ruling July 9 that stripped
San Diego Transit Official Touts Ease of Use of Open Loop but also Describes Challenges to Support Technology
While touting the convenience and ease of use of open-loop payments, an official with San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System recently called for more “standards” and consistency in implementation of the technology.
Israel Maldonado, director of fare technology and operations for MTS, speaking at a recent conference,
MBTA and Cubic Launch Open-Loop Payments in Boston Under Recent Project Change Order
Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority launched the first phase of its long-delayed, nearly-billion dollar, fare project, introducing open-loop payments to riders of the subway, buses and two trolley lines Thursday.
The launch came only two months after the MBTA board approved a major change order, in May, that
Tip Sheet: Jakarta to Launch Open-Loop Payments This Year on Sole Metro Line, with Help from Mastercard
Jakarta, Indonesia, opened its first metro line serving the megalopolis of more than 10 million people in 2019, and so far only accepts fares from closed-loop contactless cards and single paper tickets bearing QR codes. Soon it plans to add an option for open-loop payments, with assistance from Mastercard.
The service could launch as soon as October at all 13 stations of the line. Four gates will be enabled at
Bangkok Transit Agency Disappointed with Open-Loop Adoption Rate with Credit Cards; Rolls Out Prepaid EMV Card
Open-loop payments account for 13% of rides on the main metro line of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand in Bangkok. Many transit agencies would be happy with that adoption rate–especially less than two and a half years after introducing the service.
But Thai MRT officials are disappointed. And that’s a key reason they launched a prepaid Visa-branded