Smaller Slovakian Bus Agencies Support Virtual Cards in Google Pay
Two mid-tier bus operators in Slovakia are among the latest to enable their customers to tap virtual closed-loop transit cards in Google Pay to pay fares, using a provisioning service from NXP Semiconductors.
Calypso Backers Seek to Expand Mobile Ticketing on Android Phones
The recent move by CTS, the transit agency serving the French city of Strasbourg, to make its NFC mobile-ticketing service available to users of nearly all Android phones, could signal greater use of Google’s host-card emulation technology by supporters of Calypso, one of the world’s major technologies for closed-loop fare cards.
Case Study: One U.S. Transit Agency’s Journey toward Eliminating Cash
Dayton Regional Transit Authority in the U.S. plans to eliminate cash fares by the end of the year, an agency representative told Mobility Payments, with an expanded rollout of contactless payments. That includes introducing account-based ticketing and lining up 200 cash-loading outlets in the city for customers without bank cards.
Washington, D.C.’s, SmarTrip Latest Closed-Loop Fare Card Added to Pays Wallet
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or WMATA, as expected, has added its closed-loop fare card SmarTrip to Google Pay, following support by Apple Pay for the card last year. The launch Tuesday of SmarTrip for Google Pay is the latest move by an NFC wallet provider to sign up transit authorities globally for its payments service. Wallet providers, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay, are vying to add more fare cards to their payments services to attract more users and transactions.
Insight: Apple Pay Launch of Virtual Closed-Loop Virtual Clipper Card Follows Emerging Trend
Although the trend for transit agencies to support open-loop fare payments, including with Apple Pay, Google Pay and other Pays wallets, has continued unabated–even accelerated–during the pandemic, another trend is taking shape: That of agencies adding virtual versions of their closed-loop fare cards into the Pays wallets. The latest example is support for Apple Pay...
Sydney to Test Multimodal Payments with Private Mobility Providers Using Digital Opal Card
A trial to be held later this year in Australia’s largest city, Sydney, if it proves successful, could offer one example for how agencies can encourage customers to take multimodal transport combining public and private operators. The economics behind the New South Wales government’s trial offer are unclear, however.
Dubai Transit Authority Plans to Launch Its Closed-Loop Card in More NFC Wallets
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, or RTA, which in December first launched mobile fare payments with a digital version of its closed-loop card in Huawei smartphones, says it plans to expand the service to other OEMs, including Apple and Samsung.
Los Angeles Transit Authority Follows Through with Plans to Enable TAP Card for Apple Pay; Google Pay to Follow
Another major U.S. transit agency has introduced a virtual closed-loop card for Apple Pay this week, with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, It comes a couple of days after the Washington (D.C.) Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or WMATA, announced it had put its SmarTrip closed-loop card on Apple’s NFC-enabled devices, as well.
Los Angeles Transit Authority to Support Closed-Loop TAP Card in Both Apple Pay and Google Pay
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, plans to introduce an Android version of its TAP closed-loop fare card, with a virtual TAP card for the Google Pay wallet, a Metro spokesman confirmed.
Apple Pay Expands Support for Interoperable Closed-Loop Transit Cards in China
Apple on Wednesday expanded support for closed-loop transit payments across China, incorporating China’s T-Union interoperable transit cards in its Apple Pay service.