Can Transit Agencies Quit Closed Loop after Rolling Out Open-Loop Payments?
A panel of industry experts squared off for a first-of-its-kind debate about the pros and cons of open-loop payments, tackling a range of issues–from whether transit agencies can completely eliminate their closed-loop programs in favor of open loop, to costs agencies should be ready to incur when rolling out the technology.
Panel of Experts to Debate Costs, Other Issues Transit Agencies Face in Rolling Out Open-Loop Payments
There’s little doubt that open-loop payments is the highest profile trend in the fare-collection industry.
Transit Agency Group Gets Low Price in California Open-Loop Procurement
In one of the first procurements of open-loop technology past the pilot stage for the pioneering California Integrated Travel Project, a group of rural transit agencies in Northern California received a low price for its planned open-loop payments rollout, Mobility Payments has learned.
Barcelona Transit Authority Seeks Quick Rollout of Open-Loop Payments Following Long Delays in Launch of Close-Loop Card
The Metropolitan Transport Authority, or ATM, in Barcelona has issued a request for proposal for technology to help it to quickly roll out open-loop payments across the metro, train, bus and tram networks in and around Spain’s second largest city.
Central Bank in Latin American Country Drives Nationwide Rollout of Open Loop; Can It Serve as a Model Elsewhere?
In a first for Latin America and perhaps one of the only projects of its kind in the world, the Central Bank of Costa Rica is building a nationwide infrastructure for open-loop transit payments, as it seeks to ultimately eliminate cash on board its buses and trains.
Exclusive: Venice Transit Agency Seeks to Launch Open-Loop Payments with Capex-Free ‘Concession’ Model
Transit officials in Venice, Italy, plan to launch open-loop payments during the first part of 2023, following such Italian cities as Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin in enabling customers to pay fares with their contactless credit and debit cards.
Exclusive: Vancouver Transit Authority has Lucrative Deal with Debit Scheme Interac to Enable and Promote Interac Brand for Open-Loop Payments
Vancouver transit authority TransLink signed a deal with Canadian debit scheme Interac last year that would pay TransLink a total of CA$2.75 million (US$2.1 million) for enabling customers to tap Interac cards and credentials to pay for fares and for promoting the Interac brand, Mobility Payments has learned.
Transit Agency: High Bank Card Fees Would Limit Open-Loop Rollouts in U.S.
A top revenue manager for Sacramento Regional Transit, the agency serving California’s capital city, said he believes there won’t be widespread rollouts of open-loop payments in California or throughout the U.S. until payments networks and banks reduce fees for agencies to accept debit and credit cards.
Exclusive: French Cities Make Move to Open-Loop Payments, Though Paris Holds Back
France had fallen behind such open-loop payments hotspots in Europe as the UK and Italy. But it has been catching up over the past couple of years, starting with small to medium-sized cities.
Visa Quietly Lowers Interchange for Transit Agencies in California but Scope of Reductions Limited So Far
Visa has quietly introduced a new interchange category for transit agencies in California, Mobility Payments has learned. If rolled out nationally and across more card types, the changes could substantially reduce the high fees that agencies pay to accept credit and debit cards for fares.