The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will launch a new tap-to-pay system Aug. 1, letting riders simply tap a contactless credit or debit card, or digital wallet, to ride the network’s subways, buses, Green Line and Mattapan Line trolleys. The MBTA will partner with Cubic Transportation Systems as part of the $80 million upgrade.
“It’s allowing customers to pay in a way that they pay for other services and operations in their daily life,” Will Kingkade, MBTA senior director of automated fare collection, said in a press briefing Monday on the new system. MBTA announced contactless payment last week.
“We’re modernizing the system. And that’s what riders want. Riders want a more positive and modern experience across the entirety of the MBTA,” said Lynsey Heffernan, MBTA chief of policy and strategic planning. “This is an exciting step forward for all of our customers.”
Riders will still have the option of purchasing a ticket at vending machines or using other MBTA payment methods. However, the technology upgrade, slated to go live in two weeks, is seen as an added convenience for riders, placing payment for transit on the same easy-glide path as buying a coffee or other retail item in a world where digital payments have become the norm.
“For riders, it is truly ‘touch and go,’” said Christian Henry, senior vice president and general manger at Cubic Transportation Systems.
Other transit providers like the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) are also introducing digital payment options. COTA, in its partnership with Masabi, is placing mobile ticketing within Google Wallet, the company said last week. When riders look up a destination in Google Maps, and select “Buy Ticket,” they will be given prompts to purchase a COTA ticket.
“By integrating COTA trip planning and purchasing experience into such a widely used app, we are improving access to our services for a broad range of new and existing customers,” COTA Chief Innovation and Technology Officer Sophia Mohr said in a statement.
Boston officials noted the new contactless payment system — which involves back-of-house hardware and software upgrades — will give the agency more flexibility to introduce new policy directions like fare capping, which limits how much riders pay for transit over the course of a day, week, month or other period.
“Modernizing our fare collection system absolutely increases the policy flexibility that we have to make other choices about fare products and programs,” Carissa Sacchetti, MBTA director of operational readiness and workforce development, said. “The modernization of all of our fare technology, particularly on our vehicles, is a really important piece of ultimately trying to make a decision around if fare capping is the right choice for the MBTA.”
