May 6, 2009
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News: Washington Metro CC Payment Options
Businesses across the world large and small have jumped on the technology bandwagon by offering credit card payment for services. Yet, some of the nation’s largest government and public service agencies are lagging behind in offering the more convenient method of payment. Commuter services in some of the larger metropolitan areas have begun exploring a new system that would accept debit and credit card payments for fares. After significant pressure from lawmakers, Chicago, one of the nation’s largest commuter services in the nation, recently initiated the development of a new payment system that would allow commuters to purchase fare tickets online and in rail and bus terminals by debit and credit card. The new system, if approved, is expected to be available February 2010, and would allow Chicago’s Metra, CTA, and Pace riders to purchase one ticket that could be used for rides and transfers between the three transportation systems.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) system is the latest agency to look into the new system which would provide commuters the option of using a debit or credit card to pay for rail, bus, and parking. The Washington Metro system is comprised of the Metrorail, Metrobus system, and the MetroAccess and services nearly a million riders on an average summer day. The new technology uses a card reader where commuters would tap or wave with their credit card as an alternative method of payment. Currently, Metro riders have the option of purchasing a SmarTrip card to pay for rail and bus fares as well as parking.
A proposal is scheduled to go before the Washington Metro board this week asking for approval to begin accepting bids from providers of merchant processing systems to manage the credit card payment system. If the new system is approved, the reader chip would conform to an international standard compatible to any transit system across the nation that uses the same technology. More and more of the larger metropolitan areas are considering this new technology which is currently being tested in New York and is already in use in Utah. If approved, this system would make it easier for hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the nation and world to commute with ease throughout our nation’s capital.