Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) introducing a new electronic ticket payment system. SEPTA serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in the United States.
It’s new electronic fare-payment system is one of the biggest change for local rail passengers for last 30 years.
Passengers will be able to pay their subway, trolley, bus and train trips using credit cards, debit cards SEPTA smart cards or even smartphones. This system will be implemented over three years and till then passengers can also use the old methods of payment.
Big changes in bus and subway riders behavior will not, except for old subway turnstiles will be removed. Rail passengers will be forced to alter their travel experience and no one knows is it will be better.
In New system passengers will need to “tag in” or “tag out” with CC or smart card for their fares to be deducted. Currently they only have to keep a ticket or pass and present it to the controller if there is one in train. The new system may delay the flow of passengers.
Still not clear how many will pay for the transition to electronic systems. Problems may arise with guests and occasional passengers.
Many problems still have to be solved but SEPTA officials are optimistic and after after that SEPTA will be the first large rail agency in the USA to switch to an open electronic fare-payment system.
John McGee, chief officer of new payment technologies for SEPTA, said, “Our hope is to minimize the change for our riders.”
McGee said the ability to use an existing credit card should make travel easier for riders, especially occasional and new riders. And pass holders, who account for 63 percent of rail passengers, can load monthly or weekly payments onto a credit card and “never buy a weekly or monthly pass again,” he said.
“People don’t like change,” said Dan Fleishman, a senior consultant at TranSystems Corp., a transportation planning firm that is consulting for SEPTA. “The ridership experience will change a little, but it will just take a little getting used to. . . . It’s not going to drive anybody from the system.”
So let’s see when and how new electronic fare payment system will be implemented and whether both sides will satisfied.
