Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay may soon be used by commuters for public transport, the Land Transportation Authority (LTA) announced on Monday.
LTA is now looking into leveraging mobile payment system in the transport industry as part of the agency's account-based ticketing (ABT) trial with MasterCard. Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay trials will commence in the first quarter of 2018, a statement reads.
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"Commuters taking part in this trial will not even need a card and can simply use their mobile phones to tap in and out on trains and buses," says LTA.Transportation authority chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping has expressed his excitement in the statement, saying that he is looking forward for the agency to officially roll out e-payments to the masses very soon.
Transportation authority chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping has expressed his excitement in the statement, saying that he is looking forward for the agency to officially roll out e-payments to the masses very soon.
"LTA is excited to enable commuters to enjoy the convenience brought by e-payments in public transport. Together with our partners, we aim for the ABT pilot extension, expansion and eventually permanent roll-out to be the basis of our shift towards commuter-centric e-payments."
The agency is also mulling over expanding the new transport payment method to Visa and NETS cards starting June 2018.
Since ABT trial's launch in March, the agency has already received more than 100,000 applications from commuters who would want to become part of the pilot. The scheme was originally planned to run for six months only since launch.
Currently, debit and credit card holders under MasterCard can pay for public transport lift. LTA has stressed out that EZ-Link, NETX FlashPay and LTA concession cards will still be used for payment in public transports.
By 2020, LTA aims to establish a fully cashless public transport system. Sign up here to become part of the trial.
