TMCnet News
Metro-North launching paperless ticket program [The Stamford Advocate, Conn.](Stamford Advocate (CT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 11--STAMFORD -- Metro-North Railroad will begin a pilot program next month allowing commuters to buy tickets on their smartphones. During the trial, railroad employees will be able to download the application to the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry phones, and be able to buy any ticket, to any origin and destination, according to the railroad. "We're as excited to begin testing the next generation ticket selling technology as we were when we introduced ticket vending machines a quarter of a century ago," Metro-North President Howard Permut said. "The latest test is intended to ensure that the newest technology will be equally easy to use, as well as secure and reliable." Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said that the decision to limit the trial to employees was a decision meant to work out any concerns about the security of transactions before launching it to the public. After a ticket is purchased through the application, the time and date stamped electronic ticket shows up on the purchaser's smartphone screen as a secure image that the conductor can validate either visually or by scanning a barcode. The technology is being developed by London-based Masabi US Ltd which is also working with the Massachuetts Bay Transportation Authority to introduce smartphone rail ticketing on Boston commuter trains this fall. Long Island Railroad is currently running a separate pilot on a smartphone application to sell tickets created by Finnish telecommunications firm Nokia with 100 customers on the Port Washington branch of the railroad. Masabi's smartphone technology also supports a possible future move to allow railroad ticket checking to be conducted through a simple scanning of a device through a reader, but Anders said that it is unlikely Metro-North would introduce a gate or turnstile system to check tickets. "It doesn't mean turnstiles are coming to the commuter railroads," Anders said. Masabi's technology is used by 13 transit agencies in the United Kingdom, including Virgin Trains, Cross Country Trains, Chiltern Railways and thetrainline.com. ___ (c)2012 The Stamford Advocate (Stamford, Conn.) Visit The Stamford Advocate (Stamford, Conn.) at www.stamfordadvocate.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |