A new pilot program which allows New Yorkers to pay for subway, bus and train fares with a quick wave of their iPhone has just been started by Visa.
Christina Warren of Mashable is reporting that Visa in partnership with New York City Transit, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are testing both Visa payWave enabled smartphones and payment cards.
Instead of purchasing or refilling a Metro card travelers just wave their devices in front of a contactless reader. Visa is working with the Bank of America to also bring the technology to retailers in the city. The devices have a special sensor installed which can transmit payment information to card readers at fare gates. This will speed up queues at transit stations, and does away the need to buy a transit card.
The New York subway program is only deployed across 28 stops along the Lexington subway line, but if the trial proves successful will be expanded. The technology has been used by Visa in London, Istanbul, Kuala Lampur, Paris, and Singapore. Check the video below to see the technology in action.
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