PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA is one step closer allowing riders to pay their fares with their cell phones. The transit agency hopes to begin rolling out digital ticketing later this year.
Imagine being able to pay for a SEPTA ride with a swipe of your phone. No fumbling for the SEPTA Key card.
"It would be easier, yes. Especially if your phone is in your hand. Just a quick swipe," said one rider.
Since early May, SEPTA has been running a test of the digital tickets with about 100 users, according to spokesman Andrew Busch.
"It's just like people make many other transactions with their phones, so they will go into the SEPTA app and there's going to be a wallet that they go into to use mobile ticketing, and that will have a barcode," he explained.
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New validators installed on buses and at ADA faregates on the El and Broad Street Line read the barcode and let you through.
"We've noticed some glitches coming up with some of the readers on the buses," said Busch. "The station gate readers have been working pretty well. We think these are things that are going to be able to be pretty easily ironed out."
He added the phone app will also allow the user to pay fares for up to five people at once – handy for families or riders with out-of-town guests.
Busch said SEPTA hopes to go live with mobile ticketing on every mode except Regional Rail by late summer. As for using Apple Pay, Google Pay or an RFID credit card at the turnstile, he said there's no timeline on those options.