WMATA to launch SmartTrip app in 2020

[davinp]

Some speed bumps for efforts toward making it easier to pay to get around using only a smartphone are driving potential division across the D.C. region.

Metro has yet to release even a preliminary version of an app — promised last year — that would allow riders to turn their phones into virtual SmarTrip cards starting this year. The agency is still working on user interface issues, according to Northern Virginia Transportation Commission staff.

Metro is still working to theoretically allow some type of mobile payment by at least the end of the year, Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly said in an email.

https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... ing-antsy/

[STrRedWolf]

Meanwhile, MTA Maryland has launched the CharmPass app for all transit modes (including MARC).

It's not that hard, unless you're trying to make it tap-to-enter.

[davinp]

Meanwhile, MTA Maryland has launched the CharmPass app for all transit modes (including MARC).

It's not that hard, unless you're trying to make it tap-to-enter.

The same company that developed MTA's CharmPass app also developed VRE's Mobile Ticketing app. They are currently in the process of upgrading to the new platform.

VRE Mobile will be upgraded to the new REACH NOW mobility platform which will add:
• Trip planning
• First and last mile solutions
• Single point of purchase for entire trips
• Potential to offer joint fares with other regional partners on the same platform

Since the launch of VRE Mobile, REACH NOW has implemented their mobile ticketing
solution with many other transit agencies nationwide, including recent agreements with
the Maryland Transit Administration (MARC Trains) and DASH in Alexandria.

[davinp]

Finally, WMATA has gotten around to launching a SmartTrip App.
In April 2018, Metro had announced they would launch a SmartTrip app by 2019 but failed to live up to their promise. As you know, they cancelled installing new fare gates that would accept Apple Pay & Google Pay.
Many other transit agencies already have a mobile app

One problem, the advertisement only advertises Apple and not Google. I hate everyone always focuses an Apple and forgets about Google Android. Android had NFC years before Apple added to the iPhone and it is not restricted like Apple's is. For example, the 2013 Nexus 7 Tablet had NFC and then the 2014 Nexus phone also had it, but nobody paid attention because everyone is always focused on Apple. Apple did not have NFC until 2017.

https://wjla.com/news/local/iphone-smartrip-card-metro

[JDC]

Finally, WMATA has gotten around to launching a SmartTrip App.
In April 2018, Metro had announced they would launch a SmartTrip app by 2019 but failed to live up to their promise. As you know, they cancelled installing new fare gates that would accept Apple Pay & Google Pay.
Many other transit agencies already have a mobile app

One problem, the advertisement only advertises Apple and not Google. I hate everyone always focuses an Apple and forgets about Google Android. Android had NFC years before Apple added to the iPhone and it is not restricted like Apple's is. For example, the 2013 Nexus 7 Tablet had NFC and then the 2014 Nexus phone also had it, but nobody paid attention because everyone is always focused on Apple. Apple did not have NFC until 2017.

https://wjla.com/news/local/iphone-smartrip-card-metro

For a time, a lot of budget Android phones lacked NFC, right? Apple, since it controls all iPhones, is thus a platform where since whatever date all models have had NFC. So, it makes sense to make iPhone the preliminary target for the app. But I assume Android will follow soon.

[davinp]

Finally, WMATA has gotten around to launching a SmartTrip App.
In April 2018, Metro had announced they would launch a SmartTrip app by 2019 but failed to live up to their promise. As you know, they cancelled installing new fare gates that would accept Apple Pay & Google Pay.
Many other transit agencies already have a mobile app

One problem, the advertisement only advertises Apple and not Google. I hate everyone always focuses an Apple and forgets about Google Android. Android had NFC years before Apple added to the iPhone and it is not restricted like Apple's is. For example, the 2013 Nexus 7 Tablet had NFC and then the 2014 Nexus phone also had it, but nobody paid attention because everyone is always focused on Apple. Apple did not have NFC until 2017.

https://wjla.com/news/local/iphone-smartrip-card-metro

For a time, a lot of budget Android phones lacked NFC, right? Apple, since it controls all iPhones, is thus a platform where since whatever date all models have had NFC. So, it makes sense to make iPhone the preliminary target for the app. But I assume Android will follow soon.

Most Android phones under $200 don't have NFC, but here is one that does have it: https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_us/nokia-3-plus
The problem is Apple doesn't give out its operating system to manufactures the way Google does with Android, so that they can control the hardware and software.
Also, Android Wear smartwatches came out years before the Apple Watch, so it's not fair they don't get the same recognition as Apple.

[danib62]

The difference is that despite being google first to market with NFC payments their adoption lags behind the adoption of Apple Pay https://www.businessinsider.com/us-appl ... ing-2019-9. Apple Pay Accounts for 50% more transactions than Google Pay

[farecard]

My question is what will the rest of us use?

There is a finite supply of [so-called] Smarttrip cards; what happens when they are exhausted?

[Sand Box John]

farecard
My question is what will the rest of us use?

There is a finite supply of [so-called] Smarttrip cards; what happens when they are exhausted?

At this point this nothing more then an additional method of payment.

I would hazard a guess there is a significant percentage of WMATA users that are either unbanked or don't carry cellular devices that can run the app.

[STrRedWolf]

My question is what will the rest of us use?

There is a finite supply of [so-called] Smarttrip cards; what happens when they are exhausted?

They will make more (with a different vendor but same NFC standard), get blanks and print them (Reduced Fare cards for MTA Maryland are this way) or switch to a different NFC technology and mandate MTA Maryland use it as well (because CharmCard == SmartTrip currently).

Adding ApplePay/GooglePay/SamsungPay to the turnstiles like how Chicago CTA does it or through a dedicated app? It'll cut down on how many SmartTrip cards are being sold but you're still going to sell them. You don't get paper cards like Chicago CTA has. You *HAVE* to buy a plastic card.

[farecard]

They will make more (with a different vendor but same NFC standard)

It was my understanding that the cards are Cubix proprietary; not available from any source when the stocks are gone.

[YOLO]

I'm pretty sure Cubic can make more. Also Smartrip cards and PATH Smartlink cards are identical as an example, so there's gotta be some other transit cards that can be sourced for WMATA