NPT status

[jackintosh11]

Will NPT work with iPhones?

The currently available models won't work, but by the time that the smartcards are phased out, there won't be any cell phone that doesn't have NFC.

[jackintosh11]

And on the topic of the cash, anyone who doesn't have a device that works with NPT needs to get one, whether it be a smartphone, a debit card, or a credit card. If they don't want to pay the price of a single ride ticket, then they will need to get a device that works with NPT.

[Clearfield]

And on the topic of the cash, anyone who doesn't have a device that works with NPT needs to get one, whether it be a smartphone, a debit card, or a credit card. If they don't want to pay the price of a single ride ticket, then they will need to get a device that works with NPT.

You will be able to buy a 'SEPTA' card that works with NPT and is refillable.

[jackintosh11]

In 10 years, the smartcard won't be used anymore. People can use cash or a device that has it built in. Kids will have devices that work with it (phones or school ids), and everyone else will too (credit and debit cards, or smartphones). If they don't, they can pay with cash, but the increased fare will encourage them to get a device that is capable.)

[trackwelder]

i think anyone on here or at 1234 who think people will stand for hardly cash options have never been to philadelphia, at least not outside center city. on a side note, i had to go down to the ivory tower at eight this morning for a class on npt so i can answer questions should passengers ask. an entire track gang, two foremen, and me waited outside a darkened classroom for an hour until someone from training happened to walk by and said, " oh, the class was cancelled. didn't you guys get the e mail?"

i think that's somehow symbolic.

[jackintosh11]

By the way, how are the subway station booth attendants reacting to this?

[lefty]

They are not very happy.

[jackintosh11]

Also, on the NPT page, the SEPTA produced smartcard is offered as an alternative to credit cards with the chip. Also, Visa and MasterCard have both announced that all cards will have the chip by october 2015, most debit cards will get it soon, also, and these will all be compatible with NPT. As for school fares, they say that students will either have to have a compatible ID or a compatible device other than a SEPTA smartcard.

[radioboy]

Here's a question... how is this going to work in terms of stepping up?

Right now I buy a monthly Transpass but don't always use its full worth (lately working from home more and going out less due to the snow).

So let's say I register my Visa debit card with RF/NFC as my SEPTA card.

Do I have to declare that I want to purchase a monthly pass? Or if my single rides add up to the amount of a monthly pass, will it just hit that ceiling and "convert" me to monthly?

[ExCon90]

There's a system that works like that in some places, I think including London: you're charged for a single ride each time until you've paid in the equivalent of a weekly pass within one week, after which no further charges are made until the end of the week, when you start over. If, probably during the fourth week, you have now paid, in aggregate, the price of a monthly pass, no further charges are made for the rest of the month. Apparently it works fine; unfortunately in Pennsylvania there seems to be an attitude of "yes, but how do we know it'll work here?" Look at SEPTA's experience with TVMs.

[lefty]

There will be deals that are similar to the transpass or trailpass that you can subscribe to.

Transfers are history, but if you enter the next leg within a time frame (90 minutes I think it was) it will charge you the lower "transfer" fee.

The big one is on RRD. You have to have your pass register on the chip reader when you enter the train (or turnstiles in the 5 center city stations) and need to do the same when you exit. Failure to do so will get you charged the highest fare on that line.

[JeffK]

The big one is on RRD. You have to have your pass register on the chip reader when you enter the train (or turnstiles in the 5 center city stations) and need to do the same when you exit. Failure to do so will get you charged the highest fare on that line.

It's going to be very interesting to see how SEPTA handles disputes over whether a passenger actually tagged in and out, especially during the system's initial teething pains and with people who aren't familiar with the system. Forgive my ongoing cynicism, but I can easily see this becoming the analog of whether a ticket office was both open and staffed, and when and how much of a penalty will be applied. A surcharge by any other name stinks just as much.

[jackintosh11]

I think that anyone who has a card will know that they have to tap in. And anyone who doesn't have a card will have to buy a ticket. How will single ride tickets or cash tickets work, because it doesn't make sense to give them a card just for that. Will the turnstiles have a magnetic stripe ticket reader?

[jackintosh11]

http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/08/ ... t-facility
The turnstiles have magnetic stripe readers. Looks like that's what single tickets will use. Also, student fares will probably also use it.

[Clearfield]

very interesting to see how SEPTA handles disputes over whether a passenger actually tagged in and out, especially during the system's initial teething pains and with people who aren't familiar with the system. Forgive my ongoing cynicism, but I can easily see this becoming the analog of whether a ticket office was both open and staffed, and when and how much of a penalty will be applied. A surcharge by any other name stinks just as much.

I believe this will be handled by the vendor on a turnkey basis and NOT SEPTA customer service.