South Australia Piloting Paying For Transport Via Smartphone

South Australia is becoming the first government in Australia to enable residents to pay for public transportation via a smartphone. According to a report, Adelaide is gearing up to run a three-month, proof-of-concept, smartphone-based ticketing system on select transport routes with a controlled test group of users.

South Australia’s Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure wants to test a solution to gauge how alternative fare collection services can impact and improve the overall experience of using public transportation. The proof of concept will be followed by a full rollout to the public, allowing commuters to use their phone to pay for rides instead of whipping out their Metrocard smartcard.

The report noted the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure in South Australia is currently sourcing the market for companies that could run the three-month trial at a minimal cost. In order for a full rollout to happen, the proof of concept will have to showcase the feasibility of a phone-based solution that can successfully be integrated into the Adelaide Fare Collection system. It also has to be compliant with PCI obligations and the Commonwealth’s Protective Security Policy Framework and ISO 27001.

At the same time that South Australia is looking at paying for transport with mobile devices, London has been barreling ahead with mobile payments for transportation. Riders of its underground Tube are accustomed to swiping a bank card, mobile phone or smartwatch to get in and out of the terminals and to board buses. That ease of use in paying for transportation has piqued the interest of other cities around the world that could soon begin using London’s technology under a new deal.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a deal, which is valued at up to £15 million, in which Cubic Transportation Systems will integrate London’s contactless payment technology with existing systems in other cities. The funds from the new deal will be used to invest in new transportation infrastructure and to freeze fares, said Khan.

While the deal is in the early stages, it is possible that Transport for London (TfL) technology will be found in Sydney, Brisbane, Vancouver and Chicago, areas that Cubic Transportation Systems operates in. Cubic Transportation Systems purchased the rights to incorporate TfL’s contactless payment system around the world.