Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

Staten Island Railway to get contactless makeover

Monday, March 8, 2010

A new smart card based fare system is in the works for the Saten Island Railway (SIR), according to silive.com.

The MTA has already installed new turnstiles at the Tompkinsville and Grasmere stations, and plans to finish the transition to contactless payment within the next few years.


The renovation of the once-free railway is part of MTA’s plan to raise more revenue and cut down on crime.

After onboard fare collectors were removed in 1997, the SIR has lost approximately $3.4 million a year. The MTA expects the Tompkinsville station alone will pull in over $700,000 annually.

As of now, SIR riders are still using Metro cards to pay, but the MTA will issue contactless smart cards in the next few years once the system goes online.

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MasterCard announced that it intends to present its contactless payment cards to Azerbaijani financial market in 2012.

According to abc.az, MasterCard is in negotiation with the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, as well as Azerbaijan private banks regarding the implementation of projects on non-cash payments and the introduction of contactless cards for payments for applications in transit, dining and entertainment.

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A new survey from Euro Kartensysteme shows that Germans are starting to embrace the idea of contactless and NFC payments.

Out of 1,040 Germans aged 18-59, 43% responded that they would like to make contactless payments if given the opportunity, of which 58% percent would make their payments with a debit card card, 41% with a credit card and 50% with an NFC phone.

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As some may recall back in June 2010, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York launched tap-and-go contactless payments for commuters to enter select subway stations and participating bus lines using MasterCard PayPass-enabled terminals. Well, the results are in.

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Superdrug, one of Britain’s largest beauty and health retailers, has introduced contactless payment for its in-store customers, according to Retail Gazette.

Created by Streamline and Visa Europe, the contactless system will enable customers to make payments of up to £15 (approx. USD $23) by simply waving their contactless bank card at the more than 50 participating Superdrug stores in London and Liverpool.

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Blackpool, a seaside town situated along England’s west coast, has installed a number of Parkeon contactless-enabled parking pay stations.

For the installation, Blackpool Council opted for the Parkeon Strada pay station terminal. This new, solar-powered terminal is equipped with contactless card readers, accepting contactless payment-enabled mobile phones and various wave and pay bank cards.

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The Peninsula Taxi Association (PTA) in South Africa has launched a electronic fare collection system, granting commuters cashless fare and discounts when using the newly developed contactless-enabled transit card, according to The Cape Times.

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