ContactlessNews | Port of Kingston adopts contactless ORCA card

Monday, October 31, 2011

Passengers on the SoundRunner ferry connecting the Port of Kingston to downtown Seattle will be able to pay for their fares with contactless ORCA cards starting this week, according to Kitsap Sun.

The ORCA (“One Regional Card for All”) system is supported by transit agencies throughout Kitsap, King, Pierce and Snohomish counties in Washington. As the latest addition, Port of Kingston hopes that the new cards will help boost ridership on the ferry, which serves about 30 people per day.

The contactless ORCA smart cards can be preloaded with credit and tapped against readers to pay for fares. SoundRunner passengers can preload their ORCA cards now, but won’t be able to use them until Tuesday.

According to Kitsap Sun, the Port of Kingston payed $63,000 to be added to the ORCA software system and another $20,000 to buy, install and test the new equipment.

Identive Group announced tomPAY, an NFC-enabled sticker tag that can be affixed to existing mobile phones to enable contactless payments.

Based on Identive’s tom (tag on metal) smart inlay technology, tomPAY is manufactured using the same processes as an ISO PVC card. When placed on a phone, tomPAY enables contactless mobile payments in compliance with MasterCard PayPass specifications, as well as loyalty, transport ticketing and other m-commerce services.

Port Authority works towards new transit card system

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has released an update on its intended roll out of a contactless smart card transit system, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The project was originally put on hold due to issues with the new fare boxes.

NJ Transit reports 'overwhelming' success with Google Wallet

New Jersey Transit’s use of NFC payments with Google Wallet has been an “overwhelming and resounding success,” according to NJ Transit spokesman John Durson.

Introduced on the NJ Transit network in October 2011, Google Wallet enables riders to purchase tickets with the tap of an NFC-enabled phone at New York Penn Station, Newark Liberty Airport’s rail station and on 7 city bus lines.

OTI to deliver 30,000 NFC readers in the U.S.

On Track Innovations (OTI) has received an order for 30,000 of its NFC and contactless payment readers for deployment in the U.S.

OTI did not reveal who will receive the readers, but assured that the devices would be used to support the migration towards contactless payments and NFC in the U.S.

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