MBTA to introduce new contactless payment this summer

Local News

Soon, T riders will be able to board subways and buses with the tap of a smartphone or credit card.

The MBTA said it hopes to roll out contactless payment on subways and buses this summer, allowing T riders to give up their CharlieCard and pay for their ride with the tap of a smartphone or credit card.

New fare readers began appearing in the MBTA system more than a year ago, but the agency’s efforts to overhaul its fare collection process have been hampered by years of delays and millions of dollars budget increase.

The T’s latest timetable calls for contactless payment to launch on buses and subways this summer, although Acting Deputy Chief of Fare Revenue Elizabeth Winters Ronaldson told the MBTA board that the Mattapan line will not would not be part of the initial deployment.

“For bus and Green Line customers who go up to street level, they will use validators installed on the vehicles,” Winters Ronaldson said Thursday. “For the Mattapan carts, there was unfortunately an issue with power availability during the design, and so there are plans to install validators at the stations. This has its own construction schedule.

She said work on the Mattapan Line fare validators would begin in the fall. Further, Winters Ronaldson said the MBTA also plans to launch a new CharlieCard system, mobile app and ticket vending machines in spring 2025, followed by expanding contactless payment to commuter trains and ferries in the spring 2025. 2026.

According to the MBTA, the fare transformation initiative will ultimately result in faster boarding on Green Line buses and trains, in addition to smoother payment on all modes of public transportation.

“We’re really excited about this feature that we’re going to bring to the public, to our riders,” MBTA General Manager Phil Eng told the board Thursday. “This will make it easier to access our system. This will eliminate many of the current challenges we’re experiencing, and I’m really excited that we were able to look at how this project was developed and how best to move it forward.

Eng said he had the opportunity to try out the contactless payment system during the MBTA’s testing phase.

“This is an exciting feature, and our audience deserves it,” he said.

The MBTA board also heard from Peter Torrellas, senior vice president of Cubic Corporation and president of Cubic Transportation Systems, which has partnered with the T for its contactless fare system.

“The introduction of contactless payment will provide significant benefits to MBTA riders, providing a convenient and accessible payment method for those with contactless credit cards, debit cards and mobile wallets,” Torrellas said .

He highlighted Cubic’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and successful rollout and cited the company’s work in other major cities, including New York.

“This new, modern contactless payment system will completely transform the experience for millions of T riders across the state,” Torrellas said.