Victoria’s public transport ticketing system is set to receive a major upgrade, with the introduction of debit and credit card payment options. The new system will be rolled out over two years from 2024 and will also include the ability to pay fares using smartphones. The $1.7 billion, 15-year contract has been awarded to Conduent Business Services, which already operates public transport ticketing systems in several major international cities. The new system will replace the existing myki system, which has faced criticism from commuters for its lack of options and ease of use. The new system will continue to be known as myki and physical cards will still be accepted for the next two years as the changes are introduced.
Introduction:
Victoria’s public transport ticketing system is set to receive a major upgrade, with the introduction of debit and credit card payment options. The new system will be rolled out over two years from 2024 and will also include the ability to pay fares using smartphones.
Body:
The $1.7 billion, 15-year contract has been awarded to Conduent Business Services, which already operates public transport ticketing systems in several major international cities. The new system will replace the existing myki system, which has faced criticism from commuters for its lack of options and ease of use.
Trials will begin in 2024 which will see debit and credit cards progressively added to public transport services, including V/Line regional services. That process is expected to take two years. Fares will also be able to paid for on smart phones and watches, and will be compatible with both Android and Apple mobile phones.
The current myki app was introduced in 2019 and only works on Android phones. Victoria will join Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia in being able to use credit cards on public transport.
The new system will continue to be known as myki and physical cards will still be accepted for the next two years as the changes are introduced. “Myki does have a strong brand awareness but it will be a completely different company running the system,” said Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll.
Shadow minister for Public Transport, Richard Riordan, questioned why it would take two years to trial what he described as an “off-the-shelf” system that was already in use in major global cities. He also questioned whether the digital smart phone and smart watch rollout would be reliable in regional areas which can have patchy signals.
Conclusion:
The new public transport ticketing system in Victoria is set to provide commuters with more options and greater ease of use. The introduction of debit and credit card payment options, as well as smartphone compatibility, will make it easier for commuters to pay their fares. While there have been some concerns raised about the two-year rollout period and reliability in regional areas, the new system is expected to provide a significant improvement over the existing myki system.
Source: abc.net.au
