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10/7/2008
Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
BART completes trial of multi-use mobile phones
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Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) recently released results of a near-field-communication, or NFC, trial program conducted earlier this year.
Between January and May, 230 participants used NFC-equipped mobile phones to pay for their train fares and food, receive discounts and check account balances. The phones contained contactless chips that enabled users to complete a transaction. Participants could use the phones to tap a fare gate to pay their fare or tap "smart" ads located on BART platforms that automatically transmit restaurant or movie discounts and directions to the cell phones.
More than 80 percent of the trial participants said the system was easy to use, according to BART and partners First Data and ViVOtech.
The agency will use trial results to determine the next steps in using the devices.
Between January and May, 230 participants used NFC-equipped mobile phones to pay for their train fares and food, receive discounts and check account balances. The phones contained contactless chips that enabled users to complete a transaction. Participants could use the phones to tap a fare gate to pay their fare or tap "smart" ads located on BART platforms that automatically transmit restaurant or movie discounts and directions to the cell phones.
More than 80 percent of the trial participants said the system was easy to use, according to BART and partners First Data and ViVOtech.
The agency will use trial results to determine the next steps in using the devices.
