SmartCitiesWorld Weekly Update - 31 March 2023
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Urban transportation services are among the most important public sector services for citizens. We plan our days around where we're going, how we're getting there, how long it will take, and – increasingly – how much it will cost. The planning of these services, and the shift to more shared modes of transport, are critical for local authorities as they look to maximise the little space that is available to them, and encourage changes in behaviour that contribute to the decarbonisation of cities.
Ease of travel is a key ingredient to changing mobility behaviour. Within this, it's essential that citizens can travel flexibly, affordably and efficiently, which is why this week we're drawing attention to two initiatives in transport ticketing.
The first story comes from Ireland, where passengers travelling with local bus operator Burkesbus in Galway and Mayo can now pay for their travel using a Visa or Mastercard contactless card or a digital wallet. Contactless payment is being enabled by transit payments infrastructure provider Littlepay, ticketing technology specialist Transmach and acquiring provider Elavon. The new system has been launched in response to Irish consumers' growing demand for contactless payments in the country. A BOI Payment Acceptance study in 2022 found that two thirds of consumers in Ireland (63 per cent) preferred using cashless payment methods when making in-store purchases – 11 per cent higher than the average response for other nations covered in the study.
Contactless payments are one way transport operators are making the use of public transport simpler and more accessible for passengers, but the other critical part of transport payments to consider is price. Some operators and authorities around the world have trialled free public transport, but a more popular strategy to keep transit affordable has been fare capping.
This leads to our second story, where Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has announced it is introducing fare capping to make transportation through the region more equitable. The scheme will mean travellers can pay as they go, saving money the more they ride, without the need to pay upfront for a daily, weekly or monthly pass. The new fare collection system also serves those without smartphones or who do not have a bank account. Riders can pay for their transit trips whichever way they prefer, including via mobile phones using the Umo Mobility app, a WisGo smart card reloadable online or at retail outlets, or cash onboard the buses.
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Simplicity and affordability will arguably be the two most important factors for travellers in deciding how to travel and whether to alter the mobility habits they have built up over many years. The examples here demonstrate some of the actions that operators and transit authorities can take to make shared transport both easier to use and more affordable, as they look to boost ridership and support the decarbonisation of the sector. For more on ticketing, public transport and mobility, take a look at our dedicated Mobility-as-a-Service section.
Luke Antoniou , Senior editor, SmartCitiesWorld
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