PATH begins tap-and-go fare payment pilot
Photo: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Contactless fare payment has finally made it to New Jersey. Starting Tuesday, five turnstiles at two PATH stations will accept tap-and-go payments as part of a test of the new Total Access PATH Payment (TAPP) system, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced. While TAPP is designed by the same company behind the MTA’s OMNY, the two systems are not compatible.
“Our customers have been asking for a tap-and-go fare payment system and PATH’s pilot of this new technology helps create a seamless experience that opens up travel options to more riders,” Port Authority Chair Kevin O’Toole, said. “PATH stitches the region together, which is why it is important that the Port Authority must make historic investments in technology to ensure that remains the case well into the future.”
The pilot program is being implemented at three turnstiles in Journal Square station in Jersey City and two turnstiles at the 30th Street entrance of 33rd Street Station in Manhattan. As the pilot progresses, the PATH system will eventually expand TAPP coverage to additional turnstiles and stations.
Starting Tuesday, commuters who travel through the participating stations will be able to quickly tap their mobile device or card to pay a fare. The Port Authority hired Cubic, the same manufacturer of OMNY, to design TAPP in 2021.
The five turnstiles outfitted with TAPP will feature colorful wraps to help passengers identify them from a distance, according to PANYNJ. The new equipment will be phased in over a 12- to 18-month period. SmartLink and MetroCard will still be operational for commuters for the time during and after the phase-in period.
While PATH has just begun its implementation of contactless fare payment, OMNY is installed at every NYC subway station and on every public bus. MTA plans to replace all MetroCard vending machines with OMNY by the end of the year.
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