In the past we had to insert our little plastic cards into slots, and now we simply have to tap our EZ-link cards to ride trains and buses here.
What’s the next step then? The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is now making a callout to the industry to innovate a totally hands free fare collection system. No more escaping those fares by tapping out early then.
“Our vision for the future is a fare payment system where technology will help us detect and automatically register commuters in a bus or train, so long as the commuter has the fare card somewhere on him,” says LTA Chief Executive Chew Men Leong.
“With this, the commuter will enjoy greater convenience and will not need to tap in and out to register his trip on public transport.”
What LTA needs is the industry’s suggestions on technology, equipment and services necessary to upgrade the Automatic Fare Collection system. A proof-of-concept trial is planned for next year.
Interested parties can refer to the Request for Information in GEBIZ for more information.
Photo: epSos.de via Flickr
