Transport for NSW Rural & Regional advances bus ticketing system upgrades

Transport for NSW Rural & Regional (TFNSWRR) is edging closer to phasing out paper tickets for buses as it trials upgrades to its onboard payment system.

The upgrade will enable commuters to tap with their debit and credit cards via a smart device.

The contactless payment technology, hosted by payments processing company Littlepay, accepts debit cards, American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit cards, smart devices and digital wallets.

With the project first announced late last year, those travelling on the Bathurst and Dubbo Buslines services are the first to pilot the new system.

The Bathurst trials started at the end of last year, while Dubbo trials started yesterday.

New validator machines from TransportMe are being installed on the buses alongside CBA Merchant services integrated back into Littlepay’s transit payments platform for processing.

It’s expected a total of 16 Bathurst buses and 11 in Dubbo will participate.

This will replace the bus network’s requirement of commuters needing to purchase a physical paper ticket with cash.

Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Matthew Dickerson said he was “excited that Dubbo is part of a trial between Transport for NSW and Dubbo Buslines of contactless payment options”.

“This will greatly enhance the experience for the travelling public,” he said in a statement.

“Buses not only serve as an affordable and sustainable alternative to driving, they also provide a fast and hassle-free way to get around town.”

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Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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