Those attending the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games may find paying for their cab rides will be a bit quicker and easier.
Nxgen Payment Services announced June 28 plans to partner with United Kingdom-based Autocab International to provide credit and debit card terminals for several taxi firms in the UK by the time the games start in July 2012.
“This is a huge thing for us,” says Nxgen CEO Thomas Nitopi. “It’s a project that’s been in the works for a long time.”
Nxgen, of Whitefish, Mont., also partnered with UK-based Elavon Inc., U.S. Bancorp’s merchant-acquiring subsidiary, to install the chip-and-PIN terminals in thousands of cabs, Nitopi said. The terminals will accept all major credit cards and be equipped with Near Field Communication technology to accommodate contactless payments.
Nxgen and Elavon conducted tests to ensure drivers were happy with the terminals and to satisfy Visa Europe’s requirements. Visa is an official sponsor of the games.
Nxgen is working to expand its European business, and the Olympics represent a big push in that direction, Nitopi said.
“Obviously it’s going to be a madhouse there (at the Olympics), and this is going to be good for everybody,” he says.
