New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has added Apple Pay and Masterpass to its mobile app offerings.
The mobile payment options – Apple Pay for iOS users and Masterpass for iOS and Android users – stand in for the process of manually typing credit card numbers, billing info and security codes to purchase digital fare cards.
“We have worked tirelessly to rebuild and reimagine New York’s transit system for the 21st century and a key part of those efforts is to incorporate the amenities that modern day riders demand,” New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said in an Oct. 4 news release. “By adding the use of cutting edge technology like Apple Pay and Masterpass, we are not only making mass transit easier to use, but are also improving the overall experience of riders.”
MTA eTix, the transit authority’s mobile ticketing app, was rolled out in phases by train line this summer. It was originally scheduled to launch at the end of the year. Riders can purchase one way, round-trip, ten-trip, weekly, monthly and CityTickets through the app.
“We believe that the addition of these secure payment options will help us to do an even better job of meeting the needs of our customers,” MTA chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said in the release. “We look forward to further building the user-base for the app in the weeks and months ahead.”
