LA Metro's TAP Card Now Supports Apple Pay With Express Transit Mode

[MacRumors]

As promised, Los Angeles Metro's TAP card now supports Apple Pay with Express Transit mode, allowing the card to be added to the Wallet app on a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch for tap-and-go payment at rail stations and on buses.

Express Transit mode allows users to pay for rides without having to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch, or open an app. The mode also bypasses the need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Users simply need to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless payment reader until a checkmark appears on the display.

While the Los Angeles Metro is set to formally announce its new TAP app later today, Apple has already updated a support document to reflect TAP's support for Apple Pay, as spotted by Twitter user Kanjo, who shared the screenshot above.

Apple Pay with Express Transit mode went live for the SmarTrip card in the Washington, D.C. area earlier this week, and the feature is also available in New York City, Portland, London, Hong Kong, and many cities across China and Japan.

Article Link: LA Metro's TAP Card Now Supports Apple Pay With Express Transit Mode

 

[katbel]

It’s a cool feature, when will be available in Northern regions?

 

[jlocker]

So when can I use it on my flying uber taxi. So I can fly from one large city to another in 15 minutes. I could live in one city and work in another

 

[Antes]

Wish this would have come sooner when I took the trains but better late than never.
In LA they just proposed the Fareless System Initiative in hopes of making all metro rides free for everyone.
I always wanted the convenience of having my TAP card in my phone but free rides sound better to me.

 

[macsplusmacs]

With this express card mode, is the amount of of the bus fare auto payed at that time, or do you have to "fill up" the tap card before hand?

 

[dontwalkhand]

So when can I use it on my flying uber taxi. So I can fly from one large city to another in 15 minutes. I could live in one city and work in another

You can...when you get out of the flying Uber and need ground transport.
[automerge]1599147357[/automerge]
Come on Clipper Card!! I’m excited! I’m literally always in LA, so this is very useful for me. I’m also always in SF, so waiting on that!

 

[squirrelist]

hmm, it seems there is no option to transfer an existing balance like I had with the DC Metro. Just to add funds to a new card. Oh well, next time I’m in LA I’ll just have to use up my old balance the old fashioned way: with plastic.

 

[tuckerjj]

In LA they just proposed the Fareless System Initiative in hopes of making all metro rides free for everyone.
I always wanted the convenience of having my TAP card in my phone but free rides sound better to me.

Right, I keep reading stories like this and thinking “I wish we had Apple Wallet transit cards here in Berlin”. Then I remember that we don’t have any security gates or other checks before entry on public transport (although we’re still supposed to pay, in theory - legal free rides would be even better!)

 

[dontwalkhand]

hmm, it seems there is no option to transfer an existing balance like I had with the DC Metro. Just to add funds to a new card. Oh well, next time I’m in LA I’ll just have to use up my old balance the old fashioned way: with plastic.

View attachment 949906

Download the app. I have successfully transferred my physical card to Apple Pay and even the Metro 31 day pass moved over.

[automerge]1599148165[/automerge]

Right, I keep reading stories like this and thinking “I wish we had this here in Berlin”. Then I remember that we don’t have any security gates or other checks before entry on public transport (although we’re still supposed to pay, in theory - legal free rides would be even better!)

Most US transit doesn’t have fare gates either. We aren’t all New York. You tap a validator before you get on the train or on the bus fare box.

 

[jailbreak74]

hmm, it seems there is no option to transfer an existing balance like I had with the DC Metro. Just to add funds to a new card. Oh well, next time I’m in LA I’ll just have to use up my old balance the old fashioned way: with plastic.

View attachment 949906

You can use their tap app to transfer your current card but I guess you can no longer use the physical card.

‎TAP LA

‎Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority ("LACMTA"), a government agency, is the owner and developer of this app. TAP is your ticket to ride transit in greater Los Angeles! It is accepted on 27 systems including LA Metro, providing a vast network of buses and trains. - Make your travel safe an…

apps.apple.com

 

[Truckondo]

I would maybe use this to head to Staples Center. Last time I used tap cards was kind of annoying with everyone leaving the arena due to refilling the card.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Wish this would have come sooner when I took the trains but better late than never.
In LA they just proposed the Fareless System Initiative in hopes of making all metro rides free for everyone.
I always wanted the convenience of having my TAP card in my phone but free rides sound better to me.

Reading into it the free rides aren’t just hop on and go and you’d still need to possess a fare card with “free passes”...probably to felicitate Inter agency transfers or more likely to keep everyone without a card off. This would still be useful for that. You’d just never have to add any money to it.

 

[gnasher729]

With this express card mode, is the amount of of the bus fare auto payed at that time, or do you have to "fill up" the tap card before hand?

In London, it's connected to a bank account of yours. The money is taken out at the end of the day. Obviously they can't take money when you tap in, because the amount is unknown yet. Express card mode just identifies you. "gnasher was at this point".

 

[dontwalkhand]

In London, it's connected to a bank account of yours. The money is taken out at the end of the day. Obviously they can't take money when you tap in, because the amount is unknown yet. Express card mode just identifies you. "gnasher was at this point".

London is using open loop transit like NYC and Chicago are. LA, and DC are using closed loop transit.

Oyster is supposed to come to Apple Pay soon to join these closed loop cards as people have passes, government benefits, etc on them.

 

[squirrelist]

Download the app. I have successfully transferred my physical card to Apple Pay and even the Metro 31 day pass moved over.
[automerge]1599148165[/automerge]

Ah! Thanks for that. I thought that might be a possible solution but I couldn't find an app. Must have just come out because it's not showing in search. Card transferred.

 

[universick]

You can...when you get out of the flying Uber and need ground transport.
[automerge]1599147357[/automerge]
Come on Clipper Card!! I’m excited! I’m literally always in LA, so this is very useful for me. I’m also always in SF, so waiting on that!

Clipper card is already coming to Google Pay and I would be surprised if that was exclusive to Android, especially since Cubic works with Apple already.

Sources: https://www.businesswire.com/news/h...Cubic-Google-Pay-Enable-Transit-Cards-Android

https://www.cubic.com/news-events/news/cubic-bring-contactless-transit-cards-apple-wallet-starting-chicago-later-year

 

[eccentricglow]

Even with the app, this system is still frustrating to use because it doesn't give the user complete control such as unable to transfer card balances, delete newly created empty cards. Is this something they decided tech-wise they weren't doing because of security? They would save a ton of labor if the user was able to transfer their own balances and cancel any card.

 

[jimthing]

London is using open loop transit like NYC and Chicago are. LA, and DC are using closed loop transit.

Oyster is supposed to come to Apple Pay soon to join these closed loop cards as people have passes, government benefits, etc on them.

Funnily enough, many pundits reckon that Oyster will never get digitised, because TfL who run the whole London transport network want people to connect a bank card to their TfL account to use instead, to keep costs (and complexity) down going forward.

And while Oyster is increasing outside London proper, there is a maximum amount of zones (15, AFAIR) it can ever do, meaning some stations are already becoming contactless card only without Oyster usage.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Even with the app, this system is still frustrating to use because it doesn't give the user complete control such as unable to transfer card balances, delete newly created empty cards. Is this something they decided tech-wise they weren't doing because of security? They would save a ton of labor if the user was able to transfer their own balances and cancel any card.

They want you to call CS or have an employee handle these for security. CTS intentionally designed it this way.

 

[brownpaw]

Is there a way to show you’ve tapped in on an iPhone? Was in London last summer and used ApplePay but it gave me zero proof that I ever tapped in. The ticket checker on the train eventually just believed me but I was afraid I was going to get a citation.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Is there a way to show you’ve tapped in on an iPhone? Was in London last summer and used ApplePay but it gave me zero proof that I ever tapped in. The ticket checker on the train eventually just believed me but I was afraid I was going to get a citation.

Transit Police have Android devices they’ll tap against your device to verify you’ve tapped.

London should have the exact same equipment. If the cops there didn’t have it it’s not your fault. They use the exact same backend that LA does with CTS’s software and equipment. London’s is just CTS’ open loop solution.

 

[DARKiLLUSiON]

Meh..I’m still waiting for Presto to be added to apple wallet but at this rate..I give metrolinx to roll it out .. in 5 years

 

[brownpaw]

Transit Police have Android devices they’ll tap against your device to verify you’ve tapped.

London should have the exact same equipment. If the cops there didn’t have it it’s not your fault. They use the exact same backend that LA does with CTS’s software and equipment. London’s is just CTS’ open loop solution.

Thanks, I was curious how they'd check. This guy had no clue, even though there were signs everywhere about using Apple Pay.

 

[altdimension]

Oyster is supposed to come to Apple Pay soon to join these closed loop cards as people have passes, government benefits, etc on them.

Pretty sure that isn't true, i.e. I've not heard of plans to bring Oyster to Apple Pay.

I would love to be proved wrong though.

 

[jimthing]

Pretty sure that isn't true, i.e. I've not heard of plans to bring Oyster to Apple Pay.

I would love to be proved wrong though.

Various London transport geeks are almost certain that TfL have no plans for any digital version. They want debit/credit card usage, as I mentioned above.