Transit Riders in Portland Now Able to Add Hop Fastpass to Apple's Wallet App

[MacRumors]

As of today, transit users in the Portland-Vancouver area are able to use their iPhones and Apple Watches to ride the TriMet, C-Tran, and Portland Streetcar, according to the Portland Tribune.

A new update to the Hop app for the Portland area allows the Hop Fastpass for these transit services to be added to Apple Wallet, and from Apple Wallet, they can be used in lieu of a physical ticket or card.

To use the new Hop Fastpass option, riders can hold an iPhone or an Apple Watch near the reader on MAX platforms and in buses and streetcars. There is no need to unlock the iPhone or confirm with Face ID or Touch ID with the Apple Pay Express Transit services.

Simply download the Hop Fastpass app from the App Store, choose the "Add a Hop card" option, and follow the on-screen instructions to make a purchase. From there, choose the "add to Apple Wallet" option. This new system will be replacing the existing TriMet app, which is being phased out by the end of 2020.

"Apple Pay transforms everyday experiences and we're thrilled Portland-Vancouver residents will now be able to go quickly through their daily commute with just their iPhone and Apple Watch," Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey told the Portland Tribune.

Transit users can continue to earn a day pass or a month pass, purchase Youth and Honored Citizen Fares, and reload card value using Apple Pay payments.

For visitors to Portland or residents who use transit infrequently, there is an option to use Apple Pay Express Transit with a credit or debit card to pay for trips. Using the new service requires iOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1, updates that were released last week.

Express Transit mode Apple Pay features will also be introduced in Chicago and New York later this year, and are already available in Japan and China. You can also use Apple Pay features for transit without Express Transit mode in Canada, China, Russia, Singapore, the UK, and for Chicago's Ventra system.

Article Link: Transit Riders in Portland Now Able to Add Hop Fastpass to Apple's Wallet App

 

[munpip214]

Just added it to my wallet, haven't tested it out, but apparently i cannot add it to both my watch and my phone at the same time, like other credit cards. During setup I had to pick one or the other, so I picked my phone. I didn't see a way in the app to select the watch. When I went to wallet settings in the watch app, I chose it to add to my watch and it then removed it from my phone.

It automatically selected the card for "Express Transit Card", which was nice.

 

[mikethemartian]

At first glance I thought it said ihop.

 

[Novaoblivion]

Just added it to my wallet, haven't tested it out, but apparently i cannot add it to both my watch and my phone at the same time, like other credit cards. During setup I had to pick one or the other, so I picked my phone. I didn't see a way in the app to select the watch. When I went to wallet settings in the watch app, I chose it to add to my watch and it then removed it from my phone.

It automatically selected the card for "Express Transit Card", which was nice.

Yeah I noticed this too, kind of a bummer it'd be nice to have on both incase one runs out of juice.

 

[ipedro]

I love this. I hope that the TTC in Toronto adopts this. Presto Card is such a mess. Adding iPhone and Android support would go long way to fixing it.

Presto terminals aren’t connected in real time to the central database. So adding money to a card using the Presto app or website doesn’t update for up to 24 hours. That will leave you stranded if you find yourself without credit on your card. Moving the card into a smartphone wallet, fixes that problem because the phone is connected in real time.

 

[JCoe13]

Looking forward to Ventra adding this in Chicago. I hope this announcement means that Ventra’s will come soon too since they were announced together...

 

[jimthing]

Oysters card and Freedom Passes in London need this BADLY!

Most people have to use the above and NOT credit/debit cards. Come on TfL: sort it out!!

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Just added it to my wallet, haven't tested it out, but apparently i cannot add it to both my watch and my phone at the same time, like other credit cards.

Yeah, that is odd. I wonder if it's an Apple thing or a TriMet (Portland's transit agency) thing... One aspect someone pointed out to me is that then two people could use it at the same time, by using it from two different devices, thus "fare skipping".

Also, when converting one of the "Hop" physical tap-fare cards to an e-card for Apple Wallet, it deactivates the physical card. Once you put that "RFID token" on your phone, that's it, it's on your phone (or watch.) No putting it back on the physical card. (Which can't run out of batteries.)

It automatically selected the card for "Express Transit Card", which was nice.

That bit is nice - it means that unlike any other Apple Wallet card, you *DON'T* have to "double click to approve". You can just tap your phone/watch on the reader and be on your way.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Believe the Japanese invented this solution? Either way the Japanese are such great makers. They make the very best/most reliable and high quality on so many fronts. If they made a Mac keyboard... ah well

 

[SBlue1]

Yeah I noticed this too, kind of a bummer it'd be nice to have on both incase one runs out of juice.

Maybe to prevent people from using one with the watch and taking a friend for free with the phone? My guess.

 

[nicho]

Most people have to use the above and NOT credit/debit cards. Come on TfL: sort it out!!

Contactless accounts for 45% of transactions and is "rising linearly" so I suspect TFL won't bother to sort it out.

Source: https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/mccom/en-us/documents/ContactlessTFLLondonCaseStudy.pdf

 

[Whitfield]

As of today, transit users in the Portland-Vancouver area are able to use their iPhones and Apple Watches to ride the TriMet, C-Tran, and Portland Streetcar, according to the Portland Tribune.

A new update to the Hop app for the Portland area allows the Hop Fastpass for these transit services to be added to Apple Wallet, and from Apple Wallet, they can be used in lieu of a physical ticket or card.

To use the new Hop Fastpass option, riders can hold an iPhone or an Apple Watch near the reader on MAX platforms and in buses and streetcars. There is no need to unlock the iPhone or confirm with Face ID or Touch ID with the Apple Pay Express Transit services.

Simply download the Hop Fastpass app from the App Store, choose the "Add a Hop card" option, and follow the on-screen instructions to make a purchase. From there, choose the "add to Apple Wallet" option. This new system will be replacing the existing TriMet app, which is being phased out by the end of 2020.

"Apple Pay transforms everyday experiences and we're thrilled Portland-Vancouver residents will now be able to go quickly through their daily commute with just their iPhone and Apple Watch," Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey told the Portland Tribune.

Transit users can continue to earn a day pass or a month pass, purchase Youth and Honored Citizen Fares, and reload card value using Apple Pay payments.

For visitors to Portland or residents who use transit infrequently, there is an option to use Apple Pay Express Transit with a credit or debit card to pay for trips. Using the new service requires iOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1, updates that were released last week.

Express Transit mode Apple Pay features will also be introduced in Chicago and New York later this year, and are already available in Japan and China. You can also use Apple Pay features for transit without Express Transit mode in Canada, China, Russia, Singapore, the UK, and for Chicago's Ventra system.

Article Link: Transit Riders in Portland Now Able to Add Hop Fastpass to Apple's Wallet App

I find this article puzzling, I’ve been using Apple Pay to ride public transit in Portland for over a year. I fail to see why I would bother switching to this method, it sounds like it’s essentially the same in practice.

 

[MisterSavage]

This would have made my visit to Portland so much easier. Hope it expands to more cities rapidly!

 

[dontwalkhand]

I find this article puzzling, I’ve been using Apple Pay to ride public transit in Portland for over a year. I fail to see why I would bother switching to this method, it sounds like it’s essentially the same in practice.

You couldn’t earn a monthly pass with the old method. This method let’s you earn a pass like a regular hop card. This method also supports under 18 fares and over 65 fares, the old method only supported full adult fares.

And this is exciting news for transit systems that don’t have credit card Apple Pay. It gives them an avenue to load passes onto people’s phones for cities like SF and Clipper Cards.

 

[RobNYC]

At first glance I thought it said ihop.

Same!

 

[magiic]

Maybe Apple can work to roll this out in their backyard for the Clipper card on (VTA/Caltrain/Muni/BART etc)

 

[dontwalkhand]

Maybe Apple can work to roll this out in their backyard for the Clipper card on (VTA/Caltrain/Muni/BART etc)

Clipper Card was already said to happen along with LA tap! . They just aren’t getting “credit card Apple Pay” which I’m ok with.

 

[jimthing]

Contactless accounts for 45% of transactions and is "rising linearly" so I suspect TFL won't bother to sort it out.

Source: https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/mccom/en-us/documents/ContactlessTFLLondonCaseStudy.pdf

Nice research skills! Though of course Mastercard are going to trumpet their own system aren't they. So I'd take that document as the advert it really is.

The trouble is that many get season tickets on Oyster and/or discounted stuff (kids, unemployed, disabled, etc.), and older folks are forced to use an entirely different system to everyone else in their Freedom Pass (my mother frigging hates she can't use her phone like everyone else).

So why should any of these groups be needlessly discriminated against? They shouldn't, and given the size of TfL's network (millions of users daily), it's ridiculous that they can't make an app, while much smaller transport networks, elsewhere on the planet, can and do.

 

[nicho]

Nice research skills! Though of course Mastercard are going to trumpet their own system aren't they. So I'd take that document as the advert it really is.

The trouble is that many get season tickets on Oyster and/or discounted stuff (kids, unemployed, disabled, etc.), and older folks are forced to use an entirely different system to everyone else in their Freedom Pass (my mother frigging hates she can't use her phone like everyone else).

So why should any of these groups be needlessly discriminated against? They shouldn't, and given the size of TfL's network (millions of users daily), it's ridiculous that they can't make an app, while much smaller transport networks, elsewhere on the planet, can and do.

Rather than an app or integrating a mobile Oyster card (which I believe some have suggested they would prefer to get rid of long term), since they already have the infrastructure for capping fares in place there’s no real reason they couldn’t allow registration of season tickets to device id/card number (for real contactless transactions) and remove charges accordingly.