Imagine never missing another subway while others are feverishly shoveling through their bags in a frantic search for their subway card.
The MTA is busy at work developing a pass that you won’t have to swipe at the turnstiles, outgoing MTA head Elliot Sander told The New York Post.
“We’re looking to have a contactless device instead of a MetroCard. Right now, when you go onto the buses, you see lines of people waiting to swipe the MetroCard,” said Sander, whose tenure ends today.
Better still, Sandler says the transit authority envisions a day when your swipeless MetroCard is integrated with the E-ZPass that pays your bridge, tunnel and road tolls.
Sandler says the new passes could be in use as soon as 2011. But before you celebrate, remember that these are the same people who still haven’t managed to master GPS technology.
Sandler’s departure was hastened by Gov. David Paterson’s “widespread cleanup and clean-out” of the MTA in the wake of all the recent budget fiascoes.
(Source: NBC New York)
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5 Responses
“before you celebrate, remember that these are the same people who still haven’t managed to master GPS technology”…”
… and even when they do, had the train tell passengers it’s going the wrong way, causing me to miss my train at Grand Central last night.
But this would definitely be a great thing, very helpful. And once they’re integrating, why not have it work on Metro-North and LIRR too?
The MTA always did have their priorities straight.
MTA: You’re on the verge of bankruptcy, taking more of our money every day, begging for bailouts — d’ya think the R&D can wait?! Swipe-cards have been working well enough for years now, I think we need financial stability more than a card technology change.
Not to long ago weren’t they claiming that they are strapped for cash? Where are they getting the funds for this?
Could this be a way of trying to justify/validate their raise in our fares? 🙁 I want tokens back, at least they worked!