The bigger question is, when will commuters who use both PATH and the MTA buses or subways get some form of trip discount or even a transfer from one system into the other for their daily grinds?

Jersey City PATH stations accepting PayPass credit cards

By Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
June 01, 2010, 5:36PM


Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy tests the new "Tap & Go" credit card payment system at the Exchange Place PATH station in Jersey City.

With the wave of his MasterCard PayPass Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy moved seamlessly through the turnstile at the Exchange Place PATH Station yesterday afternoon.

Healy was among the first people to try out the new "Tap & Go" system, a pilot program being used by NJ Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Metropolitan Transportation Authority that will allow riders to pay by credit card on certain buses, PATH trains and subways.
?It?s great,? Healy said. ?I?m glad they?re introducing it here.?

The goal of the six-month pilot program is to allow users of various transportation systems to pay with one method, rather than needing an MTA MetroCard for the subway and PATH and separate tickets for NJ Transit buses.

Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority, said with four PATH stations with connecting buses, Jersey City was a good place to pilot program.

?Tens of thousands of commuters and Jersey City residents who get up in the morning are now going to have a much easier way to get to New York,? Baroni said.

Baroni said the system is being piloted to see how it works and allow for user feedback. If it is successful the boards of the three agencies involved would have to vote on utilizing the technology.

The sensors work with MasterCard PayPass credit and debit cards. Cathleen Conforti, senior vice president of MasterCard?s Global PayPass, said many banks issue PayPass on standard credit cards, but MasterCard account holders can also request the feature.

After trying out the PATH station, Healy and officials from the three participating agencies and MasterCard walked over to a nearby NJ Transit bus to demonstrate the technology on the bus.

Eleven of PATH?s 13 stations, including all of Jersey City?s are outfitted with Tap & Go systems, as well as six buses on NJ Transit three routes that connect to those stations, the 6, 80 and 87. The Christopher Street and 9th Street PATH stations in New York are not part of the pilot, due to technology issues, Baroni said.

In addition, the Lexington Avenue subway lines ? the 4, 5 and 6 ? and eight MTA bus routes ? the M14, M23, M79, M86, M101, M102, M103 and BXM7 ? are also equipped with the technology.

Amy Linden, senior director of New Fare Payment Systems at the MTA, said the agency is trying to phase out MetroCards, which use outdated magnetic strip technology that is being phased out and will become costly to repair.
The use of credit cards also allow users to avoid needing multiple payment options on different transportation lines.

Kim Vaccari, NJ Transit?s chief financial officers, said if the pilot works, the technology could be expanded to train and Light Rail lines.

?If it?s successful and there is money available we?ll expand it wherever we can,? she said.