For metro applications, a matter that cannot be overlooked is passenger experience. RFID technology and smart cards can improve the overall metro experience, reducing the "entry barrier" so that people use public transportation more frequently.
RFID monitors safety inspection points such as fire points, flood control doors and
Contactless smart cards are used successfully in the metros of London, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. The mass transit market, specifically, comprises 15 to 20 percent of global contactless smart card revenues. The world smart card market, which
Improving Passenger Experience
The possibility to migrate to new platforms and form factors while easily using multiple applications on the card manages masses of people and helps transportation operators focus more on customer service, rather than ticket control. "Transport operators are frequently confronted with ticket fraud through low or nonexistent security mechanisms of their card and reader population," said Urs Lampe, VP of Product Marketing and New Business, Legic Identsystems. Ideally, integrated smart card systems are immune to fraud and offer form factors of cards, tokens, NFC phones
In Japan, Korea and Taiwan, smart cards are also used as a transit card as well as an e-purse within the city, at specific merchant outlets and vending machines. Commuter congestion is reduced, and card holders experience greater convenience (no need to fish for coins or notes). "At the end of the day, if you look at successful projects in Asia and Europe, one could say that in a public transport system that is well-used by the public, the implementation was worth it," Foong said.