Creating Modern Transit Ticketing Solutions With NFC

Traditionally, those using public transport have been issued a physical paper ticket as proof of their right to ride. While this remains an effective way by which networks can validate that a passenger has paid to use their service, it seems primitive in the digital age in which we live.

Physical ticketing also brings with it a number of challenges and inefficiencies. For example, the vast scale with which these tickets must be produced creates a significant amount of waste, and issuing each ticket individually can be a slow process.

Dematerializing and digitalizing transport ticketing must therefore be a priority, alongside improving efficiencies, providing consumer convenience and delivering joined up value added services. So how can Public Transport Operators and Authorities (PTOs and PTAs) work to offer communities a new era in transport services which supports door-to-door joined up journey planning and digital ticketing?

The answer: Near Field Communication (NFC). A proximity technology that was originally developed as a data transfer protocol, NFC has evolved to become a multifaceted disruptive presence across a host of ecosystems. Transport ticketing is one such ecosystem which is optimizing the functionality of NFC. It can be used to store a ticket on a smart device or card which passengers can simply tap against a terminal to validate.