Card payment available on all TMB buses from 2021
The project, which is driven by TMB and the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM), is now entering an accelerated phase with the start of the necessary tenders to make credit or debit card payments on TMB's more than 1,000 buses possible.
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) is implementing a technological system enabling passengers to purchase single tickets by bank card on board buses.
The new project complements the system for payments by mobile phone, available on all TMB buses since 17 June. It represents another step towards the goal of eliminating cash payments on board vehicles, a measure which helps guarantee health and safety.
The contracts have already been tendered for the development of the project, including the design of the systems, the installation of card readers, integration with existing equipment on board buses and technical support for four years. In line with the specifications for the tendering processes, the goal is for a pilot scheme for bank card payments to run in the spring of 2021, with the system to be installed on the entire fleet of TMB buses in September.
Easier access for occasional users
The introduction of card payments will make it easier for occasional passengers to use buses (single tickets account for 2% of tickets validated on the TMB network). When the system is implemented, any person from any country will be able to board buses and pay by card, without having to do anything in advance.
Manual ticket sales on board buses were suspended in line with the prevention measures applied at the start of the state of emergency, avoiding proximity between drivers and passengers. With the lockdown exit, once the buses all have separating screens installed, drivers will once again be able to attend to the public but will not be selling tickets.
This eliminates the use of cash and the issue of physical tickets, streamlining the service and meaning buses spend less time at bus stops.
While the card payment system is implemented, electronic versions of the single ticket will still be available via mobile phones using the TMB app, or by validating QR codes located on board the buses, a solution developed during the lockdown and operational since 17 June.
Card payments for single TMB bus tickets will be another step in the technological transformation project which ATM is developing within the context of the T-mobilitat. The solution could be applied later to buses run by the rest of the operators from the system.
Source: TMB
