At the occasion of the Cards
2008 congress
in Paris, MasterCard Worldwide and RATP have announced that they are
cooperating at developing the functional and technical requirements and
feasibility
of using MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM) contactless payment cards to access public
transport
services. The goal is to help French and foreign travellers gain faster
access to
public transportation by simply taping their MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM)bank
card in front
of a validator. In association with la Banque Postale, lab and field
tests could
also be conducted in the course of 2009.
More speed, more efficiency
PayPass contactless technology was developed to enable card payments for
all types
of purchases. It comes in addition to the functions of an international
bank card
in order to meet the needs of those points of sale which require a quick
payment
(restaurants, service stations, retail distribution, transportation,
etc.). RATP
and MasterCard in association with La Banque Postale aim at presenting
the Public
Transport organizing authorities with a solution enabling French and foreign
travellers to have a direct access to the subway, the bus or the tramway
thanks to
their bank card. Simply tapping the card on contactless validators will
be enough
to pay and validate their journey in less than one second.
As stressed by Emmanuel Petit, Chairman and CEO of MasterCard France: “By
cooperating with RATP, MasterCard takes another step toward the
implementation of
contactless payment in France and throughout the world, where, as of 3Q
2008, there
are nearly 44 million PayPass cards and devices already in circulation.
This will
allow public transport operators to benefit from our expertise gained
through the
implementation of similar projects, particularly in Taiwan and New York,
which have
demonstrated how the speed, convenience and security of contactless
payments can
improve the commuter experience. It also testifies to our commitment to
help banks
develop innovative payment solutions addressing their clients’ needs.
Nowadays, all
banks have an important role to play in the widespread use of contactless
payments.”
“Through this innovative work”, says Philippe Vappereau, Head of User
Services at
the RATP, “we aim at bringing a practical answer to the needs of
travellers. This
effort reinforces an already close collaboration with our partners:
MasterCard with
whom we have been working in the area of payment solutions and La Banque
Postale,
“In addition to its tight association to the feasibility study, La
Banque Postale
will be in a position, in case of positive decision of the organizing
authorities,
to ensure the acquisition of transactions generated by these cards as
soon as end
of year 2009.” Jean-Marie Dragon, Head of Means of Payment at La Banque
Postale,
the exclusive RATP Bank for acquiring (counters, Ticket Vending Machines and
Internet sales) further says: “we wish to pass on our knowledge and
know-how in the
domain of card payments, and thereafter position ourselves as the first
French bank
to offer a PayPass contactless payment card usable in public transit
networks.”
About MasterCard Transit
The transit sector has emerged as a new category experiencing increased
adoption of
contactless payments, as a growing number of transportation agencies try
to speed
up the purchase of rides, optimize fare collection and keep up with
consumer demand
for alternative payment choices. MasterCard is a leader in bringing
MasterCard
PayPass to subway systems, buses, taxis and parking lots, with several
consumer
trials and programs currently underway with transit agencies and
transportation
networks globally.
Recent Transit Announcements:
MasterCard Announces PayPassPilot on Liverpool Buses
In October, MasterCard Worldwide announced that Liverpool will be the
next city
where contactless devices can be utilized as a one year trial of
MasterCard PayPass
and Maestro PayPass was announced on around 200 buses in Merseyside.
The major
planned rollout in the second quarter of 2009 will be the first ever use of
contactless bankcard payments on public transport in the UK and the first
significant extension of the PayPass way to pay outside London for
members of the
general public.
Royal Bank of Scotland and MasterCard enable taxis for contactless
payments in
London
In June, Londoners were able to use Tap & Go payments in taxis, as the
Royal Bank
of Scotland introduced contactless payment technology in selected black
cabs across
the capital. London is the first city in the UK where contactless cards
can be
used to pay for taxi fares of ÃÂã10 or less.
MasterCard Announces Official Operation of TaiwanMoney Card at Kaohsiung
Mass Rapid
Transit
In April, MasterCard Worldwide, in collaboration with Kaohsiung City
Government and
Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation, announced that TaiwanMoney Card –
the world’s
first dual interface, contact and contactless payment card for
transportation and
every day life expenses – is now officially in operation at Kaohsiung
Mass Rapid
Transit (KMRT).
Port Authority and NJ Transit Announce Trial of MasterCard PayPass on
PATH Train
Stations and Select Bus Routes
In February, Port Authority and NJ Transit announced an eight-month
pilot test that
will allow customers to use MasterCard PayPass and other contactless
cards and
devices to pay their transit fare. The trial, expected to launch in
early 2009,
will be exclusive to MasterCard PayPass customers during the initial two
months of
the test and to other bank-issued contactless card customers as well for the
balance of the test period.
MasterCard, MTA and Citigroup Trial Contactless Payments in Select NYC
Subway
Stations
In 2006, MasterCard Worldwide, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) New
York City Transit, and Citi Cards and Citibank announced a contactless
payment
trial in select NYC subway stations with pre-selected Citi credit card
and Citibank
customers.
About MasterCard Europe and MasterCard Worldwide
MasterCard Europe is the entity responsible for managing MasterCard
Worldwide’s
business in Europe, for Europe. With headquarters in Waterloo, Belgium,
MasterCard
Europe works with 51 European countries organized administratively into
three
customer areas, incorporating the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA),
mature markets
and the developing markets of Europe, stretching as far afield as the
eastern
border of Russia. Through its network of local offices, MasterCard
Europe can
understand and meet the diverse needs of customers in the very different
types of
markets throughout Europe, enabling people to do business in their own
way in their
own language.
Through MasterCard Worldwide, MasterCard Europe offers its European
customers and
consumers access to leading payment services throughout the world.
MasterCard
Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link
among
financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide.
As a
franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment
solutions, processes over 18 billion transactions each year, and provides
industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution
customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including
MasterCard(R),
Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R), MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more
than 210
countries and territories. For more information, go to
http://www.mastercard.com.
About MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM)
MasterCard PayPass is ideal for traditional cash-heavy environments
where speed is
essential, and has led the way in bringing contactless technology to
consumer
categories such as quick serve restaurants, drug stores, gas stations,
vending
machines, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit
systems, taxis
and parking garages. As of 3Q 2008, there are nearly 44 million
PayPasscards and
devices issued globally, and PayPass is currently accepted globally at
more than
135,000 merchant locations, including participating CVS, McDonald’s, and
many
others. PayPass is also accepted at numerous professional football and
baseball
stadiums. For more information about MasterCard PayPass and a full list of
participating merchants, visit www.mastercard.com/paypass.
About RATP
RATP operates, in the Ile-de-France region, one of the largest metro
networks in
the world, featuring 19 subway, RER and tramway lines and 350 bus lines.
To carry
its 10 million daily travelers, RATP employs 45 000 employees whose
mission is to
offer to all the best public urban transport service to the best cost to
the local
tax payer. Through an extensive investment program, RATP aims at
participating to
the improvement of the city commuters’ life conditions, now and in the
future,
thanks to a quality, security, ecological, economical and caring transit
service.
About la Banque Postale (www.labanquepostale.fr)
La Banque Postale, a banking subsidiary of La Poste Group is a unique
and singular
bank on the retail banking market in France. Faithful to its values of
public
service, confidence and proximity, La Banque Postale has placed attention to
customers at the heart of its business. It works alongside its
customers, personal
and business, in a long-term banking relationship with an accessible
range of
products and services at reasonable rates. It is continuously enriching
its product
offering in particular using the expertise of its subsidiaries and
partners, thus
opening up to new business fields. La Banque Postale is accessible 24/7,
everywhere
at any time.
