[Sigia-l] NYC Metrocard Vending Machines

[John McCrory]

Not entirely on-topic, but some interesting things about the system I
learned while having a beer last night with a chap who works with Metrocard
stuff at the MTA:

--the most common payment option is the $17 7-day unlimited ride Metrocard;

--with all the many ways people pay, the average NYC transit fare is
currently $1.06 per trip;

--the new credit and debit card only machines are (no surprise) far cheaper
to operate and maintain and less likely to break down;

--the central computer on which the Metrocard system rests handles more than
6,500,000 transactions a day;

--in the next few years, the MTA is looking to introduce a touchless
Metrocard and possibly also a smartcard Metrocard (with a chip in it) that
could serve as an electronic wallet.

  John McCrory |
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