According to a report from CBC News, TransLink, which operates the regional transport network in Metro Vancouver (updated), has launched a new campaign on Friday with a very important message to their customers.
The company is urging all transit riders to tap their Compass Card directly, not their entire wallet, when paying a transit fare. The educational campaign is designed to pave way for the introduction of a new payment option for riders that use buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus and the West Coast Express.
Later this spring, customers will be able to tap a credit card or mobile wallet on the terminal to pay for their fare. In a statement, TransLink spokeswoman Aliya Mohamed said:
“It’s a chip reader so whichever card is detected first will be the one that is read. You want to make sure that the card that you intend to charge is the one that gets charged.”
TransLink is marketing the new feature towards tourists and residents that may not have a Compass Card. However, the feature will be available to everyone who takes any one of the transit options listed above.
The company is explicitly asking riders not to tap their wallet, as tapping a wallet or phone case with multiple cards in it could lead to the wrong card being charged.
TransLink says that the technology to make this happen is already embedded into the tap-to-pay transit system. The feature simply needs to be activated so that customers can use it.
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All the cards that are “tap” enabled in your wallet should be in a protective cover so they can’t be “tapped” by passing the wallet over a sensor anyway.
If someone has my wallet, it won’t matter if the cards are in those gimmicky protective covers.
If someone has your wallet, report the cards stolen and have them cancelled. While they are in your wallet, they should be in a protective cover. This story isn’t about “if someone else has your wallet”, it is about people who have several “tap” cards in their wallet that will confuse the card readers at Translink. Furthermore, don’t buy a “gimmicky” protective cover, or one of those foil ones. Get a proper one.
Lol you might want to know what the topic is before replying
I’m aware of the topic and I agree that someone needs to take the appropriate means to avoid issues when tapping NFC transit cards. My response was related to the relevance of those protective covers in general.
But you missed the point. Obviously the covers are irrelevant if your wallet is stolen but he topic is about he wallet being in your possession and I. That case, the covers are entirely relevant and in fact, important.
Nick, it’s kind of incredible that you didn’t once mention where this story is from.
it clearly says its from CBC news in the first sentence?
I get it was lifted from CBC.
But I meant where as in place. Country? Province or territory? Region? City?
Sort of a key missing detail.
It’s from Vancouver, BC, but yeah for those not from there it would not have been obvious.
Was this added later? “According to a report from CBC News, TransLink, which operates the regional transport network in Metro Vancouver,”
Wasn’t there originally.
Strike #2, correcting story without notice of update.
These are journalism 101 mistakes.
I don’t expect perfection from this site, but I do get a lot of useful information from it.
It’s awesome site. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help them improve and become more professional.
Coming out with a wallet size card to tap and then telling people to not tap their wallet is kinda like telling people not to put their fork in their mouth. It’s going to add so much time to the gate entry at skytrains and slower lines at busses, as everyone will now be digging through their wallet for their compass card. not everyone can have the card ready in time especially if you got kids or groceries or anything that already has got the person’s hands full. Maybe it’s time translink releases a smaller compass card? Like maybe a compass keychain? Or possibly a compass sticker for the back of your phone? I hope your listening translink.
It literally takes me 4 seconds to take my compass card out of my wallet
Oyster cards work fine in London, and they accept tap payment from other cards/phone (as Translink is planning).
Note that TFL (Transport for London) gave out this same advice. Translink are not re-inventing the wheel here. Cards of the size they have and the method they use works well millions of times per month in London.
These methods work and work well (with the appropriate advice)., I don’t recall stories in London about multitudes of grocery laden people holding up the lineups.
Isn’t it about time that Translink come up with a digital compass card that can be added to a wallet on our phones?
It will be soon…called “visa or mastercard”. But yes, it is a good suggestion.