The perks of Google’s Nexus S used to lie solely in its unadorned OS. Now, owners of its penultimate Android flagship are about to get some additional mileage out in their Gingerbread-bearing handsets, courtesy of that underused NFC chip. The recently awakened near field communication feature’s already been put to public task by Google Wallet and taking part merchants, and may now add NJ Transit to its list of contactless payment partners. Select locations within the Garden State’s transportation network, including Penn Station and Newark Airport’s AirTrain, will let owners of Sprint’s Nexus S 4G tap-to-pay for tickets at windows and vending machines. Unfortunately, the mobile payment system won’t replace your need for an exact physical ticket or monthly pass just yet, and requires you choose-in with either Citi Mastercard or Visa . Still, it is a definite boon for rushed commuters who’ll not ought to juggle their bags, bagels, coffee and phones a good way to buy a ticket and make it to work on time. Not yet enabled via NFC? Tap-to-erase-spray tans, but that’s coming within the Galaxy Nexus , right?
Contactless payment service now available at The big apple Penn Station, Newark Airport Station and on select bus routes
October 19, 2011
NEWARK, NJ – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today announced that NJ TRANSIT is the primary public transportation agency to partner with Google Wallet, Google’s recently released contactless payment system. With Google Wallet, NJ TRANSIT rail and bus customers give you the chance to exploit their smartphones to tap and pay for transportation tickets at select locations.
“Our partnership with Google demonstrates that NJ TRANSIT and the State are on the forefront of emerging technology, paving the best way for further exploration of recent customer support technologies,” said Governor Christie. “I’m proud that New Jersey’s public transportation system is the first actual public transportation agency to partner with Google Wallet, joining thousands of outlets accepting Wallet around the nation.”
“We’re putting the most recent technology to work for our customers and improve the total customer experience, that is probably the most areas of focus of our Scorecard initiative,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “By partnering with Google, we’re leading the industry with emerging technologies which will streamline the manner customers buy their transportation tickets.”
“Transit have been a standard portion of every major successful NFC effort globally and is a critical portion of Google Wallet’s success,” said Stephanie Tilenius, vice chairman of Commerce at Google. “Transit is the fastest solution to accelerate adoption and reach usage density in major urban centers by habituating the behavior of tapping and paying with phones, and we’re excited to launch our transit effort here with NJ TRANSIT.”
Google Wallet is a free mobile app that transforms customers’ smartphones into their wallets, making “tap and pay” transactions quick and convenient by storing virtual versions of users’ mastercards on their phones. The technology uses “near field communication” (NFC), which enables wireless data transmission between two objects once they are brought in close proximity with each other. By making payments with an easy wave in their phone in front of a sensor, customers who use Google Wallet will now not must juggle cash or mastercards to make purchases.
Now, NJ TRANSIT customers can use Google Wallet to buy transportation tickets at Big apple Penn Station ticket vending machines and ticket windows, Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station (AirTrain), on bus route nos. 6, 43, 80, 81, 87, and 120, and on some buses at the 126 line.
Currently, Google Wallet is accessible on Sprint’s Nexus S 4G phone and supports Citi MasterCard mastercards and a Google Prepaid Card, with plans to support additional card companies and more Android devices with NFC capabilities someday.
The general public-private partnership with Google Inc. was developed for free of charge to NJ TRANSIT.
For more info about Google Wallet, visit google.com/wallet.
For NJ TRANSIT schedules and fares, visit njtransit.com.
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