Near Field Communications Handsets and Tags, NFC Pilots and Projects

Streetcar App now online

Friday, January 22, 2010

Streetcar announced its new app for iPhone and iPod touch is now available from the App Store. The Streetcar App enables users across the UK to locate, book and open a car using their iPhone or iPod touch coupled with smart card technology.

Users can unlock the rentals using either their iPhone or iPod touch, or a remotely activated smart card. Once the customer is finished with the car, he or she can return it to a dedicated Streetcar parking space.


Independent research conducted by Transport for London shows that each car club vehicle on the road replaces an average of 26 privately-owned cars. Each rental car has an average of 40 users and, of those, over half chose not to buy (or replace) a car when they join the club. Streetcar has already taken approximately 20,000 privately-owned cars off the UK’s streets and is aiming to prevent the emission of around 50,000 tonnes of CO2 over the next two years.

The Streetcar App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/. [end] 

The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council has published a white paper examining how the transit industry can best make use of NFC technology.

“One of the major challenges facing transit agencies today is how to capitalize on the ever-growing popularity of mobile phones with a solid mobile strategy,” said Transportation Council Chairman Craig Roberts. “This white paper builds on the knowledge base developed in earlier white papers to foster a greater understanding of NFC technology, explain its role in the transit industry, and shed light on key issues facing the transit industry in developing a mobile strategy.”

read more »

The Peninsula Taxi Association (PTA) in South Africa has launched a electronic fare collection system, granting commuters cashless fare and discounts when using the newly developed contactless-enabled transit card, according to The Cape Times.

read more »

Plymouth Citybus passengers can now purchase advance tickets on the transit operator’s Web site thanks to a new partnership with UK online payment processor SecureTrading.

read more »

After nearly ten years and over €55 million, Dublin’s “Leap” transit card has finally hit the market, reports Herald.ie.

The contactless smart card is now available for use on Dublin Buss, Luas, Dart and commuter rail lines around the capital. Rather than having to buy separate tickets or pay with cash, Dublin commuters now can just tap their Leap card against a reader aboard the transport of their choosing.

read more »

Washington D.C. high school and middle school students now need a DC One Card to ride the city’s transit system. The card is a single ID card that gives students access to most D.C. government programs and facilities, including recreation centers, libraries, and the Metro.

read more »

Cubic Transportation Systems, distributor of the electronic transit Clipper card, has responded to the recent news of a Ph.D. student in IT Security allegedly breaking the encryption in Clipper and similar transit cards.

read more »