From San Francisco Chronicle
BART tests selling tickets by cell phone
By Rachel Gordon
BART will commence a four-month trial today in which 230 handpicked volunteers will be able to use mobile phones to buy tickets, pass through the fare gates and download information.
The participants, all regular BART riders who have Sprint or Boost mobile service plans, will test the technology called near-field communication, which lets their phones interact with everything from ticket machines to so-called smart advertisements in the stations. They also will be able to pay for food and drinks at Jack in the Box restaurants during the trial period.
Last year, San Francisco launched a trial in which motorists could use their cell phones to pay for parking at select street meters. Results are still pending. |
