In 2025, an estimated 13 million open-loop EMV bank cards and mobile wallets are expected to be used in transit ticketing. While consumers are increasingly saying they expect open payment, transit rider adoption is lagging. If your transit agency has implemented open payment, you may still be struggling with rider conversion to this tap-and-go method of fare collection.
Why the hesitation? After all, your riders are used to seeing contactless bank card or mobile wallet payment at the cash register where they shop for food, clothing, or household supplies. Reasons they’ve been slow to accept open payment on transit include:
- Riders may not know that open payment a fare payment option for your transit system.
- Riders may not realize the advantage of switching from their current payment method.
- Riders may be concerned about the security of their data or card number.
- Riders may be unaware that discounts provided by fare capping, reduced fares, or transfers are available using open payment.
Whatever the reason, it’s important for your transit agency not just actively promote open payment, but to address these concerns.
Why and how your transit agency should promote open payment
Open payment can ultimately yield increased route efficiency, higher transit usage, decreased dwell time, and frictionless travel for riders. Because open payment can be beneficial to both your agency and your riders, it’s imperative to promote your agency’s open payment capabilities. Promoting the availability and benefits of open payment can lead to increased awareness, and ultimately adoption and continued use of open payment. Consider placing promotional messages:
- On your agency’s social media and website
- On signage on buses and at stations
- In advertisements online and in local papers, magazines, and radio stations
- In partnership with local event venues, convention bureaus, hotels, airports, and other sports, cultural, or visitor services organizations
Focusing on the specific and immediate benefits to riders is the most important angle your agency should prioritize when promoting open payment. Regardless of marketing channels or medium, it’s key to emphasize how open payment will be helpful for the average rider, and to be clear how each benefit provided by open payment will play out during their transit experience.
While some riders may not be fully ready to give up using traditional methods of paying for transit, like transit cards or cash, open payment is simply another option that your agency should encourage riders to consider that will ultimately make their lives easier.
Focus on the positive transit experience that open payment will create for riders. To get you started, we’ve outlined some of the major benefits that open payment grants riders, as well as sample messaging that your agency can use as a starting point to help communicate these benefits.
Tips for promoting open payment: Benefits to focus on
Simplicity
With open payment, riders don’t have to do anything new. Instead of acquiring cash (often exact change), buying a new transit card, or downloading an app, they’re able to use a card or digital wallet that they already carry, ultimately simplifying their transit experience. Because riders won’t have to wait for their new or replacement transit card to arrive, they can utilize transit immediately.
In your marketing efforts, emphasize that utilizing open payment will grant riders an optimal transit experience by eliminating the extra step of acquiring transit-specific payment. This can be especially useful for tourists or those who may be using multiple modes of transportation. Some sample posts might include:
“Visiting [insert city] and want to easily get around? Use your credit card or digital wallet to simply tap and go – no transit card needed!”
“No transit card? No worries! [Insert transit agency] allows you to use your credit card or digital wallet on all buses, subways, and trolleys to pay your fare and get you where you need to go.”
By telling riders that they can use what’s already in their physical or digital wallets, they can begin to understand how open payment simplifies their transit payment process.
Smoother transit experience
Open payment offers a high level of convenience and was created with riders in mind. When communicating open payment to riders, emphasize that the system offers them a seamless transit experience with little friction. With open payment’s contactless offerings, riders can simply tap and go in a matter of seconds.
Open payment’s unique technology allows riders to quickly board, making their experience faster and easier. Let passengers know that they won’t have to rummage through their wallet to find their dedicated transit card or exact change, but can simply present their debit or credit card or digital wallet to speed up board time. Sample marketing ads might look like the following:
“Take it easy! Simply tap and go with your bank card or digital wallet to board [insert transit agency] buses faster!”
Ditch the dig through your purse or pocket! Pay your [insert transit agency] fare with your phone or watch digital wallet.
Centro, the Central New York Regional Transport Authority, has created an effective promotional video showcasing the seamless transit experience offered by open payment. Take a look for some inspiration!
Variety of options
Let your riders know that with open payment, they have a number of choices when it comes to their fare payment options. Point out to riders specific examples of the many payment methods accepted by your open payment system, including credit and debit cards with the contactless symbol, smartphone digital wallets, and wallets on a watch or other wearables.
Highlighting the many different types of payment that your agency will be able to accept via open payment will ensure that a large and diverse pool of riders are able to recognize a payment form that they already have, and be encouraged to use it to pay their fare. Promotional language could include something like:
“Did you know that [insert transit authority] accepts cards like Visa, Mastercard and Discover? Use your contactless credit or debit card to easily pay your fare.”
“Paying for transit just got easier. Use your digital wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to pay your fare on [insert transit authority] – it’s as easy as tap and go.”
Demonstrating and providing examples of the numerous payment options will help you reach a broader pool of riders and resonate with riders who already have one or more of these payment options.
Affordability and security
With open payment, riders can rest assured that they’re paying the lowest fare possible. Show riders that they can take advantage of fare capping, transfers, discounts, or reduced fares with their personal payment method. When riders are assured that their pricing and applicable discounts will be retained, they will be more likely to adopt the open payment system.
Additionally, some riders may have reservations about using their personal cards and wallets instead of dedicated transit cards, as they may worry about their financial information being compromised. However, explain to riders that open payment methods operate with the highest degree of security. Open payment systems are equipped with secure data processing, as well as encryption and tokenization methods to reduce the risk of a credit card data breach, so reassure riders that using their payment method of choice is extremely safe. Some inspiration copy could read:
“Your discount doesn’t disappear if you pay by card! Keep your student or senior discount when you pay with your contactless bank card. Just show the driver your ID!”
“Paying by card? [Insert transit agency] utilizes encrypted transactions when you pay with your bank card or digital wallet, so your financial information remains safe and secure.”
In summary
When communicating open payment in your marketing and communications, it is paramount to let your riders know that your transit not only offers this technology, but why it is truly beneficial for them. Homing in on how open payment will improve their transit experience across important considerations like seamless boarding and affordability will allow riders to understand how the system works, and most importantly, how it will make their transit journey better.
For more information on open payment, read Genfare’s comprehensive open payment white paper.