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RAA welcomes a State Government initiative to roll out Tap and Pay technology on all Adelaide Metro buses, delivering on one of the key priorities in RAA’s most recent state budget submission.
Tap and Pay technology allows riders to pay for their trip with a credit card, rather than having to pre-purchase an Adelaide MetroCard and ensure it’s topped up.
The technology, which is already available on all Adelaide Metro trams and O-Bahn buses, will now be rolled out across all bus services in the coming months.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said the technology would make it easier for casual commuters to use public transport.
“Embracing technology to improve the customer experience on public transport services will encourage infrequent users to use the system more often,” Mr Mountain said.
“The need to carry a physical card has been a key barrier to uptake for many casual commuters, so we welcome the fact all Adelaide Metro buses will soon have Tap and Pay technology on board.”
Mr Mountain said RAA had been calling for the technology along with various other improvements to South Australia’s public transport system, which has typically been one of the least-used in the country.
“Approximately half of South Australia’s population haven’t used public transport in the last 12 months.
“As we rebound from the pandemic, we believe now is the time to invest in our public transport system and improve its reputation.
“Last year we surveyed our members about South Australia’s public transport system, and the results revealed that commuters strongly support a digital ticketing option.
“It found 64 per cent of respondents would use an app that allowed them to pay for public transport trips.
“The Tap and Pay roll-out is the first step on the road towards other digital public transport ticket options, which could allow commutes to purchase other types of tickets including concession and validate through an app.”
Following the upcoming rollout, paper MetroTickets will be phased out and no longer accepted on buses from 1 July 2023.
For more on RAA’s advocacy priorities visit https://daily.raa.com.au/representing-you/.