Post by snoggle on Apr 20, 2016 0:12:29 GMT
Just spotted an extra Finance and Policy meeting has been slotted into the schedule for tomorrow. One of the items on the agenda is a paper relating to the commercial exploitation (licensing and development) of TfL's "black box" technology which processes contactless payment card data and charges bank / credit card accounts.
content.tfl.gov.uk/fpc-20160421-item03a-part1-commercial-exploitation-contactless-systems.pdf
Looks like an international transport organisation wants to do a deal and develop the technology for use on their system. The paper, unsurprisingly, is silent on who the customer is but I'd not be shocked if it was either RATP or the old Creative Star (now Octopus Cards Ltd) from Hong Kong. Singapore are also investigating the use of contactless payment cards for their buses and MRT network but I'd be surprised if they were ready to sign up now. Of course RATP and Singapore have directly owned businesses in London providing bus services so they will know how things are going via those companies as well as via direct contact with TfL as part of normal industry relationships / co-operation.
EDIT - a Twitter contact has suggested it might be New South Wales in Oz. Not many contacts between LU and NSW (he says ironically
) on all things railway! 
2nd EDIT - the customer is confirmed as Sydney in NSW. www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/sydney-to-use-transport-for-london-open-payment-technology.html
content.tfl.gov.uk/fpc-20160421-item03a-part1-commercial-exploitation-contactless-systems.pdf
Looks like an international transport organisation wants to do a deal and develop the technology for use on their system. The paper, unsurprisingly, is silent on who the customer is but I'd not be shocked if it was either RATP or the old Creative Star (now Octopus Cards Ltd) from Hong Kong. Singapore are also investigating the use of contactless payment cards for their buses and MRT network but I'd be surprised if they were ready to sign up now. Of course RATP and Singapore have directly owned businesses in London providing bus services so they will know how things are going via those companies as well as via direct contact with TfL as part of normal industry relationships / co-operation.
EDIT - a Twitter contact has suggested it might be New South Wales in Oz. Not many contacts between LU and NSW (he says ironically
) on all things railway! 
2nd EDIT - the customer is confirmed as Sydney in NSW. www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/sydney-to-use-transport-for-london-open-payment-technology.html
