The Victorian state government has announced that the public transport contract handled by NTT will end in November 2023 with US company Conduent taking over with a $1.7B contract. And one of their top priorities will be modernising the platform so patrons will be able to tap on and off with a credit or debit card as well the much-maligned Myki card. And that means iPhone and Apple Watch users will be able to use Apple Pay to pay for trips.
PTV, the agency that overseas public transport in Victoria, has had an Android version of the Myki card for the last four years. But attempts to create a digital card for iOS were thwarted when Apple refused to give PTV access to the Apple Wallet and the iPhone’s NFC (Near Field Communications) radio over security concerns.
The new public transport ticketing system will be deployed over the next two years with initial trials to start in December 2023.
While Myki cards will reman in use, because of the strong brand recognition according to the government, this brings Victoria into line wth other large cities that offer payment flexibility. As someone that has used my iPhone to tap on and off public transport in various cities, it feels like Victoria is finally heading into the 2020s and not stuck in a decades old trench.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.