San Francisco’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has approved a $461 million contract to upgrade its transit fare payment system. MTC awarded the contract to Cubic Transportation Services, which already operates the region’s Clipper fare payment system as well as those in cities including Boston, Chicago and New York City.

The new system will include a mobile app to allow riders to pay fares and reload accounts with their mobile devices. Equipment will be upgraded in hundreds of transit stations and on 3,500 buses and light rail vehicles. MTC wants the new system to integrate better with alternative transportation, such as bike-share and paratransit.

The first improvements are scheduled for next year and the mobile app should go live in 2020.
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