NJ Transit riders will be able to pay fare via smartphone at some locations

NJ Transit is the first public transportation agency to partner with Google Wallet, Google's recently released contactless payment system. With Google Wallet, NJ Transit rail and bus customers have the option to use their smartphones to tap and pay for transportation tickets at select locations. "Our partnership with Google demonstrates that NJ Transit and the state are at the forefront of emerging technology, paving the way for further exploration of new customer service technologies," said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. "I'm proud that New Jersey's public transportation system is the very first public transportation agency to partner with Google Wallet, joining thousands of retailers accepting Wallet across the nation." "Transit has been a common element of every major successful NFC effort globally and is a critical component of Google Wallet's success," said Stephanie Tilenius, vice president of commerce at Google. "Transit is the fastest way to accelerate adoption and reach usage density in major urban centers by habituating the behavior of tapping and paying with phones and we're excited to launch our transit effort here with NJ Transit." Google Wallet is a free mobile app that transforms customers' smartphones into their wallets, making "tap and pay" transactions quick and convenient by storing virtual versions of users' credit cards on their phones. The technology uses "near field communication," which enables wireless data transmission between two objects when they are brought in close proximity with one another. By making payments with a simple wave of their phone in front of a sensor, customers who use Google Wallet will no longer have to juggle cash or credit cards to make purchases. Now, NJ Transit customers can use Google Wallet to purchase transportation tickets at New York Penn Station ticket vending machines and ticket windows, Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station, on bus route nos. 6, 43, 80, 81, 87 and 120 and on some buses on the 126 line. Currently, Google Wallet is available on Sprint's Nexus S 4G phone and supports Citi MasterCard credit cards and a Google Prepaid Card, with plans to support additional card companies and more Android devices with NFC capabilities in the future.