Swiss firm wants to dislodge Opus card
A Swiss firm says the STM’s Opus card is old technology and is suggesting it can provide an app that uses GPS to keep track of one’s trip and charge for it at the end.
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Kate
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CE 09:02 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Wasn’t the Opus old technology when it was released?
Kate 09:11 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Yes, but I think it wasn’t the worst idea to use well-tested technology for something like that.
Blork 09:38 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
No disagreement that Opus is obsolete, and it was problematic from the beginning because it spanned three networks yet only provided four “buckets” within the system for storing tickets. That worked well for typical use cases but there were many atypical use cases where it bogged down.
But this GPS-based system also seems fraught with issues. It feels like it’s taking something that should be relatively simple and making it more complicated. Relying on GPS just seems very iffy on a few levels, including privacy. And then there’s this gem:
“En cas de panne de métro, il pourrait également y avoir un tarif préférentiel avec Uber, ce serait aussi intégré.”
Right. As if Uber is going to agree to charge less when there’s a Metro outage. If anything they’ll charge more because they are merciless sharks when it comes to pricing.
All that said, I suppose we should hear them out, especially if they’re just suggesting they be an option as opposed to TAKING OVER from Opus.
Ian 09:57 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Location spoofing on a mobile device is really, really easy.
Nicholas 10:36 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Blork is correct about OPUS’s original sin. Back in the day you could buy single tickets or strips of six or weeklies or monthlies, so when they created OPUS they copied that model. They should have gone to a purse system, where you load on money and it deducts the correct fare. Then it would work anywhere in the province without needing to buy separate tickets, or maxing out the buckets on the card. Then you could do fare capping, so when heading out for the evening you didn’t have to decide on a single ticket vs an evening pass,and the same for multiple zones, 24/72 hour passes and even weeklies. The technology existed at the time, on the Octopus and Oyster cards they copied (not fare capping yet, but it was easy to add on), and now credit and debit card payments easily fit into this model as well: even the incompetent NYC MTA has this now! But now if I want to buy an AB ticket and an ABC ticket I need two separate OPUS cards because of our bespoke system grafted onto our paper ticket model. Not sure if these people are the right ones to fix it, but that should be the next generation.
LJ 10:40 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Aside from privacy issues, not everyone has a mobile phone. So using this app exclusively would exclude a lot of people.
dhomas 10:53 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
The GPS system is nuts for all the reasons mentioned above: not everyone has a GPS-enabled device; GPS spoofing is trivial (on Android, anyway); privacy; etc.
But more than that, it’s adding complexity where you don’t need it. Just make the new system require you to tap in (like it already does) AND tap out, so it knows what type of fare to debit from the card. No need for GPS. No need for a mobile device, either, as this can be easily implemented on a dedicated card (like Opus) or disposable card.
Chris 10:55 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Also, installing such an “app” on your phone requires an account with either Apple or Google. Imagine: you can’t use public transit in your city without agreeing to dubious terms with a foreign megacorp.
Meezly 11:04 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
In Vancouver, you can use your credit or interac card to tap and pay as you go. Simple and convenient, esp. for tourists!
Blork 11:59 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
Regarding not everyone having a GPS-enabled phone, I think this proposal is not intended to be the ONLY way to use the system, so that’s not really a big issue.
That said, hoping that MOST people would use a system that relies on an app and GPS is just asking for trouble, and it definitely makes it more difficult for occasional users and out-of-towners (tourists and other visitors).
The emphasis should be on making it EASY and ENJOYABLE. That’s what will get people using the system, and that’s more important that all your whiz-bang connectivities and all your metrics and whatnot.
This brings to mind one night in the mid-90s when I was trying to take the Metro in Vienna. I had just arrived by boat, it was evening, and the system was entirely self-serve. There were no people around to help, just a wall of ticket vending machines with instructions that were so obtuse and impenetrable that after 10 minutes I just gave up and jumped the turnstile hoping I wouldn’t get caught. (I did not get caught.) It should not be that difficult to get a goddamn Metro ticket!
Tee Owe 12:20 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
@Meezly – same in London – it’s wonderfully easy and totally user/visitor-friendly. Why not copy what works?
DeWolf 15:51 on 2023-05-01 Permalink
We’ll be able to tap our credit/debit cards here, too. That’s what the new card readers in buses and on the new metro turnstiles are for. But as usual, it’s taking forever to roll out the system.