Metro-North Works on a Ticket App

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Credit MTA/Metro-North

Metro-North customers may have another way to purchase their train tickets next year. They could use an app.

Metro-North rail riders may soon be able to purchase digital tickets via smartphone or tablet. Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road are seeking proposals from companies that want to help make digital ticketing a reality. The railroads are asking companies to develop an app that will let customers buy tickets on their mobile devices and display their tickets on-screen for conductors and/or barcode verification. Customers would be able to print tickets at home. Metro-North began a smartphone ticketing pilot program over the summer, and railroad employees acted as customers. The Metropolitan Transit Authority has issued a request for proposals. Responses are due by March 15. The MTA expects to award a contract by this July. The winning firm would begin a pilot program for customers by the spring of 2014, and full rollout would begin by the early fall of that year.