The Case for Proof of Payment

Aarian Marshall reports on the expanding use of proof of payment systems for transit systems. "Europe got into 'proof of payment' systems—where wandering personnel request evidence you paid your way—in the 1960s," writes Marshall. "They made it to American shores, mostly in light rail systems, by the 1990s." The benefits of proof of payment systems, according to acolytes: "Faster vehicles, less crowding, and thus more frequent service, leading (hopefully) to more riders overall." 

As 21st century technology make proof of payment easier (think Apple Pay and transit cards loaded onto smart phones), more cities are considering the model of Oslo, where even fare scofflaws are treated with a degree of indifference. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is one of the most recent American transit agencies to install a proof of payment system, using the " tap-able Clipper Card." Since that system has been in place since 2012, the SFMTA has tracked the difference in system performance. "In  tourist-heavy areas, the system’s bus and streetcar dwell times per stop dropped 13 percent. Before, each person getting on or off needed 6.8 seconds. Now, they take 3. 5 seconds."