The future of mobile payment for Calgary Transit users hit a speedbump on launch day.

The MyFare app was supposed to be made available on both Android and iOS devices on July 1, but only Android users were able to find it in the Google Play store on Wednesday.

In a statement, Calgary Transit said developers ran into issues when it came to making the app available on the Apple App store.

“The standards for the Apple store required us to make a change on June 30 and it was adjusted and submitted to Apple for review,” a Calgary Transit spokesperson explained.

The spokesperson said that the app should be available shortly after July 1 but did not provide an exact date.

Calgary Transit’s Twitter account said it would update Calgarians once the app goes live for Apple users.

Calgary Transit said more than 2,500 Android users downloaded the MyFare app on the first day.

Several reviews said the app was easy to navigate, but at least two mentioned the lack of low-income passes.

Prior to the launch, Chris Jordan — the manager of service design for Calgary Transit — said low-income passes will be added at a later date.

“Gradually in the future, we’ll begin to add the more sophisticated fare products like the fair entry low-income transit pass, seniors pass and U-passes,” Jordan said.

Mobile payment

For now, the mobile ticket options on the MyFare app, which people can download on their smartphones, are adult and youth monthly passes as well as single tickets.

Jordan said mobile validators will be installed on 1,050 buses in the coming months.

While CTrain riders won’t have to tap their phones each time they board the train, peace officers will still have a way to check tickets bought on smartphones.

“Our peace officers will have validators to conduct the same fare enforcement that they do on the trains today, validating passes whether customers carry them in paper form or in the form of a mobile ticket,” Jordan said.

— With files from Global News’ Heide Pearson

Source: Read Full Article