S4328

An Act concerning New Jersey Transit Corporation rail passenger service and supplementing P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-1 et al.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Within 18 months of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall establish a contactless payment system for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, within the State. The contactless payment system shall include, at a minimum, a process for customers to:

(1) purchase one-way tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, by tapping a credit or debit card or other contactless payment method at designated areas before entering the train platform and when exiting the train platform;

(2) load a digital corporation card with money that can be used to purchase tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, and to upload the digital corporation card onto a mobile wallet application;

(3) utilize one-way tickets purchased pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section and digital corporation cards uploaded to mobile wallet applications pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section to enter a train platform without a pre-purchased physical ticket; and

(4) purchase a reusable or one-time use physical card that can be loaded with money and used to purchase tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, which card can be used by tapping the card at designated areas before entering the train platform and when exiting the train platform.

b. The corporation may charge a reasonable fee to any customer purchasing a reusable or one-time use physical card pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection a. of this section. The amount of the fee shall be determined by the corporation. The fee shall be waived for reusable or one-time use physical cards purchased by a person with disabilities as defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1973, c.126 (C.27:1A-65) or by a senior citizen as defined in section 2 of P.L.1973, c.126 (C.27:1A-65).

c. In developing the contactless payment system established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the corporation shall:

(1) consider the impact of the contactless payment system on corporation employees, and if any employees are deemed to no longer be required in their current employment positions due to the corporation’s transition to the contactless payment system, the corporation shall make an effort to find alternative employment for the displaced employees at train stations or on trains within the State; and

(2) study contactless payment systems that have been implemented in other states for rail passenger service.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) to establish, within 18 months of the bill’s effective date, a contactless payment system for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, within the State. The contactless payment system is required to include, at a minimum, a process for customers to: (1) purchase one-way tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, by tapping a credit or debit card or other contactless payment method at designated areas before entering the train platform and when exiting the train platform; (2) load a digital corporation card with money that can be used to purchase tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, and to upload the digital corporation card onto a mobile wallet application; (3) utilize one-way tickets purchased by tapping a credit or debit card or other contactless payment method at designated areas and digital corporation cards uploaded to mobile wallet applications to enter a train platform without a pre-purchased physical ticket; and (4) purchase a reusable or one-time use physical card that can be loaded with money and used to purchase tickets for rail passenger service, including light-rail service, which card can be used by tapping the card at designated areas before entering the train platform and when exiting the train platform.

The corporation may charge a reasonable fee to any customer purchasing a reusable or one-time use physical card and the amount of the fee is to be determined by the corporation. The bill requires the fee to be waived for reusable or one-time use physical cards purchased by a person with disabilities or by a senior citizen.

In developing the contactless payment system, the corporation is required to: (1) consider the impact of the contactless payment system on corporation employees, and if any employees are deemed to no longer be required in their current employment positions due to the corporation’s transition to the contactless payment system, the corporation is required to make an effort to find alternative employment for the displaced employees at train stations or on trains within the State; and (2) study contactless payment systems that have been implemented in other states for rail passenger service.