Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
An NS train waiting on the tracks
An NS train waiting on the tracks - Credit: TahR78 / Wikimedia Commons - License: CC-BY-SA
Innovation
public transit
smartphone
Translink
KPN
Arco Groothedde
Friday, 21 July 2017 - 16:10
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Rocky start for Dutch test with smartphone public transit payments

The Netherlands' experiment with letting customers pay for public transit with their smartphones, instead of the public transit card, did not have a great start. Since it launched in May only 4,702 people used the 'OV chip mobiel' app, and used it an average of five or less times, AD reports.

Arco Groothedde, director of public transit card maker Translink, called it a "massive disappointment" on Friday. He described the first days of the smartphone public transit card as "worthless".

Users immediately faced technical problems when signing up for the smartphone cards. Doing so required many different steps, and the service was even canceled completely for KPN customers. The app will be relaunched for KPM customers in the future, though when this will happen is not yet clear.

A Translink spokesperson did not want to use the word 'flop' on Friday, but did acknowledge that the app was launched too quickly, according to ANP. "We should've called it a beta version that is still under development. For us it became 'learning by doing'. But the people who traveled with it are very enthusiastic."

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Dutch Eurovision singer Heddy Lester dies at age 72
  • Utrecht civil servants begin weeklong strike
  • Princess Beatrix, the former queen, celebrate her 85th birthday
  • One hospitalized as firefighters battle large residential blaze in Arnhem
  • Regions outside Randstad against limiting international students
  • Train passengers can check in and out using contactless cards & devices from today

Top stories

  • Regions outside Randstad against limiting international students
  • Rutte, Macron and Biden not yet ready to give Ukraine F-16 jets
  • Housing construction at highest level in decade; Still 26% below gov't target
  • Threats prompt the Netherlands to close its Istanbul consulate to the public
  • Pro-Russian hackers Killnet behind Groningen hospital cyberattack
  • Regional transport will strike for five days from February 6

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content