Fitbit Pay rolls out access to seven transit systems worldwide, including New York's MTA
Millions wear Fitbit devices daily to track their activity, workouts, sleep, menstrual cycles, and more. Fitbit Pay is present on some Fitbit wearables so you can pay for items at supported retail locations. Fitbit announced that Fitbit Pay support has now been extended to seven major transit systems around the world.
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As a daily watch wearer and Seattle train commuter, I would love to be able to use my wearable device to access my train rather than having to carry around a separate card in a wallet. This Fitbit Pay update will enable contactless fare payment for transit systems in New York, Chicago, Singapore, Sydney, Taiwan, London, and Vancouver.
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According to Fitbit, starting May 31, Fitbit users with Fitbit Pay-enabled smartwatches and trackers can tap and pay to board all Staten Island buses, and all stops on the 4, 5 and 6 subway lines between Grand Central and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center. This pilot program marks the beginning of a long-term relationship with the MTA, with plans to extend the organization's OMNY program to the entire subway and bus system by 2021.
Fitbits that support Fitbit Pay and this new transit access functionality include the Fitbit Charge 3 Special Edition, Fitbit Versa Special Edition, and Fitbit Ionic. Your Fitbit needs to have a NFC chip inside to work with Fitbit Pay. Fitbit Pay is available in 42 countries and is supported by more than 300 banks and credit unions.
As Fitbit continues to expand Fitbit Pay support to more banks, stay tuned for more additions to transit system support as well.