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Why should I have to pay more for buses if I don't use a smartphone?

65 points · 89 comments · DamonHD

  1. unified101 · · focus · HN ↗
    The actual answer is there's operational cost to handling cash, or payment methods beyond the ones that cover 99.9% people well. You pay more for the extra hassle the whole system has to serve that .1%

    You may not like or disagree with it. But it's the true answer.

    1. takipsizad · · focus · HN ↗
      You dont have to handle cash directly, you can have kiosks that are dedicated to adding cash to a public transit card and they will solve the problem you are talking about.
      1. jbs789 · · focus · HN ↗
        Who collects the cash? Who maintains the kiosks?
        1. takipsizad · · focus · HN ↗
          First: You can have kiosks (in central locations like metro stations) or you can have dedicated points like where a market collects the cash and they add the balance that way. Second: The public transit company. we aren't splitting the atom here.
          1. jbs789 · · focus · HN ↗
            Ah, and those services are free?
            1. fsflover · · focus · HN ↗
              Are the credit card transactions free?
              1. jbs789 · · focus · HN ↗
                Cheaper than managing cash, which is the relevant comparison.
                1. fsflover · · focus · HN ↗
                  Citation needed.
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