Chicago transit law would allow prepaid cards

A proposed law in one state may give consumers a new way to use their alternative credit cards. However, a survey suggests not everyone's in favor of the decision. The Illinois General Assembly passed a law signed by Governor Pat Quinn last year that would allow riders of Chicago's rail and bus systems to use contactless credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards to pay for public transit services, The Chicago Tribune reports. Yet a recent survey by the Regional Transit Authority reveals that 79 percent of riders are already happy with the overall transit system in the six-county area around Chicago. They support the current fare system, which the law requires the RTA to update by January 1. Not all transit riders are against the new law, though. "I think it's the best thought Chicago ever had," Andrew Pistorio, who takes both the bus and the subway, told the paper. "In the long run, it will save you more money than it will cost because of (added) efficiency." Other cities around the country, such as New York City, have also moved to update their transit technologies to accommodate advancements like contactless payments.