More than a week after a software glitch kept MARTA users from paying their fares with debit cards, the transportation system will once again accept those cards for payment.
In a statement, MARTA called the glitch “extremely unusual.” The problem was caused by a software upgrade meant to comply with the latest credit and debit card security standards, senior vice president and general manager of Cubic Transportation Systems’ North America operations Richard Wunderle said in a statement. Cubic designed, produced and maintains MARTA’s Breeze payment system.
Instead, the upgrade disabled the system’s ability to accept debit cards and, earlier, credit cards during the busy Labor Day weekend.
Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4, the system only accepted cash. A partial fix, for credit cards, was made on Sept. 4, in time for Tuesday’s rush hour. The debit card fix was announced Sunday afternoon.
Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 2, MARTA had more than 1.1 million passenger boardings, compared with 840,000 normally, spokesman Lyle Harris said previously. Over Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands of visitors flooded metro Atlanta for auto races, football games, gay pride activities, a sci-fi convention and other activities.
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