tap on

present singular third person taps on · participle present tapping on · participle past tapped on · past tapped on

1. transitiveTo strike an object or a person lightly and swiftly.
2. intransitiveTo initiate an electronic ticketing process at the start of a public transport journey by holding a chipcard or a mobile device close to a terminal or reader

   The new system allows users to tap on and off at a validator with a new MyWay+ transport card or certain contactless bank cards.

   2024 November 25, Charlotte Gore, “From today MyWay+ will be in use on Canberra's buses and light rail. Here's what's changing”, in ABC News, retrieved 11 Jan 2025

   3 more examples

   Launching Monday, the new multi-rider feature will allow up to five riders to use the same Key card when taking a SEPTA bus, trolley, the Broad Street Line, the Market-Frankford Line, the Norristown High Speed Line and Regional Rail.(…) Riders will need to tap on and tap off to get the correct fare.

   2024 February 25, Cory Sharber, “SEPTA rolls out new multi-rider feature for Key card holders”, in WHYY, retrieved 11 Jan 2025

   Public Transport Victoria (PTV) has just kicked off a trial of a new contactless payment system in regional Victoria, allowing passengers to tap on with a credit or debit card, as well as with Apple Pay on phones and smart watches.

   2024 November 27, Live Condous, “Yes! Victorians will soon be able to tap on public transport with bank cards, with a trial underway”, in Time Out, retrieved 11 Jan 2025

   "It was much easier for us, with one ticketing supplier and one ticketing hardware system that we roll out everywhere... it makes it very easy for people to tap on and tap off on the railway and at an integrated station like Belfast Grand Central, and just tap on and tap off on the bus."

   2026 March 18, Chris Conway talks to Andy Comfort, “The RAIL Interview”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 35

   Synonyms: tap in, touch in