It looks like Philly’s public transportation system will join the rest of the planet in the future sooner than later, now that SEPTA has released a timeline for its fare overhaul and transition to modern forms of payment. No longer will you have to pay a dowry of three lambs and a bag of feed to hop a bus across the city. Pilot testing on the new phone payments and card readers is expected to start next summer and then go live on buses, subway-elevated lines and trolleys next fall. So, go ahead and hold your breath. The Regional Rail will probably lag behind until sometime in 2014, though. [Metro]