Comments on: Universal Fare http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/ Mass Transit's editor, Fred Jandt, speaks weekly on critical issues facing the public transportation industry. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:34:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Joe S. http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-294 Joe S. Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:57:20 +0000 http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-294 While your scheme is certainly technologically feasible (although massive in scale) you must take into consideration that the systems are provided by private sector companies. You would have to either get ALL transit systems to agree to contract with the same company (difficult at the very least) or convince the competing companies to share proprietary information (not a snowball’s chance…). I’ve spent the last several years involved in the Washington, DC regional Smart Card project and can tell you from experience that overcoming those obstacles, just in one metropolitan region, is a monumental task. Mr. Harrison’s reference to the NYCT/MasterCard Paypass pilot (there is a similar pilot in the DC region) shed’s light on what I would expect to be how this issue is ultimately dealt with. Using a credit card company as the “back-end” processing system is most likely, in my opinion, how we will one day use the same card to pay for transit fares on just about any system in the country. While your scheme is certainly technologically feasible (although massive in scale) you must take into consideration that the systems are provided by private sector companies. You would have to either get ALL transit systems to agree to contract with the same company (difficult at the very least) or convince the competing companies to share proprietary information (not a snowball’s chance…). I’ve spent the last several years involved in the Washington, DC regional Smart Card project and can tell you from experience that overcoming those obstacles, just in one metropolitan region, is a monumental task.

Mr. Harrison’s reference to the NYCT/MasterCard Paypass pilot (there is a similar pilot in the DC region) shed’s light on what I would expect to be how this issue is ultimately dealt with. Using a credit card company as the “back-end” processing system is most likely, in my opinion, how we will one day use the same card to pay for transit fares on just about any system in the country.

]]> By: Roy Myers http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-293 Roy Myers Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:18:50 +0000 http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-293 The six agencies plus two dial-a-ride systems in Ventura County, California have been using a smart card program since the early 1990's. The card provides both a monthly and debit functions and is accepted on all systems. For such a program to go regionally, area wide, state or national will take cooperation and shairing of information and technology. Using transit should be as simple as posible to encourage a seamless and friendy option. The six agencies plus two dial-a-ride systems in Ventura County, California have been using a smart card program since the early 1990’s. The card provides both a monthly and debit functions and is accepted on all systems.

For such a program to go regionally, area wide, state or national will take cooperation and shairing of information and technology.

Using transit should be as simple as posible to encourage a seamless and friendy option.

]]> By: John Landrum http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-289 John Landrum Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:20:22 +0000 http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-289 Fred, Why not? My Dallas Zoo family membership is honored at zoos and aquariums all over North America, my toll tag is good on any toll road in Texas, the airports in Dallas and Houston and any parking garage in downtown Dallas! The technology is there so why shouldn't we set up a system that simply reads the fare card and credits to the appropriate operating agency? This should go to APTA immediately as an action item. John Landrum Chief Operating Officer McKinney Avenue Transit Authority Dallas, Tx 214-727-2919 cell Fred,

Why not? My Dallas Zoo family membership is honored at zoos and aquariums all over North America, my toll tag is good on any toll road in Texas, the airports in Dallas and Houston and any parking garage in downtown Dallas! The technology is there so why shouldn’t we set up a system that simply reads the fare card and credits to the appropriate operating agency? This should go to APTA immediately as an action item.

John Landrum
Chief Operating Officer
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
Dallas, Tx
214-727-2919 cell

]]> By: John Schumann http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-286 John Schumann Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:40:06 +0000 http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-286 Well, Fred, we are behind other parts of the world on this issue. Many European cities have had region-wdie fare systems for decades. Switzerland, for many years now, has offered annual passes good on the national railways, regional railways, and local transit systems; of course, the country is about the size of MA+CT+RI. And then there are the smartcards available to pay for transit fares and a bunch of other purchases, too, in Hong Kong (octopus), London (oyster), Singapore, et. al. In the US, the Bay Area, metro Seattle, and others are working to roll out region-wide "smart" fare cards; but progress is slow. I think the US will get there, but we won't be in the vanguard on this one. Well, Fred, we are behind other parts of the world on this issue. Many European cities have had region-wdie fare systems for decades. Switzerland, for many years now, has offered annual passes good on the national railways, regional railways, and local transit systems; of course, the country is about the size of MA+CT+RI. And then there are the smartcards available to pay for transit fares and a bunch of other purchases, too, in Hong Kong (octopus), London (oyster), Singapore, et. al. In the US, the Bay Area, metro Seattle, and others are working to roll out region-wide “smart” fare cards; but progress is slow. I think the US will get there, but we won’t be in the vanguard on this one.

]]> By: Jerry Harrison http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-285 Jerry Harrison Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:36:16 +0000 http://www.masstransitmag.com/interactive/2007/04/19/universal-fare/#comment-285 Fred, One only needs to look at the NYCT/MasterCard Paypass pilot to see the future of fare payment. The ongoing reaction to that project is how will bank cards support the concession fares required of transit (E/H and Paratransit). The solution to the cost of the hardware is out there if agencies are willing to "privatize" fare collection. Also, APTA is developing a Universal Transit Farepayment Standard (UTFS) which was presented at the recent APTA FSP workshop in LA. Jerry Fred,
One only needs to look at the NYCT/MasterCard Paypass pilot to see the future of fare payment. The ongoing reaction to that project is how will bank cards support the concession fares required of transit (E/H and Paratransit).

The solution to the cost of the hardware is out there if agencies are willing to “privatize” fare collection. Also, APTA is developing a Universal Transit Farepayment Standard (UTFS) which was presented at the recent APTA FSP workshop in LA.

Jerry

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