Metro awards contract for new fare payment system

[JDC]

Per a press release today, "Washington Metro awards Accenture major contract for new electronic fare payment system to improve customer experience". http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/P ... aseID=5637. This includes the replacement of "existing fare collection systems for Metrorail, Metro-operated parking facilities, Metrobus and MetroAccess services." Moreover, "The new system will be designed to provide a state of the art system for Metro customers that enables them to continue to use SmarTrip cards, while expanding fare payment to chip-enabled credit cards, federal government ID cards, and mobile phones using near field communications (NFC)."

Looking ahead, "Later this year, Accenture will provide a pilot program to test the new system in 10 Metrorail stations, aboard 50 branded-route Metrobuses, and in two parking lots. Additionally, 2,000 Metro riders will be selected to participate in the pilot program to test the performance and reliability of the new system."

Also, per Metro Deputy General Manager of Administration and Chief Financial Officer Carol Kissal, "Over the next several years, customers will see new stainless steel faregates with clamshell-like barriers and large, bright, intuitive displays to ease their entries and exits. We believe this new system will enhance the Metro experience for commuters and visitors alike."

The release also states "Similarly, fare vending machines will have large, intuitive, multilingual displays and be fully ADA-compliant. Onboard Metrobus, there will be a new target for customers to tap and MetroAccess customers will be able to validate their trips using the driver’s smartphone and the customer’s ID card," and later that "When fully deployed, customers will see approximately 1,000 faregates including ADA faregates, 450 fare vending machines, approximately 1,500 bus payment targets, approximately 160 new payment targets at parking exit lanes, and approximately 600 NEPP-compatible smartphones for MetroAccess operators. The new system will not accept paper tickets and Metro will continue the gradual phasing out of paper fare media."

[JDC]

So, what are "faregates with clamshell-like barriers"? Anyone have a reference from another system as to what clamshell-like means?

The (final) decision to go ahead with stainless steel faregates, I believe, reinforces the discussion from the 7000-series thread: Metro is moving away (fast) from browns and other colors original to Metro.

If we brought someone from the system's opening to today, would they be less shocked then if we took someone from today and dropped them into (let's say) 2019, when the Silver Line will be running all the way to Dulles, 7000-series cars are half the fleet, and the stations (faregates, lighting, etc) look and feel different?

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone: Interesting news about Metro and a new payment system...

Say "goodbye" to the "farecard"...used since 1977 in the near future...

MACTRAXX

[JDC]

So, what are "faregates with clamshell-like barriers"? Anyone have a reference from another system as to what clamshell-like means?

From googling the internet, it appears that Metro's current faregate style is called a clamshell because the side-mounted gates open and close and are in the shape of a wedge/clamshell. I wish they had gone with faregates that swing open/shut - I hate when the current gates close on your sensitive region.

[afiggatt]

From the press release, it appears that they will be either replacing or significantly upgrading the fare vending machines. "large, intuitive, multilingual displays and be fully ADA-compliant" imply to me a touch screen display which can greatly ease the process of figuring out the station to station fare cost for the newbie or tourist and provide useful info. I often feel sorry for the tourists and visitors standing in front of the fare machines and the fare rate table looking confused as hell as I walk by.

Modern touch screen fare machines with options to have menus and text in multiple languages for visitors will be a major advance in making the Metro system easier to navigate. Long overdue.

New modern fare machines and fare gates, options for credit card and smartphone payments for the infrequent or visiting passenger, new 7000 series cars, major lighting improvements in the stations, hopefully more reliable service in a couple of years as the old cars are replaced and track maintenance gets caught up over the next few years. The ramp-up in capital spending of the past several years is starting to pay off with a better Metro system over the next 2-3 years.

[tommyboy6181]

Here is an overview of Accenture and what their fare collection systems can do. They don't build faregates or related hardware, but they do build software platforms that can interface with any other system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFOzmhf ... E34597E403" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I found it interesting that they went with Accenture, especially since Cubic Transportation Systems has been used for the faregates/software/SmarTrip in the past. Actually, CTS has always been the fare provider, until now.

[farecard]

Say "goodbye" to the "farecard"...used since 1977 in the near future...

I'm not dead yet!

I note the silence regarding what those of us not wishing to be tracked by linking phones, drivers licenses etc. Will we still be able to buy something we can use?

[JDC]

I'm not dead yet!

I note the silence regarding what those of us not wishing to be tracked by linking phones, drivers licenses etc. Will we still be able to buy something we can use?

I gather the following options will be available:

1 - SmarTrip card - or something like it, where you put a balance on it. At least right now you do not need to create a WMATA account to use the card, so it's pretty untraceable.

2 - Debit cards/credit cards that have the 'tap to pay' feature - this obviously is linked directly to you and your financial account(s)

3 - Phone - via NFC (near field communication) or QR code. If metro implements a system like others current in use (see Starbucks), you would need to download an app to your smartphone, create an account via Metro linked to some financial institution, link the account to the app on your phone, and voila you can pay with your phone. Again, this would tie you to Metro and Metro to your financial institution.

I plan on sticking with SmarTrip.

[farecard]

I gather the following options will be available:

1 - SmarTrip card - or something like it, where you put a balance on it. At least right now you do not need to create a WMATA account to use the card, so it's pretty untraceable.

Looking for something explicit saying that.

Also, as it is now, WMATA keeps lifetime records on your smartcard usage & enthusiastically surrenders same without a warrant.

Plus, when your unregistered card fails, you lose your balance.

[dcmike]

Looking for something explicit saying that.

The full technical specifications are here: http://www.wmata.com/business/procureme ... cation.pdf

A contactless smart card is specifically required as is the ability to purchase and add value using a vending machine. I would imagine this allows for the same level of anonymity that is currently available.

It's hard to imagine a time where any transit authority would require smart card users to create an account or link a card to a financial institution. Doing so would create an undue hardship on low-income riders who typically don't have the same access to banking products and computers.

[tommyboy6181]

We can probably look towards MARTA in Atlanta for what will be the fare system here. Even though their new system is through Cubic Transportation Systems, it is all smart card based.

For a while, they were selling the Breeze Ticket, which was the same as a farecard except it had a thin RFID chip in it, similar to the SmarTrip card. Only thing is they have now gone entirely Breeze Card.

http://www.breezecard.com/htm/ticket_card.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JDC]

This is the image rotating on Metro's homepage in reference to the new payment system/faregates. No idea if this is what they will look like, but they appear a) stainless steel and b) to be clamshells. This one looks like a handicap entry because of the double clamshell. (If Metro deletes that image, I've permanently saved it here https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1073 ... 4168093322)

[farecard]

Has there been any explanation as to why they are buying new gates?

ISTM they could refit new electronics into existing gates. That would save a lot of time & money.

[Sand Box John]

"farecard"Has there been any explanation as to why they are buying new gates?

ISTM they could refit new electronics into existing gates. That would save a lot of time & money.

The first generation farecard reader only gates were changed out for the present day gates. The present day gates have larger enclosures compare to the first generation farecard reader only enclosures. Based on the picture above these enclosures are smaller then the first generation farecard reader only gates.

The vendor that will supply the replacement equipment will want the flexibility to assemble their gates based on the products they are now selling eliminating the need to design custom hardware layout to fit in some others vendor enclosure.

[dowlingm]

This article from Toronto may interest:

http://spacing.ca/toronto/2014/01/15/pr ... questions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;