New smart card system is unveiled by Saskatoon Transit
The city’s $2.9-million electronic overhaul of the transit fare system will be launched in February with new debit-style smart cards for riders and high-end card readers and fare boxes on the entire bus fleet.
The new system, which uses a plastic smart card called the Go-Pass rather than tickets or monthly passes that must be flashed to drivers, is expected to eliminate fraud and reduce conflicts between drivers and riders, transit officials said Monday.
The move by transit spells the end of bus tickets, which will stop being sold on Jan. 20, and paper money, which will not be accepted by the new electronic fare boxes.
“With every change comes some confusion, but we’re trying to get as much information out there as possible,” said Russell Dixon, transit’s special project co-ordinator.
The new fare boxes were installed in November on all 138 buses but have remained under cover as drivers learn the system and the transit department rolls out a marketing campaign to educate riders. The new system will go live on Feb. 1 to avoid a bumpy switch in the middle of the world junior hockey championships in January, when ridership will see a jump.
“We want to make sure there’s thorough testing done before we launch,” Dixon said.
Coins will still be accepted but have to be deposited one at a time instead of dumped in at once like the current system. The amount deposited shows up on a screen, which will stop disputes between bus drivers and riders over how much was paid, he said.
Dixon presented the transit department’s marketing plan for the new system at the city’s administration and finance committee Monday, where most councillors agreed it’s a positive step. However Coun. Myles Heidt did raise concerns about the decision to no longer accept paper bills.
“I think it’s a mistake,” Heidt said. “If I walk up and all I’ve got is a bill I’m not going to be happy. Don’t set your drivers up to get beat up.”
Coun. Maurice Neault said seniors who are used to bus tickets may find the debit-style electronic pass system difficult to adjust to.
“It’s always been a cash business,” he said. “It’s an abrupt change.”
Transit manager Mitch Riabko said riders will be eased into the new system. Those who show up with paper cash after Feb. 1 will still be allowed to ride the first time, he said.
Those with tickets after Feb. 1 can transfer the amount to the new Go-Pass.
The major benefit of the new system will be transit’s ability to track ridership more accurately and adjust routes accordingly, Dixon said.
Presently, all ridership counts — last estimated at more than 11 million rides in 2008 — are done manually or through a calculation based on revenue.
Now, information on how many people are using each route daily will be downloaded and stored in a central database so city planners can improve route scheduling, Dixon said. The annual ridership count will also be more accurate, he said.
“With this system we’ll know precisely what we’re seeing,” Dixon said.
It will also reduce the ability for riders to cheat the system, he said.
Riders will no longer be able to get away with fake or fraudulent bus passes because the new smart cards are equipped with a chip and need to be scanned.
Local transit union president Greg Winkenweder said drivers have generally been in favour of the change.
“There’s probably things that have to be ironed out,” he said. “But most drivers I think see it as a good step.”
dhutton@sp.canwest.com
HOW GO-PASS WILL WORK
The readers: The new smart card readers in buses work on a proximity system, meaning riders will no longer have to show their passes but instead just swipe their card near the reader.
Monthly passes: Those wanting to stay with the monthly pass simply buy a Go-Pass and reload it monthly to get unlimited rides. One of the benefits of the new card-based system is that it allows flexibility so people can buy a monthly pass that starts at any point, not just the beginning of the month.
Day passes: Instead of buying a paper day pass riders can get a disposable Go-Pass card that expires 24 hours after it’s first swiped.
Seniors’ passes: Senior riders can continue to purchase six-month and three-month passes that will be loaded onto their Go-Pass.
Discounted bus passes: Those using the program have to register at the customer service office downtown.
Transfers: Transfers will be printed by the new fare box machines to have bar codes on them and can be used within 60 minutes of being issued.
Source: Saskatoon Transit
