A system of paying for bus fares in advance is expanding across Bristol after a successful trial.

The smart cards will be introduced in August on 30 Wessex Connect bus routes into and around the city.

Bristol City Council said they were also hoping to roll the scheme out to First Bus services across the west of England in March 2011.

Card users will get a 16% discount on fares and will be able to pre-pay for up to £50 worth of tickets.

Councillor Gary Hopkins, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said the trial had been run “on a shoestring” but that a £1.1m award from central government meant the necessary technology could now be introduced.

The scheme has been trialled with Wessex Connect and the University of the West of England (UWE) Ulink buses.

‘Save time’
Mr Hopkins said: “They’re being used by staff at the moment, ensuring any glitches are knocked out of the system.”

The councillor added the cards, which are similar to London’s Oyster Card but are yet to be given a name, would “have a huge affect on fares” and “save huge amounts of time”.

“Having those cards, getting them widely used, will be absolutely a vital factor in improving transport across the city,” he said.

“We’ve got promises from First Bus to actually introduce across the west of England from next March and now obviously we need to make certain that progresses.

“For the moment they’re called smart cards, but we’d like to hear from people what they think would be the right name.”

Ian Pollard, from Wessex Connect, said: “We are proud to be at the forefront of developing better access to bus services in the south-west by embracing new technology to offer improved ticket and pass options for people to get better value.”

He said passengers would be able to top-up value on their card on buses and, in future, at a network of shops.

A spokesman for First said it supported the scheme and was working with the council to implement it.

He said: “We continue to discuss the introduction of smart card enabled ticket machines with all local councils throughout the region and the availability of public funding to facilitate this.”

Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, today announced a new solution enabling commuters to use their mobile phones as e- tickets in MIFARE DESFire* infrastructures. Gemalto achieved the world’s first implementation of a transport application compliant with the DESFire specifications in a SIM or UICC card, and will be presenting this innovation on its booth (8A102).

This innovation will enable commuters to use their NFC (”Near Field Communications”) mobile phone as an e-ticket, as simply as any other contactless travelcard. A high level of security is ensured, as the tickets are stored in the SIM card and the application meets the stringent security requirements of the DESFire specifications.

NFC technology in transport dramatically enriches the commuter experience by adding the mobile phone’s keypad and screen to the travelcard and by connecting it to the online world. NFC-based services are part of Gemalto’s Trusted Services Management (TSM) dedicated offering of solutions and services. It enables transport operators to offer travelers the ability to purchase and recharge their transport tickets, with the convenience of the mobile phone.

“Mobile phones have become an essential part of our daily life and mobile e-ticketing perfectly illustrates the trend by simplifying access to public transport,” commented Rémi De Fouchier, Senior Vice President, Trusted Services Management at Gemalto. “With this new solution, Gemalto broadens the use of mobile phones as travel passes in cities equipped with a DESFire infrastructure, enabling more and more commuters across the world to enjoy an enriched service.” Note to editors DESFire is an automatic fare collection technology which provides 3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) cryptographic algorithms. To date, it has been deployed in 40 cities across the world.

A new smartcard ticketing system should be in operation on Adelaide’s buses, trains and trams by 2013, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon says.
The Minister today announced that US Fortune 500 company Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) had won the $30 million contract to supply the ATLAS ticketing system.

“Our current ticketing system has been in place for nearly 24 years – it has served us well but it is time to replace it as we continue our massive public transport revitalisation,” he said.

Passengers will be able to touch the smartcard against a validator, which will automatically deduct the fare. Cards can be topped up at stations, vending machines and shops, and on trains, trams and the internet.

Smart card manufacturers Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) and Oberthur Technologies, and chip suppliers Infineon Technologies AG and INSIDE Contactless have announced the launch of an industry initiative to provide “a new security solution for next-generation smart card based public transport applications. The solution will build on an open standard now being implemented by the four partner companies, which will eventually be governed by an independent body. Companies active in the smart card arena - providers of chips, smart cards, application-specific operating software, reader devices and transportation systems - are invited to join the initiative for the advancement of more secure public transportation applications.”

The new standard promises to bring a number of key benefits to both public transport agencies and smart card industry players, including higher performance and advanced system security for public transport applications, as well as the availability of multiple sources for chip products. Through independent testing, the open standard will also provide optimized interoperability to enable simple and fast integration into public transport schemes. The first emulation chips and transportation smart cards using this standard are scheduled to be available by the end of 2010.

The industry initiative is based on groundwork performed by Infineon, the world’s number one chip card IC (integrated circuits) provider. Infineon has developed a hardware-based security system specifically suited for public transportation smart card applications. It is comprised of a specific authentication scheme using the open and well-accepted Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 128-bit key length and file types and command sets based on the ISO/IEC 7816 standard. Employing AES, an encryption algorithm also used for commercial transactions, will significantly increase security over less-robust security schemes widely used in current public transportation systems. Using the encryption and secure messaging scheme for authentication, data encryption and Message Authentication Coding (MACing) allows high flexibility and fast adoption for different applications. Infineon, which has already started its own chip development based on the open standard security system, has verified the feasibility of the authentication scheme, enabling the other manufacturers to start their development work immediately.

The fabless semiconductor company INSIDE Contactless, the world’s largest chip provider for contactless payment cards, has already signed an agreement with Infineon to implement the security scheme for its chip platforms. In addition, two of the world’s top three card manufacturers, G&D and Oberthur Technologies, have already agreed to develop public transport applications based on the scheme.

“INSIDE Contactless is proud to be among the initial partner companies of this new initiative, and we are eager to contribute our experience and develop products for this effort as an advanced, open standard is very much needed especially for higher value transport smart cards, which might eventually converge with payment cards,” said Remy de Tonnac, CEO at INSIDE Contactless. “With the convergence of contactless payments and transit fare collection in contactless smart cards and NFC enabled mobile phones, INSIDE envisions implementation to the open security standard across all our product lines.”

“We see a strong trend towards convergence of secure solutions for transit, between tickets and mobile phones with NFC, and between transit and other payment schemes. As a major player in all these markets, G&D is committed to play a key role in achieving open standards needed to support this convergence. This initiative provides an attractive alternative to existing technologies, and G&D will fully support it with its application security expertise,” said Willem Bulthuis, CTO and Group Vice President of Giesecke & Devrient.

“Oberthur Technologies has always supported open standards. As a major actor in the public transportation market segment, we will actively participate in this initiative which aims at delivering increased interoperability and security at lower cost. This open standard will facilitate the deployment of transit systems using multiple end-user devices including multi-application payment cards and NFC phones,” said FrŽdŽric Chevreton, General Manager of the Payment and Transport Product Line at the Card Systems Division of Oberthur Technologies.

“This initiative of four smart card heavyweights sets forth a new open platform with enhanced security compared to current solutions in public transportation, one of the fastest growing smart card segments,” said Dr. Helmut Gassel, President of the Chip Card & Security Division at Infineon Technologies. “Open systems provide global interoperability of reliable components from multiple sources under fair and reasonable business terms. Infineon contributes contactless excellence and tailored security with the right level of security at best cost-performance ratio to help to advance both current and future transportation applications.”

ORCA transit smart cards will be available for free through Feb. 28.
Starting March 1, a standard adult or youth ORCA card will cost $5. The free-card promotion had been scheduled to end Jan. 31.
ORCA — for One Regional Card for All — is a collaboration between Metro Transit and transit systems in King, Kitsap, Snohomish and Pierce counties. The plastic card contains a microprocessor; cards come equipped with a so-called e-purse function to allow riders to preload fares onto the card. Customers can also purchase a pass product, like a monthly PugetPass, and then load it onto the smart card.
Buy a card online here or at a Sound Transit vending machine. Standard adult ORCA cards can be purchased from any ticket machine at Central Link light rail stations or Sounder commuter rail stations. Central Link is open seven days a week, so riders can pick up a card at the locations 24/7.
Order a card by phone at 888-988-6722 toll-free.
Or pick up a card at the Metro sales office on the mezzanine level of Westlake Tunnel Station and Metro headquarters in the King Street Center building, 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle. The office will be open Saturdays from Jan. 30 through the end of February.
Transit officials said the extended free-card promotion should help ease the transition to ORCA and reduce the rush for the cards at customer service centers. Each of the ORCA partner agencies took special measures, like increased staff at ticket locations, to meet the high demand.

For most people, the switch to an ORCA transit card is simple. They either apply online, get a subsidized card at work or tap the screen at any ticket-vending machine at any Sound Transit rail station.

But far more effort is demanded from people who are elderly or disabled.

Since December, thousands have had to find their way to a King County Metro customer-service counter downtown. Earlier this month, they waited in lines up to an hour or more to prove to the next available customer-service representative that they qualified for a discounted fare pass.

“It’s completely unacceptable that people had to wait that long,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said Thursday. He and Metro manager Kevin Desmond said they will improve customer service, including a boost in personnel at customer centers. Also, a $5 fee for adult customers to get a new ORCA card is being delayed until March 1, instead of the earlier Feb. 1 deadline, transit managers announced today. There are only two places in all of King County where seniors can go for discounted fare passes — the Metro customer-service stop in Westlake Station and Metro headquarters in Pioneer Square.

The disabled must report to Metro headquarters. That’s because disabled passes require photographs and other computer equipment that’s only available at that office.

The two sites also serve the general public, including many youth, non-English speaking, and other customers.

ORCA (One Regional Card for All) was launched last year after six years of development and testing. The single “smart card” now is used on buses, trains, streetcars and ferries in four counties, replacing some 300 kinds of passes and transfers.

The smart card is meant to simplify travel. But the changeover has been a hassle for thousands of people.

“I guess it’s a minor nuisance, in the scheme of things” said Howard Johnson, 71, who bused from Bellevue last week to wait in line at Westlake Station, where it took an hour to swap his old senior card for a new ORCA senior card.

People are willing to make the effort for the savings that come with a senior or disabled permit — for instance, a senior or disabled monthly pass is $18 per month for travel in both Seattle and the suburbs, compared to $99 for a similar adult pass.

ORCA is gradually replacing other all other passes as they expire this year. People who are using an annual pass issued in 2009 need not switch to ORCA until their old passes expire.

Earlier this month, a few seniors waited up to 90 minutes. A one-hour wait was typical last week, but times improved this week, to 30-45 minutes Thursday and only a few minutes today — although Desmond called this a mid-month lull, and expects another surge.

“I hated seeing the lines,” he said. “It’s not what we wanted to put our customers through.”

After the first December wave, Metro supervisors began walking up to people in the lines, taking questions with kindness and patience. Often, they escort an adult to the nearby ticket machines, for a quick transaction.

But at Westlake Station, only two and sometimes one of the three windows is manned. Metro cites high costs. Desmond said he plans to staff all windows at Westlake, once new people are trained Jan. 25 and absorb the overtime cost later.

Sound Transit spokesman Geoff Patrick emphasized that this winter’s inconvenience is a one-time situation. Once they get ORCA cards, people won’t need renew them every year at a service window.

Part of the problem is that many adults are yet unaware they can get ORCA online or through ticket machines — without a wait.

Winter’s rush happened partly because of ORCA publicity and news coverage about the big changeover for 2010. Many riders worried about getting hit with a $5 card fee or that their current passes would become invalid — though transit officials clarified this week that the situation is actually less severe. More people have been obtaining cards in person than online.

There are no suburban outlets, not even an ORCAmobile to barnstorm the county. Transit staffers did visit senior centers in 2009 — an effort that is going to be increased the next few weeks, to educate people and take card sign-ups, Desmond pledged.

Seeking ORCA

Two middle-aged women, Marci Carpenter and Kay Burrows, finished their pancake breakfast and caught a bus downtown, to convert their transit passes to the new ORCA smart-card.

They sought disabled reduced-fare cards, because both are blind. They took their place at the rear of the line in Westlake Station.

A few minutes later, a Metro employee showed up, explaining they had to go down to 201 S. Jackson St., the only place where Metro keeps photographic and computer equipment to collect mug shots for passes for disabled people.

The two women descended into the tunnel and caught a bus to the International District/Chinatown station. Tapping their white canes, they found the escalator to street level, became separated crossing Fourth Avenue South, but reunited to reach Metro headquarters, behind 40 people in line. “It’s better than it’s been,” a transit supervisor said.

Carpenter’s back is damaged because of a car crash, and Burrows has a hip disorder, so they both sat on a padded bench. After an hour, the supervisor called them forward at what was their turn in line.

Carpenter waved her new ORCA card in front of her face.

“Free at last!” she said. “Free at last.”

Huge demand

The crush of card applications is far greater than Metro anticipated.

The agency processed almost 4,000 reduced-fare passes in December, more than triple the normal volume. It takes about 20 minutes per customer to answer questions, take pictures and register someone for disabled passes, Desmond said.

Desmond is both pleased and caught off-guard at what he called the public’s very fast adoption of smart-card technology. About 154,000 daily rides — almost one-third of the regional total — have been made already by ORCA this month.

Advanced Card Systems Ltd. (ACS, wholly owned subsidiary of Advanced Card Systems Holdings Ltd., SEHK: 8210), a global supplier of card and reader technologies, launches its new ACOS7 dual-interface smart card for the world Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) market.

“All-in-One Card” is a very popular concept. It is a single smart card being used within a city for multiple applications, both for transit and for non-transit payment. ACOS7 supports both contact and contactless interfaces, while, as the other option, it supports only contactless interface. Complaint with ISO7816-4 and supporting secure e-purse, e-deposit and transactions, ACOS7 can be applied to transportation, retail, property management, car parking, utility supply, etc.

Additionally, certified to be compliant with the Ministry of Construction (MoC) standard, a national “All-in-One Card” standard defined by the China Government, ACOS7 is ideal for the AFC market in China. China is the country in the world with the largest number of smart cards in use for AFC. This Chinese standard was set based on the vast experience of MoC in involving in many “All-in-One Card” Projects in China. This standard could be used as a reference by the standard setting bodies of other countries.

“AFC is indeed a killer-application of smart cards. The release of ACOS7 signifies ACS’s deeper engagement in serving the growing world AFC market,” said Gilbert Leung, Sales Director of ACS. “ACS will continue to put its resources on research and development so as to provide a wider range of products to suit different needs of the world and facilitate an easier realization of smart card applications.”

For further details of ACOS7 Dual-interface Smart Card, please visit, please visit www.acs.com.hk/index.php?pid=product&id=ACOS7 .

Delhi Metro Tuesday unveiled “smart key chains”, a new smart card that is half the size of the present one and more friendly for thousands of commuters who wish to travel ticket-less.
“The sleek new ’smart key chains’ can be used in the same way as normal smart cards to enter and exit Metro stations, that is by swiping on the designated space on the automatic fare collection (AFC) gates,” Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
“The decision to introduce the smart key chains was taken as many Metro commuters use cars, two-wheelers or bicycles and normally use key chains which they can now replace with the new devices,” he added.
While the Metro smart cards are of the size of credit cards so that they can be kept in wallets, the smart key chains are much smaller so that they can easily be carried in pockets. The corners are rounded and the sides tapered so that they do not cause cuts while being taken out. They are made with high-quality plastic and are coated with acrylic resin to make them unbreakable.
Delhi Metro has procured 50,000 smart key chains in the first lot. About 1.5 million smart cards are presently in circulation. Among over 900,000 Metro commuters daily, 55 percent are smart card users while the rest use tokens.

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. Read more »

Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB) announced today that it has established a new subsidiary in India — Cubic Transportation Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. — and is entering this dynamic regional market with a five-month trial of Cubic’s smart card-based fare collection technology aboard buses in Delhi. Cubic’s new office in the growing high-tech hub of Hyderabad, India, will pursue automated fare collection systems and services business throughout the country and provide software development support for transportation projects worldwide. Read more »