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A smart card for public transit
A major threshold has just been crossed!
Montreal,
2 July 2003 – The Société de transport de Montréal (STM), mandated
by the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), the Société de transport de Laval
(STL), the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC), the Réseau de transport de
Longueuil (RTL) and the Conseil intermunicipal de transport de Sorel-Varennes, tonight
awarded two major contracts in the file relating to public transit fare collection. The
first was awarded to ASCOM MONÉTEL SA for the acquisition of
a centralized system including hardware and software for a total amount of $ 83M. The
second, in the amount of $ 50.6M, covering the purchase of electronic fare collection
boxes for the STM and STL buses, was entrusted to GFI GENFARE. These
firms were retained following a public invitation to tender launched exactly one year ago,
on July 2, 2002.
Reputable companies
A player on the international scene, Ascom Monétel SA has vast experience in the area of
automated fare collection systems. In fact, this firm successfully installed in the Paris
network, and more recently, in Lyon, a system similar to the one chosen by the project
partners. For its part, GFI Genfare, which has taken on the services of Garival, a firm
located in Laval, is renowned for its fare collection equipment and currently holds a
contract for the installation of fare collection boxes in 2 700 buses in Los Angeles. In
both cases, the technology being used has already proven itself in other large public
transit systems, a key criterion in the awarding of these contracts.
An "all-in-one" card
The partners joined forces, not only to benefit from greater buying power, but also to
offer customers a truly integrated, harmonized, user-friendly and, in short, more
efficient system. The smart card will be used in all the participating systems and will
have a common appearance. It will be able to handle passes as well as all reduced fares
(including intermediate fares), as it will incorporate the identity card that entitles
users to these reductions. By doing so, it will provide better control and will facilitate
the work of employees handling fare collection. Some transportation companies, including
the STM, will also introduce a magnetic card that will support single tickets, transfers
and multiple regular-fare trips. Note that cash payments will still be possible.
The fare sale and collection activities will also be automated and
operated by each of the partners. In addition, vending machines will be available in the
métro stations, in the commuter train stations served by the AMT, at authorized agents in
the Montreal metropolitan area and at the Société des traversiers de Québec
(Quebec-Lévis link) in order to ensure that fares are available at all times.
Two major implementation phases
This project will be carried out in two major phases. The first phase, consisting of
carrying out modifications to the system, will begin next fall and will lead to the
production and evaluation of prototypes in 2004. The second involves the installation of
the system in a few buses, métro stations and commuter train stations in the spring of
2005 and its deployment starting in the fall of 2005.
Added value for everyone
According to senior managers, this far-reaching modernization project will benefit not
only clients and employees but also the participating organizations. It is designed to,
among other things, facilitate and simplify the purchase and use of fares, provide a
greater range of fares that are better adapted to customer needs, assure regional fare
integration as well as reduce the loss of income resulting from fraud. In addition, the
centralized information management system – to be shared among the participating
networks – will promote a consolidation of procedures, resulting in significant
savings.
Finally, it should be pointed out that management of the project has been entrusted to
the STM who has the mandate to coordinate the work with the partners. In view of the scope
of the project, a dozen multi-disciplinary teams have been formed with representation from
each transportation organization.
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