Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council Invites Transit Agencies to Open Fare Payments Meeting in Philadelphia

The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council invites transportation agencies and council members to discuss directions and trends in fare payment at an in-person meeting in Philadelphia, September 18-19, 2012 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The Transportation Council is a diverse group of Smart Card Alliance member organizations representing transit agencies, fare payments technologies, fare collection system integrators, and financial organizations.

"With many transit agencies in the midst of either planning or deploying new transit fare systems, this meeting will provide a focused setting that brings together transit agencies large and small, payment brands, and technology providers to discuss and collaborate on strategies and best practices for implementing new smart card-based systems," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance.

The meeting is an invitation to small, medium, and large transportation agencies to attend an interactive event with two days of presentations and roundtable discussions on the directions and trends in fare payment that are driving new fare collection system implementations. Sessions will include discussion of strategies for accepting open bank card payments for public transportation, challenges and opportunities for commuter rail, best practices for transit business and technical architectures, financial industry technologies and directions that affect fare collection, and the impact of new fare collection systems on fare policy. At the close of the first day, attendees are invited to tour Port Authority Transit Corporation’s (PATCO’s) Wave-and-Pay Anywhere Visa Prepaid Card trial location, as well as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Operations Center. SEPTA is one of the first transit agencies deploying an open fare payment system.

"By dedicating two full days to transit fare topics, including seeing an open fare payment project in action, we think attendees will come away with a greater understanding of the steps that have to be made today to create a more advanced, convenient, and cost-effective transit payment experience for the future," said Craig Roberts, Utah Transit Authority and chair of the Transportation Council.

The Smart Card Alliance in-person Transportation Council meeting is open to transportation agency staff and Smart Card Alliance members. Any transportation agency who is not a current member of the Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council and would like to attend the meeting, please contact Randy Vanderhoof at 609-587-4208 or via email to [email protected] for a complimentary registration passcode. More information about the meeting location, agenda, and additional registration details is available here.