Conduent Transportation in partnership with IT services provider Sigmax, has been selected by RET N.V., to implement a new automated fare collection system in the city of Rotterdam.
The contract will see the deployment of 1,700 Conduent VPE 430 smart-card ticket validators, integrated with Sigmax's software, on all RET trams and buses. These new validators will enable RET to expand its range of payment methods; in addition to the Dutch OV Chipkaart public transport payment card, customers will also be able to use contactless bank cards and smartphones with barcode or near-field communication (NFC).
"This next-generation fare collection technology will enhance our infrastructure, enabling us to offer our customers a better and more seamless experience right across the city of Rotterdam," said Jolanda van Barneveld, manager, OV Chipkaart, RET.
No matter what form the ticket takes – paper, card or digital – the Conduent VPE 430 validator completes the validation in exactly the same way, using an innovative check-in/check-out experience.
"As customers become more and more connected, transport operators have the opportunity to enhance their fare collection offerings," said Mick Slattery, CEO, Conduent Transportation. "The Conduent VPE 430 validator allows public transport operators, like RET, to offer their customers a range of the latest means of ticket validation."
The new validator meets the level of robustness and reliability required for a mass transit environment with a highly resistant colour screen.
"Sigmax's collaboration with Conduent means that we can offer RET's customers a more user-friendly public transport experience," said Leo van den Ende, CEO, Sigmax.
Installation of the new Conduent validators will begin in spring 2019.
Conduent Transportation is a leading provider of public transportation and mobility solutions – including electronic toll collection, parking management, and advanced transit and safety systems – that offer automated, analytics-based and personalized services for government agencies and their constituents. The company has been helping transportation clients for more than 40 years and operates in 27 countries.
