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| Subject: Sound Transit to decide if one ticket is good for all agencies | |
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Author: Thursday, April 24, 2003 (Seattle now signed 29/4/03 announced 30/4/03) |
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Date Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 02:03:18pm In reply to: Newspapers reporting result--March 7 2003 SMH 's message, "Noteholders have tickets to ride" on Thursday, March 06, 08:38:56am http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/118984_smartcard24.html ------------------------------------------------------------ Thursday, April 24, 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------ Sound Transit to decide if one ticket is good for all agencies ------------------------------------------------------------ By JANE HADLEY SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER ------------------------------------------------------------ When voters adopted the Sound Move regional transportation plan in 1996, they were promised a "one-ticket ride" to travel on any and all types of transit within the region. ------------------------------------------------------------ A rider could, for example, board a local bus and transfer to a regional bus, ferry or train using a single ticket for all rides. ------------------------------------------------------------ That vision is up for a vote today. ------------------------------------------------------------ After four years of off-and-on negotiations and weeks of agonized debate, the Sound Transit board will decide whether to enter into a $6.7 million contract with an Australian company to develop a "smart-card" system that will provide a one-ticket ride. ------------------------------------------------------------ The cost of the smart-card system over 10 years is estimated at $80 million, which will be shared by seven public transit agencies. About $64 million of that will go to ERG. The company will provide the hardware and software to collect fares and will provide an electronic clearinghouse that divvies up the fare revenue among the seven participating agencies -- King County Metro Transit, Sound Transit, Pierce Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit and Washington State Ferries. The system's target start date is early 2006. ------------------------------------------------------------ King County Metro is the lead agency. Spokeswoman Linda Thielke said the system will be much more efficient. ------------------------------------------------------------ The seven agencies together use 300 passes, tickets and tokens. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Those 300 things are going to be streamlined to one card, so you can see how much easier it will be." ------------------------------------------------------------ Passengers will carry a plastic card, similar to a credit card, that can be recharged with a balance at many places. ------------------------------------------------------------ As they get on a bus, ferry or train, they wave the card in front of a card reader and the fare is automatically deducted from their balance. ------------------------------------------------------------ Barbara Gilliland, director of the project for Sound Transit, said the agencies hope the smart card eventually will be used at parking lots, parking meters and even for retail purchases. ------------------------------------------------------------ "The big advantage of going forward with something like this is to get the card into the hands of the customer for multiple purposes," she said. ------------------------------------------------------------ "In Hong Kong they're already doing it." ------------------------------------------------------------ An ERG competitor and others have raised doubts in recent weeks, mainly because of the weak financial condition of ERG. The competitor, Cubic Corp., also said its technology is newer and less expensive than ERG's. ------------------------------------------------------------ And Richard Borkowski, president of People for Modern Transit, a group usually friendly to Sound Transit, complained about the lack of public involvement. ------------------------------------------------------------ "The public should be a partner with the agency, not a spectator," Borkowski wrote the board. ------------------------------------------------------------ ERG's stock has had a value of 8 cents recently, and auditors have issued "going concern" warnings. However, the company -- which has many major customers around the world, including Hong Kong, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco -- has taken steps to shore up its balance sheet. ------------------------------------------------------------ ERG shareholders are to vote April 30 on some key financial restructuring measures, and Borkowski urged Sound Transit to delay its decision until after that. ------------------------------------------------------------ However, a price guarantee from ERG expires that day. It already had been extended several times. ------------------------------------------------------------ Gilliland said the transit agencies have gone to great lengths to protect themselves, including requiring performance bonds, escrow for the computer code and insurance. Payments will coincide with successful completion of work. ------------------------------------------------------------ Gilliland said ERG's technology is up to date and proven. Cubic Corp. never bid on the smart-card project, and Sound Transit never evaluated its technology. Evaluation is a lengthy process, and there is no reason to start over evaluating a different technology at this point, Gilliland said. ------------------------------------------------------------ P-I reporter Jane Hadley can be reached at 206-448-8362 or janehadley@seattlepi.com ------------------------------------------------------------ [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| Subject | Author | Date |
| Seattle---Barbara Gilliland, director of the project for Sound Transit, said the agencies hope the smart card eventually will be used at parking lots, parking meters and even for retail purchases. | Thursday, April 24, 2003--52.4m---40.9m--10 years. | Wednesday, April 30, 02:07:22pm |
| Sound Transit agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe | Wednesday, May 28, 2003 · Last updated 2:54 p.m. PT | Thursday, May 29, 06:16:28am |