Smart Cards for Mass Transit Lines

Public Transportation on the Rise

Modern public mass transit moves millions of people from place to place, and comprises an immense network of trains, buses and people movers. This can be difficult to reconcile with the need to keep track of and ensure that all patrons have valid tickets, but modern systems such as smart cards and proximity RFID cards have provided effective alternatives to the old fashioned and inefficient ticket model. With the advent of effective and cheap high speed personalized printing services for smart cards and RFID enabled cards alike, mass transit is entering a new era.

The Benefits of Smart Cards

A primary bottleneck in the swift handling of the large number of customers who make use of public mass transit is processing the payment. Not only does fumbling for a cash payment slow down the commuter, it exposes them to the danger of being assaulted by criminals for their cash. Finally, cash payments result in mass transit operators having a large amount of currency at the end of the day, which increases the danger of robbery.

Encoded smart cards have thus become very popular among mass transit agencies. These cards allow the consumer to purchase his or her tickets online while at home or at a kiosk and then grant admittance to the mass transit provider with a simple swipe of a card, eliminating the mess, delay and danger involved with cash payments.

RFID Smart Cards

While smart cards have increased the efficiency of mass transit systems, cheap RFID-enabled cards promise a quantum leap in the effective management of mass transit customers. By eliminating the need to use a physical card reader, RFID cards can permit patrons to move onto the bus or train without any pause at all. Furthermore, by keeping real-time data about how many individuals are using a given line, RFID systems permit operators to effectively predict and respond to changes in usage patterns. This can be especially useful in avoiding transportation bottlenecks or other delays. An example of the advantages of such cards can be found in Hong Kong’s Octopus Cards, which are currently used for most public transport tolls.

Mass transit systems are uniquely suited to all forms of printed smart and RFID cards, and are at the forefront of further development of this uniquely effective system for managing large numbers of passengers. By making use of inexpensive printing systems, RFID and smart card technology can effectively replace cash payments, reduce delays in the system, and assist passengers in having a worry-free trip. It is likely that the use of smart cards will continue to spread as more mass transit agencies see the advantages inherent in such systems.

 Image by -Tripp- and licensed through Creative Commons. 

Steve Stoltz is a sales rep at CardPrinter.com, an online retailer that provides pre-printed and blank PVC cards and a full line of ID card printers and supplies. 

ID Card Printers and Public Transit

How an ID Card Printer can help streamline Public Transit operations.

Public transit systems do more than ferry passengers throughout the city on subways, trains and buses. They must also keep up with the fares of the passengers in the most efficient manner possible. Gone are the days of using tokens and cash for taking a bus trip. The most innovative transit systems have substituted identification cards for coins.

Unlike cash, ID cards and prepaid smart paper tickets do not require counting out individual tokens or returning change. Prepaid cards are swiped like credit cards, but they can only be used for the transit system. They save time for passengers by streamlining the payment stage of their ride and onto the transit vehicle – providing time savings for everyone on board.

Popular Transit Systems

Today, New York City's transit system uses prepaid cards or smart paper tickets exclusively. These cards were introduced in 1993, and 10 years later, they became the sole form of payment accepted. Kiosks let riders purchase new cards or add money to existing cards. The cards are then swiped at a turnstile, which deducts the fare and grants the user access to the subway system. Each transit card is tied to the fare the rider pays based on the user's age. Seniors, who ride at a discounted rate, have a photograph on their identification cards to prevent fraud.

Image via Wikipedia

Other cities in the United States have also adopted public transit identification cards or prepaid smart paper tickets. These include large metropolitan areas such as Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and Washington D.C. The card technology is not just used in the United States. Dozens of countries around the world make use of the cards for the transit systems in their cities.

At its core, an identification card printer makes this system possible. It allows for the production of long-lasting cards for use on transit systems. Most cards resemble credit cards that users swipe, but as technology evolves, this method is becoming passé for some transit systems.

The Future of Fare Payments

Radio frequency identification (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) allow for transit system cards to come near a reader without touching it. A card with this embedded technology is tapped or waved in front of a reader for the card information to be processed. These help speed passengers past the turnstiles or payment boxes to get on board faster.

Smart paper tickets combine the benefits of a cashless identification card with a lower printing cost, keeping this technology within the operating budget of many public transit systems. The paper tickets can be used once or many times, but they are not as durable or long lasting as plastic cards. This fare method is commonly used by public transit systems for general tickets that do not have an age restriction and do not require a photo identification card.

Paying with cash is quickly becoming a relic of the 20th century. Most people now rarely pay with cash or checks, relying instead on more elegant payment means such as credit cards or cell phone payments. The wide range of options for a cashless fare system should encourage any public transit system to make the conversion. Doing so will bring the fare system into the 21st century.

Steve Stoltz is a sales representative for CardPrinter.com, an online retailer that offers ID Card Printers at a price that can't be beat. We carry a full line of Fargo Printers along with other major brands.