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36 Smartcard Interoperability Issues for the Transit Industry
transfer, as appropriate, is deducted from the Chicago Card or Chicago Card Plus account each time
the card is presented to the reader. Customers with a 30-day pass also enjoy pass-back privileges and
can pay for additional riders using a single Chicago Card Plus card under certain conditions. The
first rider travels under the 30-day pass while pay-per-ride charges apply to the additional riders.
The Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus are based on the proprietary contactless GO-CARD
format developed by CTS.
3.1.3.1 Fare Policies
The following fare policies and customer features define the Chicago Card and Chicago Card
Plus program:
· Card Fee--$5 purchase and replacement fee;
· Fare Products--Chicago Card-stored-value only; Chicago Card Plus-account-based pay-per-
ride, 30-day pass;
· Fare Categories--Full fare only (reduced farecard for seniors is planned); and
· Other Features--Fare replacement/balance protection, automatic account replenishment
(Chicago Card Plus only), negative balance (Chicago Card only), Internet loads and card man-
agement (Chicago Card Plus only).
3.1.3.2 Transit Benefits Program
Participants of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)/CTA Transit Benefit Program
can have their pretax benefit automatically applied to their Chicago Card Plus account. The
employer establishes an online account linked to their employee accounts and submits the pre-
tax payroll deduction for posting directly to the account.
3.1.3.3 Loyalty Program
Both Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus users receive a 10-percent bonus each time their
accounts are reloaded with $10 or more.
3.1.4 Central Puget Sound Regional Fare Coordination (RFC) Project
Seven transportation agencies supporting approximately 130 million annual boardings are col-
laborating to plan and implement a smartcard-based regional fare payment system that enables
customers to use one farecard on multiple systems throughout the four-county Central Puget
Sound area. The Central Puget Sound RFC Project will consolidate hundreds of existing fare
media onto one smartcard to streamline the management of fare transactions and facilitate cross-
jurisdictional and multi-modal trip-making in the Puget Sound region. The smartcard system will
replace all current fare media. In the future, fares will be paid only via smartcard or physical cash.
ERG was awarded a contract in April 2003 to design, implement, and provide operational support
service for the regional smartcard-based fare collection system. Participating agencies include
· King County Metro Transit-bus;
· Community Transit-bus;
· Kitsap Transit-bus and passenger ferry;
· Pierce Transit-bus;
· Everett Transit-bus;
· Washington State Ferries-ferry; and
· Sound Transit-commuter rail, express bus, and light rail (under construction).
The RFC Project, which plans to use both reusable and disposable Mifare ISO 14443 Type A
contactless smartcards, is scheduled for revenue beta testing in 2006 and full revenue operation
in 2007 and will include the following devices:
