D.C. Metro Awards $184 Million Contract For Open Payment System

[marmar]

Metro will begin testing an open payment system this year, giving commuters the option of using their credit cards, federal government IDs, or smartphones to speedily pay fares.

Metro awarded a $184 million contract to the consulting and technology firm Accenture to rollout an open, "tap-and-go" payment pilot program at ten Metrorail stations, 50 bus routes, and two parking lots. Two thousand Metro riders will be chosen to take part in the pilot, although the method of picking commuters has not been determined yet. Accenture is required to complete the pilot program within 18 months, and open payments are expected to expand to Metro’s entire transit system in three to five years, according to transit authority officials.

“We want it to be easier for commuters and visitors to take public transit, and we really want to modernize our system,” said Carol Kissal, Metro’s chief financial officer. “And it is definitely more effective and more efficient for Metro to implement this.”

Once the open payment system is expanded to about 1,000 fare gates, 450 fare vending machines, and 1,500 buses, Metro will phase out paper fare cards, which are used by less than 10 percent of riders. ....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.wnyc.org/story/metro-awards-184-million-contract-open-payment-system/

[LiberalEsto]

1. Oh swell. Not. Accenture was part of Arthur Anderson, the Enron accounting firm

I didn't know this until I looked them up today.
See my post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4315274