Phase 1 began in February with 4,300 volunteers who frequently use mass transit being issued with the new TransLink® card. This initial phase of the program is the seed of a larger plan to eventually link all transit providers in the Bay area. "The intent behind the entire program is to create a single card that can be used everywhere. A single point of interface for the customer for their fare payments and all the customer services relative to fare payments," says TransLink® project manager Russell Driver

The Phase 1 card works across the routes of six selected agencies: AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit, San Francisco Muni and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. "They're six of our largest agencies but only on a portion of each of their systems," says Driver. "But they do all knit together to form a network that covers the whole Bay area and does involve every transit mode that we have here including ferry, diesel bus, light rail vehicle, heavy subway and the like."

Based on a dual interface smart card with a proximity means of accessing the chip as well as a contact plate on the side, the TransLink® card works in both contact and contactless applications and adheres to the fare schedules of all the participating transit agencies.

MTC has contracted with Motorola Inc. and ERG Ltd. to implement and operate the system

"That multiplied the complexity of the system design by a huge factor because all of those fare instruments have their own quirky policies that go with them," says Driver. "We've tested transfers that I frankly don't know if more than half a dozen people use just because there are some strange transfers out there. But they're important from the point of view that they directly affect the customer."

For more information on the TransLink® card http://www.masstransitmag.com/