SmartFare/Digital Pass Progress

[thisiswilson]

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportatio...e-transit.aspx

Smart Fare Progress Report – Winter 2014
This year, Edmonton Transit’s focus will be on the development of Smart Fare. This exciting project has the potential to transform the way we do business not only in Edmonton but in the Capital Region. The Capital Region Board is our partner in a current initiative to fund the development of a regional Smart Fare system. Consequently, Edmonton Transit is consolidating our efforts on developing a more comprehensive fare solution that addresses the needs not only of Edmonton Transit’s customers but those of our regional partners.

At this point in Edmonton Transit’s journey towards the incorporation of Smart Fare into our system, we have made the decision to end the Digital Bus Pass demonstration project. The project will conclude at the end of January. Digital Passes will no longer be active or available after January 31.

Edmonton Transit views the Digital Pass demonstration project as a building block in the development of the Smart Fare system. We will be taking the experience gained from Digital Pass and incorporating it in the new project.

Shame we're not getting digital bus passes, at least Smart Fare is going the right direction.

[kkozoriz]

February Service Changes
There will be minor changes to ETS service starting Sunday, February 9. Routes 7 and 57 now have Smart Bus Technology. Use ETSLive® to get real time information for your route.

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportatio...ystem-ets.aspx

[EveB]

Wonderful! Routes 7 and 57 are my work to home routes. I've observed that in the past the times they roll up to Telus station does not correspond to the posted schedule.

Eve

[thisiswilson]

Sorry, I was more referring to the digital pass, which is different from Smart Bus.

[Edmcowboy11]

I would love to see another major route like the 8 or the 4 start using this technology.

[ike9126]

I wonder if they'll put a departures board at the 100 st/ Telus Plaza stop. I'd guess its one of the busiest in the city

[AAAAE]

Smart Card Fare Payment delayed one year - new date of completion estimated December 2019.



Source: Significant Capital Projects Update - June 2016 (City of Edmonton) - Council Report

[MrOilers]

2019? They must be joking. Do any ETS projects happen quickly (or even on time)?

[moahunter]

^Actually, if you add one month, 2020. Its unbelievable, this has been talked about for more than a decade, and still delays. There must be at least a dozen off the shelf systems from around the world they could pick. Just choose one and implement it. Heck, you could probably even just buy the starbucks technology (which works with a phone or card), how hard is that? I think there must COE / ETS staff who made themselves a career out of evaluating and delaying this incredibly simple project.

[Chmilz]

Was in Warsaw a couple weeks ago. Hopped on a bus and bought a ticket from the machine inside using my credit card with tap to pay. These systems are everywhere. How are we so incredibly awful at picking one from a list and running with it?

[Carbon-14]

Edmonton announced it has picked its preferred operator for the smartfare program:

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonto...-bus-fare.html

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loca...l-justice-edge

[B.ike]

Hope this is future proofed for a decade or so and this vendor has capability to allow people to cell phones as their cards

[EveB]

I just went through their website and it doesn't seem that they are looking at phones as a payment option.

[moahunter]

^yeah, that's what Calgary, which has also been a laggard on this, is going to jump straight too, half the price of Edmonton's 42m system, and a generation ahead (phones not cards):



http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...hone-1.4025953

"In many ways, it's automatic," Coun. Shane Keating, who chairs the committee, told the Calgary Eyeopener. "You can do it anywhere due to the wireless technology.

Upgrading to mobile ticketing and completing the required replacement of the existing ticket vending machines is expected to cost $20.5 million over five years, and administration estimates it would take one to two years to implement.

That's a far smaller budget — and shorter timeline — than implementing an account-based electronic fare system like Toronto's PRESTO card. Going that route, which the city has twice tried and failed to do, would cost $55 million to $75 million and take more than four years to put into effect.

[B.ike]

City of Edmonton, St. Albert and Strathcona County to implement Smart Fare for transit in 2020

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/city-of-...2020-1.3802127

[EveB]

I would have really loved this when I was living in Calgary. (In Edmonton, my monthly pass is provided by my employer, but I will love this after I leave this job.)

The bulk of my C-train travel was along various points of the 7th Ave free area because I lived downtown. But I hated using tickets when going outside the zone so if I was feeling flush I would buy a transit pass. But I rarely used all of it. I just liked the convenience of never having to worry about transfers and how long I was going to be somewhere. Or directions of travel. Or anything.

The reverse monthly pass solves that.

Also, if we present them everywhere on the system, as citizens we will finally be able to get proper numbers of how the system (both bus and train) is actually used rather than relying on annual or semi-annual surveys.

[Aaron_Lloyd]

^^Any word on Leduc Transit getting in on the smart card action? Also I assume Spruce Grove Transit and FST will both be covered as they are bus systems operated by ETS, right?

[EveB]

A quick check says that Spruce Grove is not run by ETS. They have their own fare structure.

[Aaron_Lloyd]

^From the transit FAQ page:

How is the transit service operated?

The City of Spruce Grove’s commuter transit service is operated through an annual contract agreement with the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Transit Service (ETS). While the City of Spruce Grove determines the route and placement of stops, ETS is contracted to provide service between Spruce Grove and Edmonton. Fare revenue goes to the City of Spruce Grove, and is used to help fund the service. Fare revenue covers about 35% of the cost of commuter transit, and the remainder is paid with property taxes received by the City of Spruce Grove.

[EveB]

They may subcontract through the ETS (which actually is news to me), but from a rider's perspective they are two different systems. If I don't have a U-Pass, then I can't get on a Spruce Grove bus by flashing my ETS monthly pass.