INTEGRATED: SEPTA plans to develop a multimodal mobile and contactless fare payments system
A request for proposals from “experienced vendors” has been issued by South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the USA, to develop, implement and maintain a multimodal mobile and contactless fare payments system that will use an open architecture to make it possible to quickly and easily add support for new payments technologies.
The new system — known as SEPTA Key 2.0 – will enable passengers to pay for their fares with a contactless debit or credit card, their smartphone or wearable device. It will also support a flexible fare structure that includes multiple rider tickets and integrate with fare payments systems operated by partner transit operators and other third parties.
“SEPTA Key 2.0 is a next generation, multimodal fare payment system intended to improve the customer experience,” the transportation authority says.
“SEPTA Key propelled SEPTA from an era of tokens and paper tickets to a reloadable contactless chip card that offers a host of options for seamless travel and self-service flexibility.
“Now, more than a decade after its design, the current SEPTA Key data-processing software is due for an upgrade to meet the expectations of today — and tomorrow.”
SEPTA began trialling mobile ticketing in Philadelphia in December 2022 when it also revealed its plans to roll out open loop contactless fare payments across its transit network.
SEPTA sets out plans for next generation multimodal mobile and contactless fare payments system was written by Tom Phillips and published by NFCW.