California Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology

This report presents evaluation results of the Smart Card Phase III FieldDemonstration. Its purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of using Smart Cards and othertechnology to provide an integrated fare medium across several transit operators. TheDemonstration took place from May 1995 through June 1997, and it was located in VenturaCounty, California. Participants included seven transit agencies, with the Ventura CountyTransportation Commission acting as the lead local agency. The technology deployed is anintegrated fare transaction and vehicle management/monitoring system, termed FareTransVMS. Major system elements include smart passenger fare cards, fare transactionhardware and software, automatic passenger counters, a geo-positioning system, andassociated communications hardware and software.The evaluation addressed technical performance, user response, and institutionalissues. Many problems were encountered in installing and deploying the hardware andsoftware, and equipment failures continued throughout the demonstration. Communicationsproblems prevented complete deployment of the system and implementation of all plannedsupport functions, though most technical elements were ultimately put into revenue servicein the field. Technical problems were often the outcome of institutional issues. The systemwas deployed before adequate testing could take place. Problems at specific sites were dueto inadequate training, lack of maintenance and trouble-shooting procedures, etc. AlthoughSmart Card users were very satisfied with the new fare medium, few transit users boughtand used the cards. Transit patrons in Ventura County have very low incomes, and manyare not English speakers. Smart Cards are more attractive to higher income, discretionaryriders. Overall, the demonstration suffered from the absence of clear roles andresponsibilities, as well as a lack of understanding of the complexity and demands of thetechnology. Despite deployment problems, however, participating agencies were generallyenthusiastic about the FareTrans VMS, and ultimately it became a permanent part of transitoperations in the county.