White paper explains smartcard-based ticketing

A new white paper spells out the benefits of adopting contactless smartcard-based ticketing, and addresses the ongoing concerns over costs, standards and technology.

Contactless smart ticketing for mass transit is now a reality, offering huge cost savings and revenue-generating opportunities for transport operators around the world.

This is the core message outlined in a new white paper being launched next month by the leading RFID specialist for the transport sector, Innovision Research and Technology - to coincide with the UITP World Congress in Rome.

Entitled "Smart ticketing for mass transit - the new global opportunity created by low-cost, contactless ticketing", the white paper - authored by Innovision R and T's transport expert, Trevor Crotch-Harvey - clearly spells out the benefits of adopting contactless smartcard-based ticketing, and addresses the ongoing concerns over costs, standards and technology.

The arguments for a more aggressive uptake of smart ticketing could not be more straightforward, according to Innovision R and T, which has been driving the adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in ticketing applications over the last year since the launch of its Jewel RFID chip.

However, according to Trevor Crotch-Harvey, more emphasis needs to be put on educating operators about how they can best capitalise on the benefits of this rapidly growing market.

"When the UK Government published its 'Transport 2010: the ten year plan' paper in 2000, it recognised smartcards as an important element in improving transport infrastructure to encourage greater use of public transport".

"It's fair to say that the advantages of smartcard-based contactless ticketing are by now well known within the transport sector, but there is still confusion and concern, mostly over the potential high costs of implementing such schemes".

"For smartcards to really deliver on their promise of seamless, inexpensive and improved travel, the industry needs solutions that can be rolled out economically and that meet agreed international standards".

The white paper takes each of these challenges and tackles the key concerns.

First, there is a strict cost criterion involved in enabling low-cost smart ticketing, particularly when it comes to limited use tickets.

One of the first tasks for the UK's Transport Card Forum's Working Group on Low-cost Smart Ticketing (TCF WG8) was to examine the business case for limited use smartcards, using real passenger data from its member transport operating companies.

The paper looks at the business case and what is needed to provide a positive return on investment.

Secondly, one of the fundamentals for the success of contactless smart ticketing in mass transit applications is the creation and adoption of open standards.

Standards are required in any sector and gaining their acceptance by the key decision makers is often time consuming and problematic, especially when it involves, as in this case, governments, associations, transport operators, authorities, systems integrators, ticket companies and consultants.

The white paper examines ISO14443 (the standard for interoperability of proximity smartcards), the problems associated with proprietary structures and the role of ITSO (Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation) and TCF WG8 in the UK in helping to drive the adoption of a national standard.

"Making technology fit" is the theme for part five of the paper, which again addresses the issue of cost influencing the viability of contactless smartcards in mass transit applications.

To reduce the cost, limited use smartcards will need to be made of thin plastic, cardboard or paper and dispense with the onboard microprocessor of high value cards.

Bringing down the cost of the chip is having a significant impact on the cost of smartcards and the launch of Innovision R and T's Jewel RFID chip last year is helping address this major issue.

"Jewel was specifically designed to meet the criteria developed by TCF WG8 and should eventually drive the cost of a final ticket down to around Eur 0.15, enough to provide a return on investment for operators and encourage them to adopt low-cost contactless ticketing applications sooner rather than later", added Crotch-Harvey.

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