AGENDA ITEM 8-B
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM
TO:
CHAIRMAN COVINGTON AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
RICH DALTON
DATE:
AUGUST 17, 2012
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
A MOBILE TICKETING SYSTEM
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive
Officer to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Mobile Ticketing System.
BACKGROUND:
The current Automated Fare Collection (AFC) System has been in revenue
service since October 2002. Since that time, technology has changed and
improved, offering new opportunities to address VRE’s fare collection and
regional interoperability needs. Mobile ticketing is being tested and implemented
at several transit agencies across the nation and is giving those agencies an
opportunity to provide convenience to their passengers through new technology
with lower up-front capital expenditures. VRE staff is participating in a Mobile
Ticketing Working Group consisting of representatives from all major agencies
nationwide, including MBTA, SEPTA, DART, Tri-Met, and Chicago’s CTA and
Metra. This working group shares best practices and pilot test results so that our
entire industry may benefit from the early efforts in the area of mobile ticketing.
Working with LTK Engineering Services via a GEC task order, VRE issued a
Request for Information (RFI) in March 2012 to Mobile Ticketing providers to
gather information on mobile ticketing technology options for transit users.
Seventeen responses were received from providers from all around the world.
Those submissions were narrowed down to six companies who then made
formal presentations of their software products and proposed mobile ticketing
solutions to VRE, Keolis, and LTK staff. The information provided through the
RFI process was then used to define VRE mobile ticketing system requirements
and capabilities and develop the scope of services for this RFP.
VRE staff is also participating in WMATA’s Regional Operators Advisory Team
(ROAT) as they go through their procurement process for the New Electronic
Payments Program (NEPP). Working with WMATA to ensure interoperability
with NEPP and access to SmartBenefits® data is critical to the ultimate success
of any future AFC system for VRE. Mobile Ticketing promises to be the first
potential link of the VRE system to WMATA’s NEPP.
The scope of services for this RFP includes the design, installation,
implementation, and management of a turn-key Mobile Ticketing system that
meets the VRE requirements and functionality demands developed during the
RFI process. Upon receipt and review of proposals, VRE staff will return to the
Operations Board and recommend a specific firm for award.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for the project is included in VRE’s Capital Improvement Program as
part of the Fare Collection III and SmarTrip® Integration project. Funding is
available from federal grants VA-90-X269 and VA-90-X232. There is no local
match.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN COVINGTON AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
RICH DALTON
AUGUST 17, 2012
AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR A MOBILE TICKETING SYSTEM
RESOLUTION
8B-08-2012
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, the existing Automated Fare Collection (AFC) system has been in
place for almost ten years; and,
WHEREAS, VRE continues to seek ways to improve fare collection operations
and customer convenience and expand the opportunities to address regional
interoperability with the SmartBenefits® program; and,
WHEREAS, fare collection technology has continued to evolve since the VRE
AFC was designed; and,
WHEREAS, VRE issued an RFI in March 2012 to gather information on mobile
ticketing technology options for transit users; and,
WHEREAS, the next step is to design, install, implement, and manage a Mobile
Ticketing system that meets the VRE requirements and functionality demands
developed during the RFI process.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board
authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for
a Mobile Ticketing System.