Capital and Strategic Planning Committee. Item IV - A. April 12, Fare Collection Modernization Program Update

Transcription

1 Capital and Strategic Planning Committee Item IV - A April 12, 2018 Fare Collection Modernization Program Update Page 40 of 76

2 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board Action/Information Summary Action Information MEAD Number: Resolution: Yes No TITLE: Fare Collection Modernization Program Update PRESENTATION SUMMARY: This presentation will provide an overview of all actions to maintain and update the fare collection system. PURPOSE: The Board will be informed of the status of the fare collection modernization program. DESCRIPTION: The fare payment system includes customer facing equipment such as faregates, fare vendors, bus fareboxes, and the complex software systems to operate the system. Major system elements including faregates, fare vendors and fare boxes are designed with a 15-year life and many components have well exceeded their design life. Work on the fare system modernization program is underway on a two track approach. First is to strategically reinvest in maintaining current systems to provide high operational reliability; and the second is to prepare for replacement faregates, fare vendors, bus fareboxes, and software. Key Highlights: At its conclusion, the fare system modernization program will provide: An improved customer experience for commuters and visitors Support a bring your own device approach to fare payment Reduce expense of operations and maintenance for the system Page 41 of 76

3 Background and History: Fare payment is the first touch point for the customer experience and its ease of use, reliability and accuracy are key. Customers need a fare system that is intuitive to understand and easy to use. WMATA needs to have a system that has high reliability, high accuracy and is economical to operate. The series of strategic investments will help WMATA deliver a system that will provide a greater ease of use and the ability afford the customer to enjoy the benefits of self-directed customer service, literally meeting the customer where they are, anywhere, anytime. Discussion: The programmed investments will achieve: Improved system reliability for WMATA s customers including a contemporary user interface that will be intuitive and flexible to use; and Improved operations and system uptime to reduce expense of maintaining the system while reducing the potential for fare evasion. Customers will have choices of where and when to buy their fare beyond their desktop computer. They will be able to do it at their convenience on their mobile device using a well defined APP; or, if they choose, new fare vendors will have contemporary, intuitive and easy to use screens and prompts to make fare purchases. Farevendors will be designed to accept cash but debit/credit only machines will be purchased reducing the size of the machine footprint. Exit fare machines will be equipped to accept debit/credit cards in addition to cash. Faregates will have crisp and clear direction and message signs and new gating mechanisms will move passengers quickly and smoothly. WMATA will see improvements to the bottom line with improved system uptime at a lower cost to operate. Components will be new and not suffer from obsolescence experienced today. The system will be designed to reduce the opportunity for fare evasion through tighter barrier controls and better reporting capability for enforcement. FUNDING IMPACT: This is an information briefing with no Board actions required. Project Manager: Gregory Garback Project Department/Office: Capital Planning and Programming (CPPM) Page 42 of 76

4 TIMELINE: Previous Actions Anticipated actions after presentation Issue procurement actions to support program; e.g., new faregate procurement. Continue to periodically report to the Committee on actions RECOMMENDATION: - Page 43 of 76

5 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Fare Collection Modernization Program Update Capital and Strategic Planning Committee April 12, 2018 Page 44 of 76

6 Purpose Fare Collection Program Update Last update September 2016 New Electronic Payment Program (NEPP) concept ahead of marketplace 2016 Approach: Maintain State of Good Repair Ensure readiness to leverage more advanced marketplace Page 45 of 76 2

7 Actions Underway State of Good Repair (SOGR) Underway Extending life of fareboxes Improving faregate operations Maintaining fare vendors Necessary improvements to back-end system Modernization initiatives underway Mobile APP New Faregates Modernization initiatives upcoming New Fareboxes New Fare Vending Machines New Back-Office System Page 46 of 76 3

8 Strategic Roadmap Fareboxes and Faregates Mobile and Expanded Network Fare Vending Machines Back-Office System A better experience at a lower cost to operate Page 47 of 76 4

9 Roadmap Phases Phase 1 Underway State of Good Repair (SOGR) for: Fareboxes - DCU Faregate infrastructure Fare Vending Machines Back-Office System Mobile APP Procure and install new Faregates Phase Complete Faregate installation Procure and install new Fareboxes Procure new vendors Procure new Back-Office software system Phase Complete implementation of new Back-Office software system Complete Fare Vendor installation Move fully to decentralized, self-service model Initiate design of new vendors Maintain Close Coordination with Regional Partners Page 48 of 76 5

10 SOGR - Farebox Reliability 15+ years old Fareboxes New Driver Control Unit (DCU) Farebox motherboard is obsolete and failing Operations not impacted but not sustainable Improved operations; extends useful life Adequate boards to support regional needs Timetable: Field testing in May/June 2018 Deployment starts in 2019 Close Coordination with Regional Partners Page 49 of 76 6

11 SOGR - Faregate Reliability 25+ years old Faregates Original Power and Communications Timetable: New SmarTrip targets on gates Improve performance Targets 75% complete; finish Summer 2018 New Power and Communications Infrastructure CAT 6 communications cable Update power cables, where required New underfloor duct, where required 75% complete; finish by end of 2018 Preparation for New Faregates Page 50 of 76 7

12 SOGR - Fare Vendor Reliability 25+ years old Fare Vending Machines More debit-credit transactions than cash today Shift to web/auto-load Complete coin cylinder replacement 75% complete Component obsolescence review underway Page 51 of 76 8

13 Modernization - Mobile Initiative Create self-service experience in mobile APP Features include: Trip planning Way finding Fare payments More consistent information Leverages current infrastructure Accepted where SmarTrip is today Phased Delivery APP starting in December 2018 Fare payments in 2019 Self-directed Customer Service; Anywhere, Anytime Page 52 of 76 9

14 Modernization - Faregates New Faregates, system-wide Procurement issued March 2018 Bi-parting leaves or saloon style door barriers Approximately 900 aisles; regular and ADA Solution must be compatible with current system Zero customer transition June June Procure Design Test Manufacture Deploy Page 53 of 76 10

15 Modernization - Fareboxes Develop requirements with regional partners Procure on behalf of region Contract options for regional partners Integrate with other on-board systems Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) June June June Set Requirements Procure Manufacture Deploy Close Coordination with Regional Partners Page 54 of 76 11

16 Modernization - Fare Vendors Development starts 2019 Desired Characteristics Easy and intuitive to operate Large screens; easily programmable Exit fares to accept debit/credit cards Smaller footprint for debit/credit only machines Optimize number of machines to customer demand Less is More June June Set Requirements Design Procure Manufacture and Deploy Page 55 of 76 12

17 Modernization Back-Office 10+ years old Back-Office Fare System Software Supports our needs today for passes and stored value Supports grace period and rush hour promise initiatives Maintained by OEM Supplier Regional Software Maintenance Agreement (RSMA) Third-party software updates WebLogic June June Set Requirements Procure Design and Develop Test Page 56 of 76 13

18 Results Achieve steady state for fare collection Improve customer experience; expand payment options Reduce reliance on WMATA equipment and systems for fares Reduce operations and maintenance expense Reduce potential for fare evasion Grow and support SmarTrip regional alliance Page 57 of 76 14

19 Questions? Page 58 of 76 15