Implementing a BRT Project: The Preliminary Steps

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Implementing a BRT Project The Preliminary Steps
830 950 a.m. Frank Spielberg BMI-SG Incoming
Chair, TRB Bus Transit Systems
Committee (Moderator)
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Session Presentations

• MAX, Transit for Today, June Devoll
• BRT Vehicle Selection Concepts, Fred Silver
• Implementing BRT, Fare Collection, Roderick
  Diaz and Jeff Klompus

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• Roderick Diaz
• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a
  Master of City Planning from the University of
  California at Berkeley
• Associate with Booz Allen Hamilton in Los
  Angeles, CA
• Last 6 years have included a focus on planning,
  designing, and implementing BRT
• Takes pride in being one of a handful of people
  in the world who have personally visited and
  analyzed bus rapid transit systems on at least 4
  continents across the globe
• Jeffrey Klompus
• Associate with Booz Allen Hamilton
• Deputy Project Manager for the LACMTA Universal
  Fare System (UFS) Project
• Manages a team in the technical oversight of the
  prime contractor and works closely with the
  client during development, production,
  installation, and warranty of a new fare
  collection system implementation

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PRESENTATION
Implementing BRT Fare Collection
Roderick Diaz Jeffrey Klompus Denver, CO 6 May
2004
TRB / APTA Bus Rapid Transit Conference
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Today we will

• Discuss the role of fare collection in transit
  and in BRT
• Present relevant examples of innovation in fare
  collection for BRT systems
• Summarize the primary decision variables in fare
  collection system planning
• Cite issues for fare collection implementation

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Fare Collection Can Have a Significant Impact on
Transit Service Quality
Congestion
Moving
Turn Delays
Traffic
Signal Delay
PASSENGER STOPS
Dwell Time Comprises Roughly ¼ of Time that
Passengers Spend in On-Road Transit. Fare
Collection Drives the Dwell Time Length
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BRT System Innovations Have Focused on Reducing
Delays at Stations

• Barrier-Enforced Pre-Payment
• Example Trolebus in Quito, Ecuador
• Proof-of-Payment
• Example Transitway in Ottawa, Canada

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Quitos Trolebus Combines Pre-payment of Fares
and Level Boarding to Facilitate Low Dwell Times

• Fare gates and ticket attendants guard the
  entrance to stations
• Quitos fare gates also process cash, tokens, and
  magnetic tickets
• Passengers may enter and exit the buses through
  all the open doors, similar to rail service

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The Ottawa Transitway uses a Proof-of-Payment
(Honour Fare) system to facilitate boarding and
alighting on articulated buses

• Articulated buses are reserved for use on the
  most heavily patronized lines
• Passengers paying with cash and tickets still
  board through the front door to pay the farebox.
  Transfers are issued from a device attached to
  the farebox

• Passengers using passes and transfers may board
  through the second and third doors of the bus.
  All doors open at every station before during the
  entire day (before 7PM)
• Passengers caught evading fare payment must pay a
  Super Fare (equivalent to the cost of a monthly
  pass)

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New Technologies Bring New Options for BRT Fare
Collection
ELECTRONIC FARE VENDING

• Electronic vending machines distribute and verify
  fares directly to users
• Smart fare media expand the options for
  customizing fares while keeping transactions
  simple for passengers and operators
• Technologies work together seamlessly

SMART CARDS AND FARE VALIDATORS
ADVANCED FAREBOXES
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There are Three Main Considerations in BRT and
Fare Collection

• Fare Collection Process When and how do
  passengers pay their fares and how is this
  payment verified and enforced?
• Fare Transaction Media What kinds of media are
  accepted by the fare collection system?
• Fare Structure Are there different fares for
  different types of services?

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The Fare Collection Process is the Critical Issue
with the Most Significant Impact
PAY ON-BOARD

• Greatest Impact on Service Quality and Dwell Time
• Defines the Customer Experience
• Key Options
• Pay On-Board
• Barrier System
• Barrier-Free (Proof-of-Payment) System

BARRIER-ENFORCED ALL-DOOR BOARDING
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Fare Media Make Fare Transactions More
User-Friendly

• Key options
• Cash (Coins, Bills, Tokens) and Pre-paid
  Instruments (Flash Passes, Transfers, Tickets)
  Traditional solution implemented on most on the
  road transit systems
• Magnetic Stripe Media robust technology,
  limited applications
• Smart Cards increasingly being deployed by
  transit agencies, offer numerous options for fare
  structure
• Impacts on process
• Distribution
• Reliability
• Fraud
• Safety and security of personnel
• Branding and targeted marketing

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The Fare Structure Defines How Closely Fares
Relate to Service Types

• Captures value for the transit agency when
  passengers are willing to pay for different
  levels of service
• Two Major Types
• Flat simplest, requires less monitoring,
  enforcement, and administration
• Differentiated
• Zone
• Distance
• Service Type
• Time of Day
• Day of Week
• Discounts Incentives

SIMPLE
CUSTOMIZED TO MARKETS
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Introduction of New Fare Systems Can Transform
Systemwide Revenue Collection

• Electronic fare technology requires significant
  changes in support infrastructure and business
  practices

• Benefits are strongest with higher market
  penetration of fare media

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Fare Collection Systems Present Important Issues
to Consider for Implementation

• Integration with Other Modes Is the BRT fare
  system integrated or distinct from other modes?
• Revenue Processing How should business
  processes be refined in response to fare
  collection system enhancements?
• Fare Enforcement What is the optimum balance of
  fare enforcement and security to minimize fraud
  and costs?
• Marketing How can the fare collection system be
  designed to enable a transit agency to reach its
  customers?

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There are Many Opportunities and Benefits of
Evolving Your Fare Collection System with BRT

• Data Collection to Support Planning Records of
  fare payment patterns help business processes
  such as planning, marketing, revenue, and
  customer service
• Synergies with Other Functions Benefits
  transfer to other purposes
• Parking
• Financial services
• Paratransit
• Bicycle lockers
• Building access
• Regional solutions Seamless transfers broadens
  a passengers regional reach