Suppliers vie for SEPTA smart card contract

Three companies seek to land a contract later this month from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to implement a contactless fare payments system. The system, estimated by SEPTA to cost $100 million, will enable Philadelphia-area riders to use credit or debit cards, as well as SEPTA smart cards and mobile phones, to pay for fares on SEPTA train, light rail, and bus lines.

The three companies are ACS Transport Solutions Group, Cubic Transportation Systems, and Scheidt & Bachmann.

SEPTA claims it will be the first major passenger rail operation in the U.S. to offer an open fare payments system, though it plans a three-year phased implementation to avoid or correct anticipated problems.