 | |
| Location | Philadelphia area |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2016–2017 |
| Technology |
|
| Operator | Conduent |
| Manager | SEPTA |
| Currency | USD ($1 [1] minimum load, $250 maximum load) |
| Auto recharge | Available |
| Validity | |
| Website | www |
The SEPTA Key card is a smart card that is used for automated fare collection on the SEPTA public transportation network in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It can be used throughout SEPTA's transit system (bus, trolley, subway, high speed line), and on Regional Rail. [2]
Before the Key System, SEPTA's fare collection was almost entirely manual. Monthly and Weekly passes were sold by a cashier at a SEPTA sales office. Tokens for bus, trolley and subway fare could be purchased from a vending machine at some stations, however exact change was required. Paper tickets and passes were used on Regional Rail. In 2012, SEPTA announced the Key project. In 2014, SEPTA began deploying the new hardware necessary for the system at each station.
The initial rollout of the key card on transit services began with an early adoption program starting on June 13, 2016. [3] Sale of Key Cards was opened to the public on February 9, 2017. [4] As of June 1, 2017, weekly and monthly TransPasses (for urban transit, distinct from the TrailPasses for SEPTA Regional Rail) were no longer available in the old format, and users of those passes had to have a Key Card. [5] However, the sale of weekly TransPass at third-party locations continued until July 30, 2018. [6] The sale of monthly TransPasses at third-party locations also ended in July 2018. [6]
Sales of paper weekly/monthly TransPasses at all Regional Rail stations, token sales at most Regional Rail stations and token sales at all transit sales offices ended by April 30, 2018; [7] [8] however, token sales at third-party locations continued until July 15. [6] Tokens then continued to be sold in bulk to social service agencies, as work continued to implement a new method for those organizations to provide SEPTA fares to their clients. [6] Also in April 2018, SEPTA launched the external retail network for Key Cards, allowing cards to be purchased and reloaded at businesses across the Philadelphia area. [9] On August 1, 2018, SEPTA stopped issuing or honoring paper transfers; the only way to use the reduced transfer fee is through the SEPTA Key card. [10]
On August 1, 2018, SEPTA began an early adoption program for SEPTA Key on Regional Rail from select Zone 4 stations for Monthly Zone 4 TrailPass holders. [11] On October 1, SEPTA expanded the program to include select Zone 3 stations for Monthly and Weekly TrailPass holders. [12] The SEPTA Key program extended to Zone 1 and Zone 2 TrailPass holders on May 1, 2019. [13] Weekly TrailPasses were available only on SEPTA Key starting the week of August 12 for Zones 3 and 4 and the week of September 9 for Zones 1 and 2, marking the end of paper Weekly TrailPass sales. Monthly TrailPasses were available only on SEPTA Key starting in October for Zones 3 and 4 and in November for Zones 1 and 2, marking the end of paper Monthly TrailPass sales. [14]
On July 13, 2020, the Travel Wallet feature launched on Regional Rail, replacing tickets and cash, along with the Cross County Pass on a SEPTA Key card. [15] The sale of Monthly Cross County Passes ended at third-party locations in August 2020. [16] Sales of paper single-ride and ten-trip tickets ended on October 2. [17] As of April 2, 2021, previously purchased paper tickets are no longer accepted for travel on Regional Rail. [18]
Effective January 1, 2024, SEPTA no longer accepts previously purchased tokens at vehicle fareboxes or fare kiosks. [19]
Similar to a debit card issued by a bank, each Key card has a personalized 16 digit account number. A Mastercard Paypass chip is embedded in the card allowing it to be read wirelessly. Riders simply wave their card near a red fare validator pad. On buses, trolley routes, and the Norristown High Speed Line; the validator is mounted to the vehicle farebox. On the Broad Street Line and the Market–Frankford Line, the validators are located on the turnstiles that access the boarding area. At certain trolley stations (such as 30th Street Station or the westbound side of 19th Street station), fare is collected at the turnstiles even for trolley routes. The Norristown High Speed Line collects fares at turnstiles at 69th Street Transportation Center and Norristown Transportation Center while the fare is collected onboard at all other stations along the line. [20] On Regional Rail, there are turnstiles with validators at the Center City Philadelphia stations while outlying stations have platform validators. Riders tap on at the turnstile or platform validator to open their trip before boarding the train and tap off at the turnstile or platform validator to close their trip after exiting the train.
The system also has a Quick Trip feature allowing a single fare for the Broad Street Line or the Market-Frankford Line to be purchased from a Key vending machine. Instead of a plastic card with an embedded chip, the system prints a paper ticket with a magnetic stripe. A rider with a quick trip ticket will swipe it at a black card reader mounted next to the red pad to access the boarding area. Quick Trips can also be used on Regional Rail's Airport Line on trips originating from the Philadelphia International Airport; they can be purchased from machines located on the platforms. Quick Trips are also used at the Regional Rail stations in Center City Philadelphia; riders arriving in Center City Philadelphia buy a Quick Trip before exiting the station turnstiles while riders departing Center City Philadelphia buy a Quick Trip before entering the station turnstiles.
A card can be loaded with a weekly, monthly or single day pass. Unlike the older paper passes, SEPTA Key imposes a limit on how many trips a rider can take on a pass (56 for a weekly pass, 240 for a monthly pass, 8 for a One Day Convenience Pass, and 10 for a One Day Independence Pass). This is designed to prevent sharing of cards. The system also has a "Travel Wallet" feature in which riders can load money on the card and have the fare for each trip deducted from the balance when the card is presented. The Travel Wallet fare is discounted from the cash fare and costs the same as a token on transit and a ticket purchased in advance on Regional Rail.
The system was designed to keep most of SEPTA's existing fare collection practices in place. For example, the system can automatically detect if a rider is transferring from another route and charge the transfer fee instead of the full fare.
The SEPTA Key Student Fare Card program provides K-12 students with a SEPTA Key card that can be used for up to 8 trips per school day. Cards can be upgraded to be used on Regional Rail. [21] The SEPTA Key University Pass is a discount transit pass for college students at participating colleges. Colleges participating in the SEPTA Key University Pass program include University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Drexel University, University of the Arts, and University of the Sciences. [22]
SEPTA Key is accepted on all SEPTA rapid transit lines (Broad Street, Market-Frankford, Norristown), buses, trolleys, trackless trolleys, and Regional Rail. SEPTA Key cards were formerly accepted on DART First State buses in northern New Castle County, Delaware. [23] [24] Starting January 1, 2021, SEPTA Key cards were no longer accepted on DART First State buses because the fareboxes cannot read the card to confirm the purchase of a TrailPass and due to widespread fraudulent use. [25]
In 2007, SEPTA announced a plan to award a contract for an updated fare payment system by the end of the year. At the time, it was estimated the project would take about three years and cost approximately $100 million, based on the implementation of similar fare payment systems in other cities. [26] After the bid deadline for contractors was extended several times, [27] in 2011 the SEPTA Board awarded a $129.5 million contract to ACS Transport Solutions Group, a division of Xerox, with 2013 as a target date for completing the implementation. [28]
By 2013, the project was said to be a few months behind schedule, with SEPTA's Chief Officer of New Payment Technology John McGee stating "That ball of steam isn't as large as we'd like, but we're still moving along." Roll out was expected first on SEPTA Regional Rail, with transit service to follow. [29]
By 2019, total cost of the primary contract was $192.5 million, about $70 million more than planned. [30]
As of September 2020 [update] , the total cost was $193.3 million. [31]
In December 2022, SEPTA released a public beta of SEPTA Key Tix after a months-long closed trial. This feature allows for occasional riders to buy passes for all modes of rapid transit (except Regional Rail) from a smartphone that can be scanned as a ticket via QR code. [32] The fares for SEPTA Key Tix are the same those on the SEPTA Key, which is at a discount to cash prices. The fare also includes one free transfer, which has been unavailable with cash fares since SEPTA did away with paper transfers. [33] There have been some complaints about SEPTA Key Tix, which have included difficulties of using the platform, disuse of money stored in the "travel wallet" to buy tickets, and no integration with mobile payment services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay; [32] however, SEPTA has announced plans to support those and other forms of contactless payment within the program in the near future. [33]
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people in five counties in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also manages projects that maintain, replace and expand its infrastructure, facilities and vehicles.
The MetroCard is a magnetic stripe card used for fare payment on transportation in the New York City area. It is a payment method for the New York City Subway, New York City Transit buses and MTA buses. The MetroCard is also accepted by several partner agencies: Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE), the PATH train system, the Roosevelt Island Tramway, AirTrain JFK, and Westchester County's Bee-Line Bus System.
The PATCO Speedline, signed in Philadelphia as the Lindenwold Line and also known colloquially as the PATCO High Speed Line, is a rapid transit route operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), which runs between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden County, New Jersey.
A ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine (TVM), is a vending machine that produces paper or electronic tickets, or recharges a stored-value card or smart card or the user's mobile wallet, typically on a smartphone. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations, transit tickets at metro stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams. Token machines may dispense the ticket in the form of a token which has the same function as a paper or electronic ticket. The typical transaction consists of a user using the display interface to select the type and quantity of tickets and then choosing a payment method of either cash, credit/debit card or smartcard. The ticket(s) are then printed on paper and dispensed to the user, or loaded onto the user's smartcard or smartphone.
The Norristown High Speed Line is a 13.4-mile (21.6 km) interurban light rapid transit line operated by SEPTA, running between the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby and the Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Originally the Philadelphia and Western Railroad line, the line runs entirely on its own right-of-way. By 2020, the Norristown High Speed Line had an average weekday ridership approaching 11,000 passengers.
An exit fare is a method of collecting ridership fees, or fares, from a transportation system, where the fee is collected from passengers upon reaching their destination.
Fares to use the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, can be paid with various media. The price of fares varies according to age, occupation, income level, and health condition of riders.
The CharlieCard is a contactless smart card used for fare payment for transportation in the Boston area. It is the primary payment method for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and several regional public transport systems in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
The Compass Card was the first-generation smart card used for automated fare collection on public transport services within San Diego County, California. Administered by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), it was valid on a number of different travel systems in San Diego County including MTS buses, the San Diego Trolley, North County Buses, the Coaster and the Sprinter. The system was operated by Cubic Transportation Systems. Phased out over the third quarter of 2021, It was discontinued on August 31, and its successor, Pronto, launched the following day.
The Navigo pass is a family of contactless smart cards that can be used for payment in public transportation in Paris and the Île-de-France region. It was first introduced on 1 October 2001. The cards are implemented as contactless smart cards using the Calypso standard, initially with Radio-frequency identification (RFID), then Near-field communication (NFC) since 9 December 2013, and enables authenticated access at turnstiles by scanning the card at an electronic reader. Cards can be loaded with tickets and passes at staffed counters and at ticket vending machines. Since July 2018, they can also be recharged directly using a smartphone. Certain Android smartphones can be used in place of Navigo passes using the Île-de-France Mobilités app, allowing validation at Navigo card readers using NFC functionality.
The Delaware Transit Corporation, operating as DART First State, is the only public transportation system that operates throughout the U.S. state of Delaware. DART First State provides local and inter-county bus service throughout the state and also funds commuter rail service along SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line serving the northern part of the state. The agency also operates statewide paratransit service for people with disabilities. DART First State is a subsidiary of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
The Breeze Card is a stored value smart card that passengers use as part of an automated fare collection system which the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) introduced to the general public in early October 2006. The card automatically debits the cost of the passenger’s ride when placed on or near the Breeze Target at the fare gate. Transit riders are able to add value or time-based passes to the card at Breeze Vending Machines (BVM) located at all MARTA stations. The major phases of MARTA's Breeze transformation took place before July 1, 2007 when customers were still able to purchase TransCards from ridestores or their employers. They were also able to obtain paper transfers from bus drivers to access the train. As of July 1, 2007 the TransCard and the paper transfers were discontinued and patrons now use a Breeze Card or ticket to access the system, and all transfers are loaded on the card. Breeze Vending Machines (BVM) distribute regional transit provider passes The Breeze Card employs passive RFID technology currently in use in many transit systems around the world.
The fares for services operated under the brands of MTA Regional Bus, New York City Subway, Staten Island Railway (SIR), PATH, Roosevelt Island Tramway, AirTrain JFK, NYC Ferry, and the suburban bus operators Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) and Westchester County Bee-Line System (Bee-Line) are listed below.
The ORCA card is a contactless, stored-value smart card system for public transit in the Puget Sound region of Washington, United States. The card is valid on most transit systems in the Seattle metropolitan area, including Sound Transit, local bus agencies, Washington State Ferries, the King County Water Taxi, and Kitsap Fast Ferries. It was launched in 2009 and is managed by the Central Puget Sound Regional Fare Coordination Project, a board composed of local transit agencies.
A transit pass or travel card, often referred to as a bus pass or train pass etc., is a ticket that allows a passenger of the service to take either a certain number of pre-purchased trips or unlimited trips within a fixed period of time.
The Transit Access Pass (TAP) is a contactless smart card used for automated fare collection on most public transport agencies within Los Angeles County, California. The card is also available in electronic form, free of charge, in Apple Wallet, thereby bypassing the need to purchase the plastic USD $2 card. It is administered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and the card and fare collection systems are manufactured by Cubic Transportation Systems.
The Freedom Card, stylized as FREEDOM Card, is a contactless smartcard fare collection system used by the PATCO Speedline in New Jersey and Philadelphia.
The Easy Card system is a series of linked contactless smartcard systems used by Miami-Dade Transit and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority in the South Florida area. The Easy Card allows for electronic payment on multiple public transport systems including Miami Metrorail, rapid transit rail system; Tri-Rail, commuter rail system; and Metrobus. Other public transportation agencies in the South Florida area which may eventually join the system include Broward County Transit as well as Palm Tran.
GO Transit is the inter-regional transportation authority of the Golden Horseshoe, which includes the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. It is Canada's oldest regional transit system, first serving passengers in 1967.
Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) provides public transportation for Manatee County, Florida and is operated by the county. the system had about 4,100 riders per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| City Transit Division |
| ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban Division | |||||||||||||
| Regional Rail |
| ||||||||||||
| Infrastructure |
| ||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||||||||||
