As a daily user of public transport I'm all for an
integrated, contactless fare system that doesn't
require compliance checking by Ticketing Nazis.
This scheme will fail because it doesn't address
the problem of concession fares in a way that
prevents misuse by the unentitled.
Maybe the way to approach this is the reverse.
The rail and bus companies agree on a standard
contactless smartcard system. No licensing fees
to use the technology.
Then it becomes worthwhile for all manner of
card-issuing organisations to use the technology
(universities, for one).
I've been involved with two smartcard projects.
It's one of the few areas where there are companies
trying to make money out of the standards process,
and this seems to kill the projects every time by
increasing the cost of the infrastructure to huge
levels.
-- Glen Turner Network Engineer (08) 8303 3936 Australian Academic and Research Network glen.turner@aarnet.edu.au http://www.aarnet.edu.au/ -- The revolution will not be televised, it will be digitised
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