san francisco paratransit taxi debit card system
TRANSCRIPT
San Francisco Paratransit Taxi
Debit Card System
5 | 5| 2010 | APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference
Cleveland, Ohio
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SFMTA Overview
• Eighth largest transit system in United States,by ridership
• Service Area: 49 square miles
• Service Area Population: 800,000 residents
• 750,000 weekday fixed route boarding's, approx. 150,000 senior/disabled
• 14,000 registered Paratransit riders (8,000 active taxi customers)
• 1.1 million annual paratransit trips (620,000 trips on taxi)
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SF Paratransit
• SFMTA (Muni) has been providing paratransit services to the
disabled community for over 31 years
• Taxi is a part of a network of Paratransit services including:
– SF Access: Traditional pre-scheduled, shared ride van
services
– Group Van: Subscription van service for groups of
individuals going to a single location, such as adult day
health care center
• SFMTA contracts with a Paratransit Broker, Veolia
Transportation, to manage Paratransit and they sub-contract
with Taxi and Van Companies
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SF Paratransit Taxi• Sedan Taxi service started in
1981
– 1400 cabs currently in service
• Wheelchair Accessible Ramp Taxi service started in 1994 with 6 cabs
– 100 ramp taxis currently in service
• User choice
• Average trip cost $12.18
• Average trip length: 3 miles
• Until recently, paper-based scrip used as taxi fare media
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New Taxi Fare Payment System:
Debit Card
• Paratransit Taxi Debit Card System eliminates scrip
and automates the fare payment process
• Magnetic swipe debit cards issued to all paratransit
users for use as photo identification and electronic
payment
• All SF Taxis equipped with In Taxi Equipment (ITE),
which includes a smart meter, swipe reader, mobile
data terminals & GPS
• Similar to a credit card transaction, the ITE
communicates wirelessly with a central server that
maintains customer accounts
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Primary Goals of the Debit Card System
• Simplify fare payment
• Improve trip monitoring
capacity, thereby reducing
the potential for misuse and
fraud
• Reduce costs associated with
processing and storing scrip
• Automate the billing and
reconciliation functions
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Debit Card System Components
Broker Software: manages and maintains customer eligibility information
Debit Card Software System: manages the accounts for all paratransit
taxi users, processes all taxi trip payment transactions, reconciles
reimbursements between the Broker and the Taxi Companies
Debit Card Hardware (ITE): communicates to the DCCS via the Internet
Back Up Systems: Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System and manual
forms run on a “knuckle-buster”
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Debit Card Hardware System
(In-Taxi Equipment)
Back Up Systems
Debit Card Software System InternetBroker System
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Debit Card Implementation Phase I:
Software and Hardware
Define software and hardware system
requirements with technical experts
- Procure Debit Card Software through
RFP process
- Develop approved vendor/equipment
list and preferred equipment option
through IFB process
Software modifications to link legacy systems at
Yellow Cab Cooperative and Luxor Cab to DCCS
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Debit Card Implementation Phase II:
Soft Launch, Outreach and Training
• Soft Launch Spring 2009
– Over 200 paratransit taxi riders issued
paratransit debit cards
– Four cab companies participated
• Implementation Team monitors system weekly
• 32 outreach sessions to over 1,000 Paratransit
Taxi Customers
• Taxi driver training at each company
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Debit Card Implementation Phase III:
Full Implementation
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• December 2009
– All SF Paratransit Taxi Customers issued
debit cards with instructional letter
– Scrip sales stopped
– 80% of fleet equipped with ITE
• Weekly monitoring meetings continue
• Additional Paratransit Broker staff hired to
handle increase in calls
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Issuing a Debit Card
• Paratransit Taxi Customer issued a new debit card
when first registered, when re-certified, or when
card is lost or stolen
• New card sent in mail with instructional letter, card
must be activated (IVR process)
• Functions as ADA ID Card
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Taking a Paratransit Taxi Ride
• Paratransit taxi customer adds
value to card ($5 per $30 worth of
service)
• Monthly allotment
pre-determined
• Pre-pay option
• No more hoarding
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Paratransit Taxi Customer Presents
Debit Card and Driver Swipes
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Final Swipe at End of Trip
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Electronic Data Collection
• Trip Data
– Date
– Time & Location of pick up and drop off
– Cab & Driver number
– Customer information
– Meter amount
– Tip 10% of meter amount with a $2.00
maximum (customer’s choice)
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Sample Patron Data
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Sample Geographic Data
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Dashboard: A quick look at the data
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Transactions Screen
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Debit Card Benefits
• Better monitoring and enforcement of program rules
– Service area
– Wait trips
– Others not able to use debit card
– Over-tipping
• Improved cost controls for SFMTA
• Administrative benefits
– Reduction in admin costs for taxi co’s
– Faster invoicing process
• Driver and passenger benefits – ease of use
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Improved Monitoring of Ramp Taxi
Program• Wheelchair pick-up data
monitored very closely
• Monitor for three pick-
ups per shift
• Ability to monitor all ramp
drivers on a certain shift
• Working with SFMTA Taxi
Division on progressive
discipline (fines) for drivers
not picking up and possible
medallion revocation
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Lessons Learned & Still Learning….
• Taxi Industry support is critical
• Local Weights and Measure need to be part of
planning process
• Orientation and training must be on-going for both
drivers and passengers
• Old habits are hard to change – program rules now
enforceable
• Be aware of the “little things” that can result in system
outages
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Next Steps
• Resolve outstanding W&M issues and install remaining 200 ITE units
• Add customer portal to website so paratransit taxi customers can review trip history and purchase value
• Analyze trends for planning purposes
– Ride distribution
– Services per neighborhood, Supervisor district
– Trip generator analysis
-Dialysis center trips, regional center trips
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• Kate Toran, Paratransit Manager
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
Tel 415.701.4440
TTY 415.701.4730
Fax 415.701.4728