Port Authority smartcard system begins at Pitt

Port Authority launched its new smartcard system at Pitt this month, and so far the program… Port Authority launched its new smartcard system at Pitt this month, and so far the program hasn’t seen any major complications.

The new system requires Pitt ID holders to tap their IDs on a fare box next to the driver when they walk on the bus. A scanner on the box reads a microchip embedded in the card.

By the end of 2012, all bus riders in Pittsburgh will be a part of a new smart-card system that is already in place in many other cities across the U.S., including New York and Washington, Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said.

Ritchie said that after the first few weeks of the program, the system seems to be working fairly well, and there have been no major issues or glitches.

“So far, so good,” he said.

The program launch comes after a year-long delay and a pilot program in which a group of 230 participants from Pitt — 210 faculty and staff and 20 students — took part in June, University spokesman John Fedele said.

As officials iron out kinks in the system, Pitt students don’t have to worry: If a card does not work, they can still board the bus simply by flashing their IDs until the end of September.

Ritchie said that most of the complaints from the new procedure’s first weeks had to do with Pitt students whose IDs did not work with the new system.

Junior Cameron Olezene, who has already used the system, said that when his friends’ cards didn’t work on the new system, bus drivers let them ride but told them, “Next week we’re going to have to start charging you.”

However, students whose IDs do not work can still ride the bus during a grace period that lasts until the end of September.

Holders of IDs which don’t initially function with the system will not have to pay the fare, but they should contact Panther Central to make sure their IDs are valid and will work come October. Ritchie said that the grace period exists so that Port Authority has time to fix any issues that arise during the first few months of the program.

“We’re confident that by the end of the two month period, everyone will be on the same page,” Ritchie said.

After Oct. 1, anyone whose ID gets rejected on the bus will have to pay the standard fare or will not be able to ride, just as with anyone in the system who might present a monthly pass that’s outdated.

Ritchie said Port Authority has no control over whose ID is valid or invalid — it gets all of its information from the University. If a person’s card is invalid, it means that the person either graduated or no longer works for Pitt, or that there is a problem with their status.

Fedele said that students’ cards will be deactivated once they are not registered for classes at the end of their senior year.

Freshmen’s cards will be activated as soon as the IDs are issued, which is normally at their summer Pitt Starts, Fedele said.

The new Pitt ID system is all a part of a bigger change happening at Port Authority, Ritchie said. It’s the first phase of the new smart-card system.

The new cards, called Connect Cards, will give people the ability to pay fares using their smart cards, which Ritchie said will be simpler than going to the Downtown service system or local store to buy bus passes. Users can even recharge their cards on a computer using a credit card.

“It makes payment and travel a lot easier,” Ritchie said.

Riders will be able to buy daily, weekend or monthly passes or just put a certain amount of money on the card and use it until it runs out.

“It gives you a lot of different options, but it’s all through one card,” Ritchie said.

But Pitt students are split on whether this system will be better than the old one.

Recent graduate James Moore said he believes the system will be an upgrade from the old paying system.

“It will probably be better for getting people on quicker,” Moore said. “It was hard for them to get a good system down before.”

He said students were unclear when they should pay, since the timing is different for inbound and outbound buses.

“Bus drivers would get frustrated. It should cut down on that,” Moore said.

But senior Nick Ramirez said he feels the system is a hassle and prefers the old system of just presenting an ID to the bus drivers. He said he believes the new system will be slower and an annoyance.

“The bus system is already a hassle,” Ramirez said. “Having people swipe their cards is time consuming.”

Pitt students and employees tested the new system first because the University switched over all ID cards to the technology more than a year ago.

“It was the logical first group to start off our smart-card program with,” Ritchie said.

Senior Staff Writer Gwenn Barney contributed to this report.