HB4098 Engrossed LRB093 17668 MKM 43344 b

1     AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Regional Transportation Authority Act is
5 amended by adding Section 2.04A as follows:
 
6     (70 ILCS 3615/2.04A new)
7     Sec. 2.04A. Universal fare card.
8     (a) In order to promote greater access and convenience for
9 public transit riders through a seamless regional transit
10 network, the Authority shall adopt a universal fare card and
11 establish rules concerning its implementation and use, as
12 federal and State funds become available. For purposes of this
13 Section, "universal fare card" means a fare instrument that can
14 be used seamlessly on all bus, rapid transit, commuter rail,
15 and paratransit services for all fare structures in the
16 Authority's service region.
17     (b) Upon request, the Service Boards shall expeditiously
18 provide to the Authority any information related to the
19 Authority's responsibilities under this Section.
20     (c) The Authority shall, by January 1, 2005, in conjunction
21 with the Service Boards, issue a request for proposal inviting
22 potential bidders to develop a plan to implement a universal
23 fare card. The plan shall detail the specific components and
24 costs of a universal fare card and an integrated fare
25 management system, including the possibility of phased-in
26 implementation, as federal and State funds become available.
27 The plan shall assess the most cost-effective approach to
28 extend existing infrastructure currently in use throughout the
29 Authority's service area and the life cycle costs of operation,
30 labor, and maintenance for a minimum of 15 years. The plan
31 shall include, but is not limited to, the development and
32 implementation of the following:

 

 

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1         (1) the type, number, and design of universal fare
2 cards using contactless smart card or other technology;
3         (2) the type, number, and design of smart card readers
4 or validators that are able to process a wide variety of
5 transit trips and fare structures including, but not
6 limited to, inter-agency and intra-agency transfers,
7 time-based passes, and multi-trip passes;
8         (3) the type, number, and design of any equipment
9 needed to mount smart card readers or validators by: (i)
10 retrofitting existing buses, rapid transit, or rail cars,
11 (ii) modifying stations with barriers or gates, or (iii)
12 installing freestanding card readers or validators at
13 unattended stations;
14         (4) the type, number, and design of portable hand-held
15 readers for use by transit operators, paratransit
16 operators, or on-board ticket takers, as appropriate;
17         (5) the type, number, and design of secure self-service
18 machines and point-of-sale terminals for purchasing or
19 adding value to universal fare cards with cash, credit
20 cards, and debit cards, inside or outside of transit
21 stations, at retail outlets, and at other venues;
22         (6) the software and hardware technology needed to
23 automate and decentralize participation by employers and
24 their employees in the U.S. Transit Check program;
25         (7) the software and hardware technology needed to
26 enhance customer service capabilities for purchasing or
27 adding value or other transit fare products to universal
28 fare cards, providing information, and other conventional
29 and Internet-based services; and
30         (8) the software and hardware technology needed for a
31 central automated clearinghouse that processes all fare
32 transactions and settles payments on a daily basis among
33 the Service Boards and that also provides to each Service
34 Board data relative to passenger ridership and transfers in
35 order to help assess routes and schedules and to determine
36 fare revenues for preparation of annual proposed budgets

 

 

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1 and financial plans.
2     (d) By January 1, 2005, the Authority shall develop a cost
3 analysis of the fare management system in use by the Service
4 Boards on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
5 General Assembly in order to enable the Authority, the
6 Governor, and the General Assembly to compare the costs of
7 conversion to a universal fare card and integrated fare
8 management system with existing costs for each Service Board,
9 including but not limited to, the following:
10         (1) handling the cash sale of tickets by personnel at
11 stations, on buses, or on board commuter rail cars;
12         (2) counting and reconciling all cash collected;
13         (3) deposits of all cash collected and time delays
14 resulting in loss of interest earned;
15         (4) accounting systems prepared and updated for all
16 cash collected;
17         (5) security for removal and transportation of cash
18 collected; and
19         (6) shrinkage due to human error or other reasons.
20     (e) By April 1, 2005, the Authority shall compile all
21 information derived from subsections (c) and (d) into a report
22 and submit the report to the General Assembly and the Governor.
 
23     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24 becoming law.