TCRP Report 80: A Toolkit for Self-Service, Barrier-Free Fare Collection addresses the full range of issues and parameters that an agency must consider in determining the applicability of self-service fare collection (SSFC) systems, including those related to policy and enforcement issues, operational issues, and capital and equipment issues. The Toolkit is designed for use by agencies at various points in the fare collection decision process. The types of situations in which transit agencies may wish to use the Toolkit include the following: agencies implementing a new service and seeking to choose between SSFC and another fare collection strategy, agencies trying to decide whether to switch to SSFC from another fare collection strategy, agencies currently using SSFC and trying to decide whether to switch to another fare collection strategy, and agencies looking for opportunities to improve an existing SSFC system. Each chapter of the Toolkit contains sections that address the key design parameters/decision areas associated with the types of situations discussed in the chapter. The report will be helpful to transit general managers, policy makers, planners, and operating managers, both in assessing SSFC as part of the overall fare collection decision and in designing and successfully implementing an SSFC system.

A significant number of rail transit operators are now or will be looking to adopt lower cost, less-infrastructure-intensive ways to carry out certain system functions such as fare collection. A key element of modern operational applications is the use of self-service, barrier-free fare collection systems (commonly referred to as proof-of-payment or POP.) Within rail system operations, a great deal has been learned by individual properties about the use of self-service, barrier-free fare collection that would be of value to transit practitioners, operating management staffs, planners, and policymakers. These experiences, captured in a comprehensive toolkit on self-service, barrier-free fare collection, will be valuable to existing operations already using or considering possible conversion to POP and to new operations.

Multisystems, Inc., in association with Mundle & Associates, Inc., and Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., identified and determined the usefulness of all literature related to U.S. and international use of SSFC systems; collected additional data on current use of SSFC in the United States and abroad through a survey; and developed a table of key parameters of SSFC systems related to policy, enforcement, operations, and capital/equipment issues. Based on the information gathered, the research team developed the Toolkit on SSFC design and usage.

Status: The report has been published as TCRP Report 80: A Toolkit for Self-Service, Barrier-Free Fare Collection