Janice analysed and explained the benefits of TransLink’s new ticketing system Compass that is to be introduced in 2013 in her blogpost last month. Compass is a pay-as-you-go electronic card that can be charged and the fare is automatically deducted when checking in and out of the transit network.
TransLink thus made the decision to allocate a large budget towards building the infrastructure required for this new system with the hopes that it will pay off in the long run through a substantial reduction in fare evasion as well as additional benefits such as the ability to track exactly where and when people are boarding and getting off the transit services. The installation of fare gates is the topic of the video below:
Janice was only concerned with the reduction in loss of revenue through customers who do not pay for the services; however, a possibly just as important benefit of the new system is the improved gathering of statistical data of consumer behaviour. A recent financial audit found that TransLink (who are, as usual, in financial trouble) is able to save millions of dollars if, for example, the frequency of the SkyTrain were to be reduced when it is not used at full capacity. Essentially, if TransLink has access to this data, it can improve the utilized capacity of all its services, an imperative step in order to become more profitable.
If customers accept the Compass card as a new form of fare payment, it may prove to be just the right step for TransLink into a brighter future. Similar transit networks in London (OysterCard), Copenhagen (Rejsekort), Singapore (EZ-Link), Montreal (OPUS), etc. have proven to be a good investment for the transit authorities.
