High throughput RF or AVI fare payment mema the SBIR program solicitation provides an opportunity to design and develop a fare payment system based on advanced fare payment media to meet the needs of transit patrons and systems in the 1990s. The solicitation stated the new mema should: be cost effective, permit payment of zonal fares, increase flexibility in payment schedule .Fs and methods, and improve revenue security and processing capability. A modern transit system media also must have intermodal applicability, increase throughput to eliminate patron backups and be relatively inexpensive, easy to use and accepted by the public. Because smart cards used by themselves have throughput shortcomings, the project objective is to conduct research to demonstrate the technical feasibility of media incorporating smart card with radio frequency (RF) or automatic vehicle identification (AVI) technology for transit system purposes. This approach should meet reouiremeni s stated above and improve ridership by enhancing patron convenience. Phase I will begin with research into existing alternative systems using advanced media to take advantage of current findings and experience. Research in RF and AVI technology against technical questions the proposal enumerates will be pursued with analysis to determine the optimum approach and its technical feasibility. Phase II will develop and demonstrate the technology. Res: a successful effort will result in development and demonstration of a fare payment card with RF or AVI technology and a microprocessor. It would have the security, accuracy and data storage of a smart card and permit free entry into and exit from any transit mode given worldwide interest in advanced fare payment media, it will have enormous market potential
